Ha Noi, 31 May 2022: The Viet Nam Farmer's Union and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) confirm their continued efforts to change social norms in addressing gender-based violence, harmful practices, and gender inequality and to promote women's rights. A new project: “Prevention and response to gender-based violence and other harmful practices” was launched in Hanoi today within the framework of the UNFPA’s new 10th Country Programme for Vietnam from 2022 to 2026. It aims at developing, amending, and implementing programmes, policies, and laws, using evidence and human rights-based approach.
The Central Viet Nam Farmers’ Union as the Project owner will work closely with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and the Ministry of Health. The new project will be implemented in four provinces and cities, namely Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Danang and Lam Dong with a total budget of USD 6.9 million.
Addressing at the launch of the new project, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dinh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Farmers’ Union highly appreciated UNFPA’s technical support over the past years, especially in establishing the toll-free hotlines and providing care and support for rural women at risk of violence.
The Vice Chairman Nguyen Xuan Dinh said: “The new Project launched today will be our contributions to addressing gender-based violence against women and girls in Viet Nam. Vietnam Farmers’ Union pledges to implement the project in the most innovative and efficient manner in order to meet the need of Vietnamese women and girls, and to ensure their safety, while addressing harmful social norms and practices towards gender prejudices, which are the core roots of gender-based violence.”
It is expected that the Project will help provide evidence-based advocacy and technical advice to the revision of the Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control and the Law on Gender Equality to ensure that anything relating to gender-based violence and harmful practices will be fully reflected in the laws; and to ensure that the laws are in compliance with not only the international standards but also to the relevant laws and policies within the present context of Vietnam.
The Project will also develop and implement innovative and digital-based initiatives for social and behavioural change communications to mobilise community participation, with the focus on adolescents and youth; men and boys; and other vulnerable groups to change their attitudes and take actions to prevent gender-based violence and harmful practices.
Under the project, evidence-based and innovative strategies to engage men to take part in addressing harmful masculinity and building healthy relationships will be developed and piloted. The Responsible Father Programme will be replicated in at least 3 new provinces, and a crisis management centre for men will be piloted in building equitable, healthy, and non-violent relationships.
In her opening remarks, UNFPA Representative for Viet Nam, Ms Naomi Kitahara stressed that the partnership between UNFPA and the Viet Nam Farmers’ Union will continue to thrive.
Ms. Naomi Kitahara said: “Addressing gender-based violence and harmful practices is one of the three main pillars in the new UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2022-2025, and a clear priority for UNFPA Viet Nam’s new country programme 2022-2026. UNFPA will scale up efforts to end gender-based violence and harmful practices in Viet Nam.”
The transformative results of the UNFPA’s corporate Strategic Plan include: Zero preventable maternal death; Zero unmet need for family planning; and Zero gender-based violence and other harmful practices against women and girls.
The Executive Board of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) approved in early 2022 the new 10th country programme for Viet Nam in the amount of US$26.5 million to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030, targeting those at risk of being left behind, including women and girls, adolescents and youth, older persons, ethnic minorities, migrant workers, people with disabilities, and survivors of gender-based violence. The programme is in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Viet Nam to fulfil the transformative promise of “Leaving no one behind.”
Note to editors:
The findings of the 2019 UNFPA-supported National Study on Violence against Women in Vietnam showed that nearly 2 in 3 women (62.9%) experienced at least one form of physical, sexual, psychological, and economic violence and controlling behaviours by their husband in their lifetime. And half of the women who experienced physical and or/sexual violence by a husband/partner has told no one about it, and most of the women (90.4) experiencing violence did not seek any help. Therefore, domestic violence is very much hidden in Vietnamese society.
In addition, the Study showed that the prevalence of violence against women is higher in rural areas (28%) than in urban areas (22%). Therefore, the new toll-free hotline 1800.1768 as well as the special messenger site was established by the Vietnam Farmers’ Union in December 2021 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. The hotline is accessible for rural women at risk of violence. It provides care and support as well as referral services 24/7 to ensure the rights and safety of survivors of domestic violence.
For further information, please contact:
Ms. Leu Thi Minh Hue| Deputy Director of Social Department Viet Nam Farmers’ Union
Email: hueminhnb@gmail.com | ĐT: 0916835050
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Thanh | UNFPA Communications Officer
Email: tnguyen@unfpa.org | Tel: 0913093363
