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The world in a photo: Shutterbugs capture “The Future I Want” in UN Viet Nam photo contest
Sometimes we see a whole world in a single photo.
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The world in a photo: Shutterbugs capture “The Future I Want” in UN Viet Nam photo contest
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Press Release
22 July 2021
IOM Launches Regional Project on Enhancing Protection of Migrant Workers in Asia Impacted by COVID-19
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Press Release
14 July 2021
Pre-conditions to advance the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities in Vietnam discussed
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Press Release
14 July 2021
Quyền và lựa chọn: Ưu tiên sức khỏe tình dục và sức khỏe sinh sản cho phụ nữ và trẻ em gái
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Viet Nam
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth's environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Viet Nam.
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14 December 2020
Sex workers must not be left behind
Sex workers are exposed to gender-based violence easily as a consequence of social stigma and illegal status of sex work. “Once, a client kept me in a room for 2 hours forcefully. He beat me up.” memorized by An (not her real name), a street-based sex worker in Viet Nam.
“I cannot report to the police because sex work is illegal.” Spending all her time making a living, she did not have any information where she could turn to for getting support. Her family didn’t know her occupation. So, she kept the traumatizing experience to herself only.
An is the breadwinner supporting the livelihood of her mother and a 5-year-old son. COVID-19 has hit the poorest and the most vulnerable the hardest. During the social distancing policy, only three regular clients. She begged her clients to pay an extra 50,000 VND on the 100,000 VND fee each time. Yet, the house rent and utilities still cost her 1.2 million VND monthly. Her meager earnings can hardly support their living expenses and her son’s school fee.
Fortunately, her son’s school principal and their landlord were aware of their hardship. They allow An to pay back the fees when her financial condition improves. Up till now, An is still struggling to earn a sufficient income to support her family.
Thuy (not her real name) faces a similar situation in the other province in the Mekong Delta. Due to the financial difficulties of her family, Thuy dropped out of her junior high school to work. She is now a single mother of a three-year-old and a six-year-old. She works as a sex worker and part-time housemaid. The clients at sex work pay her 150,000 VND each time, but Thuy needs to pay for the room and condoms. Taking care of her children, she cannot spare much time working and earning money.
In early 2019, Thuy encountered an offer. “The people promised me to get a well-paid job in China,” said Thuy. After her neighbor agreed to take care of her children, she followed those people to China, wishing for better incomes. She revealed, “In China, I was kept in a house and forced to sell sex.” Thuy was trafficked to China for six months.
Thuy was rescued thanks to a joint effort of public security forces and returned to Viet Nam in December 2019. Life in her hometown became even more challenging. Thuy bitterly shared, “I become notorious because people in my community spread rumors behind me. Most people were not willing to get close to me.”
Shortly, the COVID-19 health crisis and destructive typhoon further halted her sources of income. “Struggling to feed my two children, I started asking for rice everywhere, sometimes in the pagodas, sometimes at the tea stalls along the pavement.” said Thuy, who is looking pale and drawn. “I have even thought of committing suicide. Life is too harsh to me.”
The social and economic fallout from the pandemic disproportionately affected the livelihood of sex workers. The risk of violence against them has raised. Due to stigma, discrimination, and illegal status of sex work, it’s usually very difficult for sex workers to access social protection in case of violence.
Everyone, including sex workers, is entitled to work decently with dignity and safety. Collective efforts are needed to protect sex workers from violence. The United Nations, joining other organizations* supporting the rights of sex workers, calls for zero discrimination against for sex workers and equal access to health care and social support for every people.
*The sex workers featured in this story have been reached by the Viet Nam Network of Self-help Groups of Sex Workers (VNSW) and received joint support from UNAIDS and VNSW for mitigation of the impacts of COVID-19
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Press Release
12 May 2020
Việt Nam’s COVID-19 crisis response can increase opportunities for the country to emerge as a leader at regional and global levels
In addition to carrying out its significant and important responsibilities as a Non-Permanent Member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council for the 2020-21 period and as the ASEAN Chair in 2020, Việt Nam has, so far, done remarkably well in responding to COVID-19 by deploying a series of early, proactive, consistent and effective strategies.
However, real challenges still remain, including on the socio-economic front and in terms of building back differently and better while staying on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN stands ready to continue to support Việt Nam as it seeks to meet these challenges and achieve its ‘new normal’.
Việt Nam had prepared well in advance for its heavy and challenging political responsibilities in the global arena in 2020.
In January, Việt Nam began its rare twin-responsibilities of being both a rotating non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (for 2020-21) and the ASEAN Chair for 2020 simultaneously.
The country was immediately thrust into the global spotlight while assuming the Presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of January for alphabetical reasons.
Leading the Security Council in its discussions and resolutions on such sensitive matters as the Libyan peace process, and continuing conflicts in Syria and Yemen, Việt Nam skillfully navigated challenging, tricky waters on the world stage.
