HA NOI, 29 April 2022 – Within the framework of UNFPA’s new 10^th Country Programme 2022-2026, a new project (VNM10P01) was approved this afternoon to support Viet Nam in the implementation and monitoring of the laws and policies for comprehensive youth development and youth participation, including in natural disasters and pandemics. The official ceremony was held in Ha Noi, with participation of leaders and officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), the National Assembly’s Department of Culture and Education, the Department of Students Affairs of the Directorate for Vocational Training of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), the Central Centre for Youth and Adolescents of the Viet Nam Youth Union, the Department of Teachers and Educational Administrators of the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), other line ministries, social organizations, UN agencies and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Viet Nam.

Viet Nam is in the phase of demographic transition. According to the 2019 Population and Housing Census, adolescents and youth aged 10-24 account for 21 per cent of the total population. The demographic window of opportunity, first identified in 2007, is projected to last until 2041, presenting Viet Nam with a unique opportunity to accelerate its socio-economic growth. According to the Viet Nam Youth Development Strategy 2021-2025, Comprehensive Youth Development includes education, vocational training and employment, culture, health and life skills to create young, high quality human resources to meet the needs of accelerated industrialization, modernization and international integration, and to promote the role and responsibility of youth for the cause of building and defending the Fatherland. The investment in comprehensive youth development in coming years will open opportunities for Viet Nam to utilize the golden population period for its socio-economic development.

Addressing the Launch of the project, Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Minister of Home Affairs said: "One of the objectives of the project is to create a favorable environment to support youth development, in which focus on life skills education, sexuality education; at the same time to build a mechanism promoting youth participation in policies and programmes respond to emergencies, natural disasters and epidemics. The project activities are consistent with UNFPA’s priorities; as well as the country’s socio-economic development and the current situation and the needs of Vietnamese youth in the coming years." 

Despite the country's socio-economic gains over the last decade, inequities and gaps have to be narrowed in terms of access to education, health care, particularly sexual and reproductive health care, job opportunities, and youth participation in policy development. Young girls from ethnic minorities, young migrant workers, young people with disabilities, those living with HIV/AIDS, LGBTIQ youth, and young sex workers are among the groups most vulnerable to health and other life-related risks, and are furthest behind in the country's development process.

With a total budget of USD 3.1 million, the project will be key in providing technical and financial support to MOHA and other relevant agencies in the development and monitoring of the national policies in relation to comprehensive youth development. The project will be implemented from 2022 to 2026, which will be in line with Viet Nam's socio-economic development plan, as well as plans and strategies of MOHA and other youth related organizations. During the project implementation, UNFPA will support MOHA and other relevant agencies to effectively implement and monitor the implementation of the Youth Law and related policies, and carry out programmes promoting comprehensive development of Vietnamese young people, especially vulnerable youth. 

"This project reaffirms UNFPA's commitment to assisting the Ministry of Home Affairs and implementing partners in ensuring that young people's rights to comprehensive development, particularly in the areas of access to Life Skills and Comprehensive Sexuality Education, are satisfied. Through this project, UNFPA, in collaboration with MOHA and other key partners, aims to empower and support young people, particularly those from vulnerable populations, to meaningfully participate in policy development and implementation, thereby contributing to Viet Nam's efforts to achieve SDGs by 2030," said Ms. Naomi Kitahara, UNFPA Representative in Viet Nam. 

The project will focus on:

• Implementing the Youth Law, the Vietnamese Youth Development Strategy and other policies and programmes related to youth;
• Strengthening the monitoring of the implementation of the Youth Law, youth development policies and programmes, including in humanitarian crisis such as natural disasters and pandemics;
• Developing platforms/mechanisms and policies to enhance the active participation of young people, especially vulnerable youth,  in the development and monitoring of laws, programmes and policies related to youth; and
• Developing Life Skills and Comprehensive Sexuality Education for adolescents and youth in schools, vocational institutions and out-of-school young people.

The project is co-implemented by the Youth Affairs Department of MOHA; the National Assembly’s Department of Culture and Education, the Department of Students Affairs of the Directorate for Vocational Training of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), the Central Center for Youth and Adolescents of the Viet Nam Youth Union, the Department for Teachers and Educational Administrators of the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET). 

The UNFPA 10^th Country Programme will aim at achieving the transformative results of its corporate Strategic Plan, towards Viet Nam with Zero preventable maternal deaths, Zero unmet need for family planning, and Zero gender-based violence and other harmful practices against women and girls. The Programme in the coming 5 years is in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Viet Nam to fulfil the transformative promise of “Leaving no one behind.” 

-end-

Notes to editors:

The new UNFPA 10^th Country Programme 2022-2026, with a total resources of US$ 26.5 million, focuses on the following areas:

• Adolescents and Youth;
• Population Ageing and Social Protection;
• Equitable Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights;
• Data and Evidence for Policy and Programme Making;
• Gender-Based Violence and Harmful Practices; and
• Multi-sectoral Response to Gender-Based Violence and Harmful Practices.

For further information, please contact: