Hanoi, 26 September 2023: The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs continues to be a key partner of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund to promote gender equality, prevent and respond to Gender-based Violence (GBV), address gender-biased sex selection, and ensure an effective approach to the increasing needs of older persons in the context of rapid population aging.

The new Representative in Viet Nam of the United Nations Population Fund, Mr. Matt Jackson made the statement at his courtesy meeting with Minister Dao Ngoc Dung, Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) in Hanoi today. Mr. Matt Jackson expressed UNFPA’s appreciation for the Ministry’s strong partnership for over 20 years as the leading role in establishing the first ever model of a Once Stop Service Centre for survivors of gender-based violence, commonly known as Anh Duong House in Quang Ninh. The successful model was replicated in Thanh Hoa, Da Nang and HCM City with high hopes for additional locations. Anh Duong House is a safe and reliable centre to support survivors of gender-based and domestic violence.

Mr Matt Jackson said: “UNFPA is keen to continue supporting MOLISA in standardising and scaling up Anh Duong House to other provinces. In addition, UNFPA calls on the Ministry to strengthen the legislative framework on gender-based violence, including within the revision of the Gender Equality Law building on the recommendations from the current independent review of the Law.”

UNFPA has also been working very closely with MOLISA in raising awareness on ageing and older person issues, and providing technical assistance in developing evidence-based policies and programmes specifically on ensuring social protection for older persons. In the coming five years, UNFPA’s interventions will focus on enhancing integrated and coherent social protection systems, applying life-cycle and gender transformative approaches for ageing and meeting the needs of the most vulnerable groups.

For his part, the Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Mr Dao Ngoc Dung confirmed that ending gender-based violence cannot be achieved overnight, but that to achieve an end to GBV, MOLISA is ready to work collaboratively with UNFPA to reach the shared goal of inclusive and sustainable development. The Minister also said that in addition to the areas of gender equality and population ageing, there are many additional opportunities for stronger partnerships between MOLISA and UNFPA. These include considering improvements of the quality of the labour force, employment and social protection.

The Minister believed that with his experience, Mr. Matt Jackson will continue to expand UNFPA support to areas including climate change and its impacts on Vietnamese people, especially women and girls, and vulnerable groups in remote and rural areas in Viet Nam.

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For further information, please contact:

Ms. Dinh Thu Huong | UNFPA Communications | Email:  dhuong@unfpa.org | Tel: 0913301539