The highlight of the month was an open debate in early January, presided by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Phạm Bình Minh, at which UN Member States reaffirmed their commitment to the UN Charter, and to an international order based on international law as the indispensable foundation of a more peaceful, prosperous and just world. The crux of the discussion was to emphasise the importance of multilateralism and global solidarity.
The message from this open debate at the Security Council chaired by Việt Nam resonates more than ever now, at the time of COVID-19. As Việt Nam was embarking on its ambitious goals at the regional and global levels, COVID-19 appeared in the country on January 23.
Việt Nam then sprang into action. Its early, proactive, consistent, robust, strategic and effective measures to contain two phases of the virus have, so far, resulted in less than 300 cases of confirmed infections, zero deaths, and over an 80 per cent recovery rate, despite sharing a long land border with China which was the original epicentre of COVID-19.
Nonetheless, the pandemic has been ruthless in its disruption of the global economy, and Việt Nam, which is significantly integrated into global value chains, has already experienced the initial impacts of this. Yet, Việt Nam thus far appears to have been able to largely flatten the epidemic curve without exhibiting a steep economic impact curve because of a combination of its effective measures with respect to the pandemic, the provision of a US$2.6 billion social protection cash package for vulnerable population groups, and a relatively quick, yet measured, return to near normal once the outbreak was largely contained last month.
I congratulate the people and the Government of Việt Nam on their tremendous achievement in responding to and addressing the crisis thus far. At the same time, I must emphasise that there are still many real challenges the country faces both immediately and in the coming months.
They include avoiding another significant wave of infections, minimising the severity of the negative economic impact, and kick-starting the socio-economic recovery to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, whilst taking care of the most vulnerable and leaving no one behind.
I would like to think that by leveraging its successful response so far, at least some of the challenges and difficulties caused by COVID-19 can be turned into real opportunities, through which Việt Nam, through a whole-of-political system and whole-of-society approach, transforms the crisis into a better future for its citizens, especially the most vulnerable, emerging as a leader at both regional and global levels in the post-COVID-19 world.
Allow me to focus on a few key priorities at this critical juncture. First, strengthening health systems needs to remain the top priority. The Government of Việt Nam is now better prepared for any eventuality regarding COVID-19 than it was in January, with its public health sector having performed impressively thus far. In light of the unpredictable nature of the virus, however, we must all remain vigilant and take all possible preventive measures.
While taking care of the crisis on the domestic front, Việt Nam has provided PPE and medical supplies to a number of countries, in particular in Europe, and also made a generous contribution to the WHO, which I have warmly welcomed.
There are many lessons from Việt Nam’s COVID-19 response which should be shared with the rest of the world on how to contain pandemics and infectious diseases based on both its previous SARS and now COVID-19 experiences. The WHO and the UN as a whole are prioritising sharing its good practices in this area.
Second, Việt Nam needs to prioritise both its socio-economic recovery and building back differently and better. Like in other parts of the world, the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 may be felt in Việt Nam for a long time. Since the country is about to score a victory over the second wave of COVID-19, the road to full socio-economic recovery should become the real focus in the immediate weeks and months.
In light of the disruptions in global supply chains and international trade, on which it significantly depends, Việt Nam could consider taking urgent system-wide measures, such as increasing financial support for domestic micro, small and medium enterprises to enable them to remain solvent and reduce unemployment. Priority should be placed on those that can provide both significant formal employment and domestic value-added backward linkages for key strategic global supply chains prioritising in green technologies and agricultural value-added industries in which Việt Nam has clear competitive advantages.
Consideration should also be given to temporary tax and fiscal measures which encourage employment and labour intensive public investment. It will be a major achievement if Việt Nam can continue to keep the epidemic curve flat whilst simultaneously avoiding a steep economic recession curve. This is a realistic possibility in its case which cannot be said for most countries in the world. If it is able to achieve this by end-2020, Việt Nam will once again show itself to be a regional and global leader.
All of this must be done whilst ensuring that the most vulnerable sections of society, who may have been hit hard in the last few months, are not further left behind. Crucially, this COVID-19 crisis cannot be allowed to further increase inequalities and reverse the progress Việt Nam has made over the last few decades to combat extreme poverty and advance gender equality. Together with the Government, the UN is also committed to continuing to push forward towards achieving Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, and ensuring that all Vietnamese people fully enjoy their fundamental rights.
In the medium- to long-term, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, Việt Nam will also need to respond to the non-COVID urgent crises which it faces, such as addressing the complex causes of drought and salt water intrusion in the Mekong Delta by enacting long-term sustainable development changes which mitigate the effects of climate change and move the country towards a more inclusive, renewable energy-based greener economy.
