Hanoi, 15 December 2021: Another toll-free hotline of international standards is officially activated today, providing care and support as well as referral services 24/7, to ensure the rights and safety of survivors of domestic violence. The hotline also allows for text-based support, in addition to telephone-based support, so that women and girls can seek help at any time in a discreet manner, without necessarily being noticed or caught by perpetrators.

The hotline – 1800 1768 has been established by Vietnam Farmers’ Union with technical and financial support from UNFPA under the framework of the UNFPA project entitled “Mitigating COVID 19 impacts on Vulnerable Populations – Ensuring National Progress to Achieve SDGs in Viet Nam,” which is funded by the Government of Japan.

In his opening remark, Mr. Luong Quoc Doan, Member of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of Vietnam Farmers’ Union highly appreciated UNFPA’s support to the Vietnam Farmers’ Union over the past years. Mr Luong Quoc Doan said: “We will operate the hotline 18001768 in the most effective way, thus contributing to reducing gender-based violence in rural areas. This constitutes a practical move by Vietnam Farmers’ Union in protecting the rights of its members, especially female farmers and in changing men’s attitudes against domestic violence. We are grateful to the support from UNFPA and the Government of Japan.”

The establishment of the new toll-free hotline by the Vietnam Farmers’ Union is significant as additional, timely and friendly assistance is now available and accessible to survivors of violence, especially those living in the rural areas. The findings of the UNFPA-funded National Study on violence against women in 2019 showed that the prevalence of violence against women is higher in rural areas (28%) than in urban areas (22%).

The Study also showed nearly 2 in 3 women (62.9%) experienced at least one form of physical, sexual, psychological, and economic violence and controlling behaviors by their husband in their lifetime. And half of the women who experienced physical and or/sexual violence by a husband has told no one about it, and most of the women (90.4) experiencing violence did not seek any help. With COVID-19, the situation seems to have worsened. In the UNFPA supported hotline, the number of calls for help has doubled or even tripled due to COVID-19, and UNFPA has been not only alarmed, but also urged to create another hotline, as existing ones are operating at more than their originally designed capacity.

Speaking at the event to activate the hotline, the UNFPA Representative for Vietnam, Ms. Naomi Kitahara commended the Vietnam Farmers’ Union’s strong commitment to ending violence against women and girls, especially those living in rural areas.

Ms. Naomi Kitahara stressed: “Greater efforts and stronger collaboration among all the stakeholders are needed to support the Government of Vietnam. All women and girls in Viet Nam, including those most vulnerable, have the right to live a life free of violence, and they should be prioritized as part of the COVID-19 response. It is about making sure that everyone is part of the country’s sustainable development process, leaving no one behind. We are not leaving women and girls behind.”

Today, UNFPA also handed over more than 8,400 Dignity Kits for distribution through the network of the Vietnam Farmers’ Union to women at risk of violence in HCM City and in the provinces of Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Long An, and Tien Giang, which have been severely affected by the 4th wage of COVID 19.

The Dignity Kit comprises the basic items that women and girls need to protect themselves and maintain hygiene, respect, and dignity in the face of crisis. It is a signature product of UNFPA's comprehensive package of humanitarian assistance to safeguard sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls, and to prevent and respond to domestic violence. It comprises basic items that women and girls need to protect themselves and maintain hygiene, respect, and dignity in the face of a crisis. It also includes essential information not only for sexual and reproductive health, but also for information and communication materials which are essential for the prevention and response to domestic violence.

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Pham Thu Huong| Deputy Director of Social, Population and Family Department,

            Viet Nam Farmers’ Union

Email: pthp12nd@yahoo.com  | Tel: 0916382839

Ms. Dinh Thu Huong | UNFPA Communications

Email:  dhuong@unfpa.org  | Tel: 0913301539