Gov’t views child-rights protection as national strategic priority

The Government leader made the point at  a ceremony in Ha Noi on November 26 to mark 50 years of Viet Nam–UNICEF cooperation and 35 years since the country's ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that Viet Nam highly values UNICEF's partnership and support over the past 50 years. Moving forward, the Government remains steadfast in treating child-rights protection as a strategic priority and will continue to promote comprehensive policies to ensure every child can develop to their fullest potential.

Viet Nam looks forward to further close cooperation and effective support from UNICEF, UN agencies, international organizations, and partners in its child-related initiatives, he added.

Viet Nam has consistently prioritized resources and policies to protect and care for children, providing the best possible conditions for their overall development and a safe, healthy living environment—especially for poor children, those in special circumstances, children with disabilities, and orphans.

In recent years, the Southeast Asian country has introduced and implemented breakthrough policies across various sectors, particularly in education. These include universal preschool education for children aged 3–5, tuition exemptions or support for preschoolers, and the establishment of STEM practice classrooms.

Addressing the event, June Kunugi, UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific, commended Viet Nam for its bold reforms and ambitious development goals. She said UNICEF will continue to stand side by side with Viet Nam by providing evidence-based solutions and strengthening partnerships.

June said that UNICEF has identified three priority support areas for Viet Nam in the coming period: increasing investment in children and human capital; ensuring safety and empowerment within communities; and building family and community resilience to climate change, natural disasters, and social shocks.

On the occasion, the Deputy Prime Minister presented the Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit to UNICEF in recognition of its outstanding, persistent, and effective contributions to child rights in Viet Nam over the past five decades.

Viet Nam was the first country in Asia and the second in the world to ratify the CRC in 1990—the most widely ratified human-rights treaty in history, with 196 state parties. 

Over the past 35 years, the country has made significant progress: the legal framework has been strengthened, notably with the 2016 Law on Children, which affirms that children are rights holders; the under-five mortality rate has dropped from 58‰ in 1990 to 16.9‰ in 2024; more than 90 percent of children under one receive full immunization; and the rate of underweight malnutrition has declined from 38.7 percent in 1998 to 10.4 percent in 2024. 

Viet Nam has also maintained a high rate of school attendance and continuously expanded its child-protection network./.