Based on the UN framework for the immediate socio-economic response to COVID-19, which was launched by the UN Deputy-Secretary-General in late April, the UN stands ready to make its wide array of expertise available to the Government and people of Việt Nam in support of their efforts to ‘build back better’ and bounce back strongly.
At the regional level, I have observed that Việt Nam is showing its keenness to lead ASEAN towards recovery and stability. As the ASEAN Chair, as soon as the impact of COVID-19 was felt, Việt Nam began leading a series of ASEAN meetings, and held a virtual ASEAN Summit and ASEAN Plus Three Summit on 14 April to strengthen regional cooperation, and more importantly, catalyse co-operation on the post-pandemic economic response and recovery. Specifically, a COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund for public health emergencies will be established under its leadership, and a regional stockpile of medical supplies will be set up for future epidemics.
Its role at the regional level builds on the second open debate at the UN Security Council Việt Nam presided over in late January. This focused on ASEAN-UN co-operation for the first time, including peaceful settlement of disputes, preventive diplomacy, disarmament, peacekeeping, counter-terrorism and maritime co-operation.
The debate touched on such issues as the East Sea (South China Sea) and the plight of the Rohingya in Myanmar, as well as the importance of the SDGs and their interlinkages with peace and security. Given its dual regional and global roles in 2020, and also because it appears to be coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic ahead of many other countries, Việt Nam is in a position to play a leading role both at regional and global levels, bringing synergy and cohesiveness between ASEAN and the UN in tackling some of the most critical and sensitive issues which intersect both levels.
This year, we are also celebrating the 75th anniversary of the UN. Ironically, the COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated more vividly than any other issue why we need global co-operation and solidarity anchored in the United Nations. The issue is not whether we need the UN, but how we can strengthen, and yes, reform it - to meet the unprecedented challenges of the 21st century. The UN Secretary-General is scheduled to visit Việt Nam in November to attend the ASEAN Summit and related summits.
I sincerely hope that the November visit will provide an opportunity for Việt Nam, ASEAN and the UN to strengthen their commitment to multilateralism and global solidarity in a tangible manner, reinforcing Việt Nam’s role in the region and allowing it to make even greater contributions to the rest of the world, given its rich experiences and many successes both recently and over the last few decades.
*Kamal Malhotra is UN resident co-ordinator in Việt Nam
Original Op-ed published on Viet Nam News: https://bit.ly/2SXpzUD
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18 November 2020
The UN in Viet Nam dragon boat promotes One UN Spirit for UN75 and Sustainable Development Goals
In November, the weather in Viet Nam turns cooler in the northern provinces allowing people to enjoy outdoor activities after a long and hot summer. The 2020 Dragon Boat Race was organized by the Hanoi People’s Committee on 14 November 2020 calling both amateur and professional paddlers and athletes to compete in the West Lake – one of the signatures of Hanoi.
Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, UN staff in Viet Nam organized a dragon boat team to represent the United Nations in the amateur race and promote Sustainable Development Goals. Comprised of 14 members of six nationalities from seven UN agencies, the team practiced during weekends and early in the morning to come together as One UN and paddle in harmony.
“The most important thing in dragon boat is that you must paddle together in sync to give it the speed. You can have 10 physically fit people, but the boat will not go forward unless you are paddling as if you are one person. It’s just like how different UN agencies are working together for the same goal of supporting Viet Nam,” said Tran Quynh Hoa, ILO Communications Officer who initiated the idea and a regular rower.
The core message of the United Nations in 2020 has been solidarity and global cooperation. The Secretary-General reiterated the message in his speeches for the General Assembly and many High-Level events that there is no way for the world to overcome global challenges and the pandemic without putting the people at the center calling for stronger and greater solidarity to overcome global crises and to build back better.
“I am very proud of our One UN team who participated in the Race, and it shows that we are more beautiful and stronger together. We are all set to help Viet Nam achieve SDGs by 2030!” said Kamal Malhotra, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam.
“I am glad that we could represent the United Nations and promote SDGs to the public who joined and observed the race. I believe the team manifested solidarity and how a group of people from different nationality, background and organization can come together to fight for a common goal. And we had a lot of fun together as One UN Dragon Boat Team,” said Naomi Kitahara, UNFPA Representative and Chair of UN Communications Group who joined the team as drummer. Naomi was wrapped in SDGs flag to bring more visibility to the team.
In previous years, the city had organized the Dragon Boat Festival for both national and international teams to join. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the city only invited teams in Viet Nam to stimulate domestic tourism and promote the spirit of culture and sports for local Vietnamese to participate and enjoy. As of 14 November, Viet Nam had gone almost 90 days without local transmission of COVID-19.
More photos can be found here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmSbHRBa
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16 June 2021
Women in Viet Nam learn how to stay safe when working abroad
Ha Tinh, Viet Nam – Thi Nguyen said she sensed something was wrong when the taxi driver in Bangkok, after realizing she was a migrant worker from Viet Nam, took what he said was “a new road” to her destination. She tried to stay calm.
“When he reached the edge of a forest, he locked all the doors and went out for a call, perhaps looking for smugglers” she said. “As soon as he got back into the taxi, I told him, using my fluent Thai speaking skills, that I had just called my cousin, who would report the incident to the local police if he did not drive me back.” “I was lucky. He finally got scared so I could come home.” Thi recalled.
Migrant worker Thi Nguyen recounts her narrow escape from danger in Thailand, during the UN Women-supported workshop in Ha Tinh, Viet Nam, on 22 April 2021. Photo: UN Women/Thao Hoang
Thi said that after that experience five years ago, she always took photos of the plates and sent them to friends before stepping into any car.
She shared her experience at a training for about 60 women who had worked abroad and returned to Thach Ha and Hong Linh communes of Ha Tinh city in Northern-Central-Viet Nam. The rate of overseas migration from this area is very high. The women had worked in Asia and Europe, had to return home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but wished to go back abroad.
Migrant workers attending the UN-supported workshop in Ha Tinh, Viet Nam, on 23 April 2021 show their hopes for future journeys abroad. The sign at the left foreground says, “No violence-No valuing men above women”. Photo: UN Women/Thao Hoang
The Institute for Social Development Studies, a civil society organization led by gender expert Khuat Thu Hong, facilitated the 21-25 April training as part of the Safe and Fair Programme. The programme is run jointly by International Labour Organization and UN Women and helps protect South-East Asia’s migrant workers from violence and abuse. It is part of the Spotlight Initiative by the European Union and the United Nations to end violence against women and girls.
Migrant workers attending the UN Women-supported workshop on 23 April 2021 in Ha Tinh, Viet Nam, make lists of the different types of violence they should watch out for while abroad. Photo: UN Women/Thao Hoang
According to International Labour Organization, about 400,000 Vietnamese are now working in over 40 countries and territories. The number of women among the migrants increased from 10 per cent in 2000 to nearly 40 per cent in 2017, the Government of Viet Nam says.
Women who are either documented or undocumented workers, face risks of violence and abuse from recruiters, employers, and others. Those who lack documents or do domestic labour are particularly vulnerable.
“Migration presents opportunities not only for the migrants, but also for the countries of origin, transit and destination. However, there is work to be done to ensure that labour migration is safe, particularly for women,” said Elisa Fernandez Saenz, UN Women Representative in Viet Nam.
Through capacity building and knowledge exchange interventions of the Safe and Fair Programme, women migrant workers learned about gender equality, types of violence against women, and ways to access information and quality support services in both the origin and destination countries. They also formed online and offline groups to continue exchanging information on these and other migrant worker topics via social media. They have become more confident to share what they learned with others who plan to migrate abroad to reduce risks throughout their migration pathway.
Thi, who was working in a restaurant, returned from Thailand last year with her two children. Her husband is still working there, and she plans to go back.
However, Cam Nguyen, 38, has no wish to go back abroad. She said she had worked 10-12 hours a day, every day and without holidays or vacation, at a textile factory in Taiwan and was paid only a third of the contracted salary.
“After 18 months, I lost 11 kilos,” she said at the workshop. “My family’s loan had been paid several years ago. I want to stay home to take care of my children. Sometimes, I still dream of hearing the foreman shouting in the textile factory,” Cam said.
Cam Nguyen (second from right) and other migrant workers share their hopes for future journeys abroad, during the UN Women-supported workshop in Ha Tinh, Viet Nam, on 24 April 2021. Cam’s hope is for “good health”. Photo: UN Women/Thao Hoang
Cam says she is happy in Viet Nam; however, she wants to help others prepare for better experiences abroad and how to stay safe. She is a leader of the exchange-information group in Hong Linh’s commune, which started with 20 core members in July 2020 and has doubled in size.
The Safe and Fair Programme is part of the European Union funded multi-year Spotlight Initiative jointly implemented by ILO and UN Women to eliminate violence against women migrant workers throughout their migration cycle in the 10 ASEAN countries. In Viet Nam, the Safe and Fair programme engages multiple partners to strengthen gender sensitive labour migration governance frameworks and institutional capacity for protecting rights of women migrant workers, enhance coordination and access to quality essential services among survivors of violence, and improve public awareness and attitude about the rights and contributions of women migrant workers.
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18 May 2021
Cash handouts provide lifeline to vulnerable women in Viet Nam facing double impact of pandemic and flooding
A total of 315 vulnerable women-headed households affected by the 2020 flooding and COVID-19 in four communes of Quang Tri province, central Viet Nam, received cash grants of VND 4 million (173 USD) each from UN Women to rebuild their livelihoods.
When Quang Tri Province suffered the worst flooding in 41 years in October 2020, Le Thi An and her family of six flower farmers knew that they were facing difficult times.
Le Thi An’s flowers fields were all destroyed by the flood. Photo: UN Women/Thao Hoang
“The income of my family depends much on selling flowers, but our fields were all destroyed by the historic flood,” said Le Thi An, 58, who lives in the province’s Trieu Hoa commune. “We had borrowed 28 million VND (around 1,150 USD) to buy flower cultivars, and have to pay the interest every month. I could not sleep well for many nights.”
Luckily An’s headache has been partly solved. In January, An’s family together with another 314 vulnerable women-headed households in four communes of Quang Tri province each received a cash grant of VND 4 million (around 173 USD) from UN Women through Viet Nam Women’s Union to build back their livelihoods.
With support from UN Women, Le Thi An has recovered her daisy fields. Photo: UN Women/Thao Hoang
“The money came at a very good time. It helped my family a lot in the difficult time. I used the money to buy flower cultivars and fertilizer. If everything goes smoothly, by March, the daisy fields can bring us 20 million VND [860 USD].”
Mrs. Tran Thi Quyt, 60, is disabled and the breadwinner of a family of four people also with disabilities in Trieu Son commune. Like An, she lost all poultry as well as income from her vegetable fields due to the heavy flood and COVID-19, but has now recovered her resilience.
“With the support money I bought two piglets, some chickens and fertilizer. I also received two trainings from Women’s Union on how to raise them correctly to avoid sickness and get the highest price.”
Tran Thi Quyt used the money to buy two piglets and some fertilizer. Photo: UN Women/Thao Hoang
Quyt was very happy to share that she could earn up to 15 million VND (around 650 USD) when she sells the pigs and chicken after Tet, the Lunar New Year.
“I will use the money earned from selling the pigs and vegetables to build a new room for my elder son so he can get married. Last year, he lost his job due to COVID-19 and we did not have money to do that.”
The historic flood caused more than 30 trillion VND of damage across the region. In total 192 people were killed, 57 people missing, and hundreds of thousands of houses as well as hectares of rice, crops and aquaculture were damaged. The disaster compounded the difficulties from the pandemic already affecting people in central Viet Nam.
In addition, according to an assessment conducted by UN Women and the UN in Viet Nam, women are more severely affected than men by floods, lack of clean water, poor sanitation and hygiene and poor health.
“The floods and COVID-19 increased women’s work burden, including unpaid care work and household chores like cleaning up after the flood, taking care of children and sick people during the social distancing time.” said Elisa Fernandez Saenz, Representative of UN Women in Viet Nam. “This situation reduced their chances of participating in other income-generating jobs, increases their vulnerability and makes them more likely to be left behind.”
The grants prioritized the most vulnerable women. Photo: UN Women/Thao Hoang
Considering this situation, UN Women cooperated with the Women's Union of Quang Tri province to provide the cash transfers. The total of VND 1,260,000,000 (54,700 USD) comes from UN Women’s core fund, the Embassy of Ireland in Viet Nam and the Government of Sweden.
Cash grants were delivered directly to the beneficiaries by the provincial Women's Union members and prioritized women. Priority was given to the most vulnerable families, such as those with women-headed households; pregnant women or women with children under 12 months of age; people with disabilities or chronic diseases; and people over 65. This project is also part of the Joint Response Plan of the United Nations in Viet Nam in responding to the damage caused by the flooding in the central of Viet Nam.
“This financial support is essential to vulnerable women,” said Nguyen Thi Que Phuong, Vice Chairperson of Quang Tri Women’s Union. “Women and families can buy seedlings, seed, fertilizer, food and other productive tools in time for the upcoming farming season. This will mitigate their suffering from the flooding.”
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11 February 2021
Vietnam approves to roll-out Methadone Multi-day Take-home Doses to Further Strengthen Opioid Substitution Therapy
Ha Noi (Viet Nam), 10 February 2021 - 2020 witnessed a critical step forward in the implementation of HIV harm reduction in Viet Nam where the final stages were completed in rolling out of the take-home Opioid Substitution Therapy programme.
Twelve years ago, in 2008, the very first client received a dose of methadone in Viet Nam. Since the inauguration of this vital lifesaving intervention, over 160,000 clients have made use of the service with some 52,000 currently utilizing the service as of end 2020 [i].
After a decade of Methadone service delivery, a review of the programme was conducted in 2018 highlighting the success of the scheme and that its high-quality implementation was consistent with all national standards. Discussion progressed to ways to improve the service to overcome access barriers including the requirement of daily travel clients to the dispensing clinic. The answer was found in take-home methadone.
Take home methadone is breaking down barriers for clients who would otherwise be unable to remain in treatment. This was found not only to be effective in empowering people who use drugs (PWUD) but compatible with COVID-19 restrictions on movement. In fact, a desire for the continued delivery of the existing methadone programme combined with the strict social distancing rules of COVID-19 was key to garnering the political support necessary to achieve nationwide approval.
Through eliminating transportation time and costs to present in person at the methadone clinic, the take-home doses will not only help to improve the lives of people with substance use disorder but will also have a positive impact on their families and the community. “When receiving news about take-home doses in Dien Bien, me and my family were very happy. I started methadone therapy in 2012 and thanks to it, I was able to give up injecting heroin and have had a job in a house painting company since then. However, the fact that I have to travel to a dispensing clinic everyday often made me late for the job” mentioned a male client from Dien Bien Province. Naturally, the increase in autonomy afforded to PWUD through take-home doses will better enable clients to manage their professional and family lives.
UNODC and UNAIDS have together played a pivotal role in drafting the technical guidelines for the operation of methadone programmes both in-person and take-home. This accomplishment represents a huge step forwards for HIV prevention, treatment and care among people who use drugs, and it was achieved thanks to the collaborative efforts of UNODC and contributing bodies over past decade including Harm Reduction International, INPUD, UNAIDS and countless CSOs. It is hoped that this collaborative support by various organisations will broker further developments of HIV harm reduction programmes in Viet Nam. At present, this has translated into paving the way towards effective implementation of similar strategies in other countries in need of effective solutions.
The programme, which will begin in early 2021, will be initially introduced as a pilot scheme across three provinces. The community of healthcare workers have emphatically welcomed the introduction of the scheme with Dr. Tran Thi Len, physician from Thuy Nguyen Methadone Clinic, Hai Phong City commented, “I was very excited when hearing about take-home methadone doses. I believe this is a very good solution, good for us as service providers and especially good for my clients”.
“Vietnam has a quite successful methadone treatment programme expanded to all of 63 provinces. However, we can keep only 52,000 patients on treatment out of the cumulative 160,000. As we understand it, geographical and transportation issues remain the biggest barriers for service retention” stated Dr. Hoang Dinh Canh, Deputy Director of VAAC at a take-home MMT advocacy conference (December 2020)
As the pilot scheme is rolled out in 2021, UNODC will continue to provide ongoing technical support for harm reduction strategies in Viet Nam and in a further 23 high priority countries. UNODC works to provide assistance in these regions in the development and implementation of comprehensive programmes for people who inject drugs. All programmes are guided by the UNODC/WHO/UNAIDS comprehensive package on HIV prevention treatment and care services.
[i] Vietnam Authority of AIDS Control-VAAC/MOH, 2020
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27 November 2020
Solidarity in the time of COVID-19: healthcare for people most affected by HIV
"My monthly income can barely support my livelihood. The expense of getting this sexually transmitted infection treatment is unaffordable to me," said Trung (not his real name), who is a male sex worker in his early twenties.
Not daring to tell his parents that he is gay, Trung dropped out of school at the end of junior secondary school and left his hometown six years ago. He started working in a cafe in the daytime and selling sex at night. However, his income is only enough for his daily necessities such as water, food, electricity, gasoline for his motorbike and rent. He can hardly have any savings.
In 2019, Trung found out having a genital wart. He went to a local public hospital for checking but unexpectedly, at the same time his father also needed getting treatment in a hospital. After sending some money back to his family, Trung had no money left for completing treatment of his sexually-transmitted infection (STI). “I am also afraid of facing indifference and discrimination in the public health facilities. Yet, I cannot afford to get treatment in private health facilities.”
Poverty and fear of stigma barred him from getting his health condition appropriately taken care of. Trung revealed, "For not worsening the sexually-transmitted infection, I have already reduced the number of my sex work clients and always used condoms and lubricant. But still, I need to endure the pain from the untreated wart."
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Trung’s income from selling sex reduced by one third. He faced increased difficulties to earn enough of income to provide for himself.
Trung’s situation became known to the Viet Nam Network of Self-Help Groups of Sex Workers (VNSW) in one VNSW’s visit to the self-help group of male sex workers where Trung is a member. Trung received daily necessity package provided by VNSW, with support from UNAIDS*. Knowing his STI status, VNSW referred Trung to the “My Home” community-friendly clinic operated by the Southern Office of the Viet Nam Network of People Living with HIV (VNP+) in Ho Chi Minh City. Trung can also benefit from the community-friendly healthcare services for continuation of his STI treatment, partly funded by UNAIDS**.
In response to the impact of COVID-19, UNAIDS has donated a Health/HIV/STI emergency package for HIV key populations affected by the pandemic since September 2020, disseminated through two community-friendly clinics in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The package provides STI and HIV healthcare services, including overall health check, Hepatitis screening and Hepatitis B vaccination if necessary, STI screening and treatment, and distribution of PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis). Working through the joint efforts of different community groups and networks as in the case of Trung, more than 300 HIV key populations benefited in the first two months of implementation.
“Sex workers who are young men who have sex with men (MSM) are subject to doubled social stigma because they are MSM and sell sex,” said Nguyễn Minh Thuận, a member of VNSW’s Steering Committee who self-identifies as MSM. “Communities can be the trusted partner to reach out to these young MSM and other marginalized HIV key populations to help overcome stigma, provide access to friendly healthcare services and social support, particularly in the hard time of COVID-19.”
The solidarity of communities has been key to ensure healthcare for people most in need like Trung. In the time of colliding HIV epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic, only solidarity and shared responsibility will ensure Universal Access to Healthcare. Life-saving medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics should be considered as public goods. This World AIDS Day, let us all join the call for putting people at the centre of the responses to both HIV and COVID-19, engaging and strengthening the communities to contribute to achieving healthier societies.
(*), (**): Support from UNAIDS is made available with financial contribution from the UN Multi-partner Funds for COVID-19 Response and Recovery
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30 November 2020
Solidarity and shared responsibility in the time of COVID-19: Livelihoods assistance for sex workers
“During the COVID-19 lockdown, it has been too difficult to get clients,” said Mai (not her real name), a 48-year-old female sex worker from a province in the Mekong Delta. Since the social distancing restrictions, the livelihood of Mai has been devastated by the lockdown. The post lockdown economic recession due to COVID-19 in Viet Nam has also resulted in a drastic cutdown of her income.
Losing their parents and being abandoned by relatives at a young age, Mai and her younger sister grew up in the face of hardship. For over 10 years, both Mai and her younger sister have been people who injected drugs. In 2012, she found out her positive HIV status. Since then, she has enrolled in antiretroviral therapy (ART) and in recent years in methadone maintenance treatment.
“For many years, I have been selling lottery tickets and sex for a living. Before the pandemic, I got at least 3 clients per day. After the social distancing restriction, there was no client at all. My income once dropped to zero during the lockdown. I fretted about the cost of groceries and food. I could not even afford to pay the rent.” said Mai, living with hunger and the risk of losing her shelter during the lockdown.
COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated the challenges faced by people living with HIV, women, and girls and HIV key populations. The crisis has widened the social and economic inequalities that increase the vulnerability of marginalized groups to HIV.
A survey, jointly conducted in May 2020 by the Viet Nam Network of Self-Help Groups of Sex Workers (VNSW) and UNAIDS, shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected sex workers’ livelihoods. Struggling to pay rent for their shelter and buy food, some sex workers even needed to borrow money from the black market at a high-interest rate.
To help mitigate the hardships they faced during and after the lockdown, UNAIDS made a donation to VNSW to deliver cash and daily necessity package to the affected sex workers.
In the package, Mai received instant noodles, rice, seasonings, cooking oil, and other groceries. “These goodies can support me for weeks and save some of my money. I appreciate the help a lot. Especially I feel that I am not on my own anymore.”
Mai became aware of VNSW through its outreach and STI screening support in the province last year. She could then benefit from free sexually transmitted infections (STIs) check-up, usually provided at a high price for her income. Community-based organizations are essential in delivering STIs prevention measures and healthcare protection for HIV key populations.
“We organize regular visits to our members CBOs in different provinces to provide capacity building and healthcare support that we managed to mobilize funding for,” said Ms. Do Thuy An My, chairwoman of the VNSW network. “During the outbreak of COVID-19 earlier this year, my CBO was also able to mobilize daily necessity support from a local religious establishment for sex workers. We also designed and managed together with a small saving initiative so we can be better protected in time of difficulty.”
The colliding HIV epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic have been a wake-up call for all of us to contribute to achieving healthier societies with solidarity. The resilience and solidarity of the HIV key population community are instrumental in ensuring the sustainability of livelihood and access to sexual and reproductive health and HIV services for people most in need.
This #WorldAIDSDay, join the fight for the right to health for all! adobe.ly/3khIIeS
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Press Release
22 July 2021
IOM Launches Regional Project on Enhancing Protection of Migrant Workers in Asia Impacted by COVID-19
Ho Chi Minh City, 22 Jul 2021 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) today launched an 18-month regional multi-stakeholder project, funded by Sweden, to enhance protection of migrant workers in Asia impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The USD 3.2 million regional project will address challenges faced by migrant workers, while strengthening responses of policy makers, private sector and civil society to better protect and provide assistance to migrant workers during and post the pandemic.
Specifically, the project will focus on solutions to the key issues facing migrant workers in the COVID-19 response and recovery with collaboration from governments, private sector and civil society.
IOM, in partnership with Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA), will carry out a series of regional and country level interventions that will directly benefit 5,500 migrant workers from seven countries of origin in South and Southeast Asia – Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam – and at three countries of destination – Hong Kong SAR (China), Malaysia and Thailand.
IOM will also provide technical assistance to promote safe, orderly and regular labour migration processes and help improve access to effective remedies for migrant workers who experienced harm, during, and after COVID-19.
The project builds on IOM’s larger regional COVID-19 response outlined in IOM Strategic Response and Recovery Plan (SRRP) 2021 and is implemented as part of IOM regional Corporate Responsibility in Eliminating Slavery and Trafficking Project in Asia (CREST), supported by Sweden.
“Migrant workers are on the front line in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they face heightened discrimination and vulnerabilities due to mobility restrictions and the suspension of socio-economic activities,” said Mihyung Park, IOM Chief of Mission in Vietnam.
“To overcome this pandemic crisis, it is important that we do not leave migrants behind in the response and recovery plan. We welcome the support from Sweden and the collaboration with Migrant Forum in Asia and other stakeholders to ensure assistance and protection of migrant workers impacted by COVID-19. Together, we will lay the foundations for a more resilient and just recovery,” added Ms. Park.
William Gois, Director of the Migrant Forum Asia said, "We are in a moment in time where a partnership like this can be pivotal. So much of migration governance has proven to be fragile in this time of crisis. We need to build forward better, and this partnership could leverage that transformative change."
Åsa Heden, Head of Development Cooperation Section, Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok said, “Sweden is committed to the protection of human rights and gender equality. The impact of the Covid-19 has unfortunately aggravated the situation for migrant workers in the region. Through the collaboration with IOM and Migrant Forum Asia, the support would strengthen the protection of migrant workers’ rights and contribute to a just and resilient recovery for all."
The COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic fallout have exacerbated migrant workers’ vulnerability, especially for women. Migrant workers are found in greater risk of infection while lacking access to health care and other essential services. They also face rising xenophobia or being stranded in countries of origin and destination without work or social protection. However, migrant workers play an important role in recovery plans of many countries as essential workers and remittance providers.
CREST, which aims to enhance the protection of the human and labour rights of migrant workers in business operations and international labour supply chains, is built on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its central promise to ‘leave no one behind’.
For further information, please contact:
Anastasia VYNNYCHENKO, IOM Project Officer (CREST) at avynnychenko@iom.int or
Itayi VIRIRI, Sr Regional Media & Communications Officer at iviriri@iom.int
Anastasia VYNNYCHENKO, IOM Project Officer (CREST) at avynnychenko@iom.int or
Itayi VIRIRI, Sr Regional Media & Communications Officer at iviriri@iom.int
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Press Release
14 July 2021
Quyền và lựa chọn: Ưu tiên sức khỏe tình dục và sức khỏe sinh sản cho phụ nữ và trẻ em gái
Đại dịch COVID-19 dai dẳng đã làm lộ ra những yếu điểm của các hệ thống chăm sóc sức khỏe trên toàn cầu, chỉ rõ những khoảng trống và thách thức trong việc cung cấp thông tin và dịch vụ sức khỏe sinh sản và sức khỏe tình dục (SKSS&SKTD). Việc giảm phân bổ nguồn lực cho những dịch vụ này đang ảnh hưởng đến sức khỏe của phụ nữ và trẻ em gái. Vào thời điểm mang tính quyết định này, UNFPA đã chọn chủ đề cho ngày Dân số Thế giới 11/7 là “Quyền và lựa chọn là câu trả lời: Dù là bùng nổ hay giảm sút tỷ lệ sinh, giải pháp nằm ở việc ưu tiên sức khỏe sinh sản và quyền cho tất cả mọi người”.
Trong khi tác động của COVID-19 đối với tỷ lệ tử vong và tỷ lệ mắc bệnh được thống kê tương đối kĩ càng, tác động của đại dịch đối với xu hướng, hình thức và lựa chọn sinh sản vẫn chưa được nghiên cứu đầy đủ.
Tính đến hết ngày 6 tháng 7năm 2021, có hơn 21.300 i trường hợp nhiễm bệnh và 90 ca tử vong được ghi nhận tại Việt Nam. Mặc dù nhìn chung, Việt Nam nổi lên là một quốc gia khá thành công trong việc ngăn chặn vi-rút lây lan, nhưng cũng không tránh khỏi đối mặt với những hệ quả kinh tế-xã hội tiêu cực từ đại dịch như bao quốc gia khác trên thế giới. Và khi đề cập tới mức sinh, chúng ta chỉ có thể nhận thấy được tác động của đại dịch trong những tháng tới. Với vai trò là cơ quan đầu ngành của Liên Hợp Quốc chuyên phân tích biến động dân số, UNFPA nhấn mạnh 5 yếu tố mà đại dịch có thể tác động tới mức sinh: tỷ lệ tử vong cao, khả năng tiếp cận dịch vụ kế hoạch hóa gia đình (KHHGĐ) hạn chế, gia tăng gánh nặng việc nhà đối với phụ nữ, suy thoái và bất ổn kinh tế, và các ca sinh nở ít được nhân viên y tế có chuyên môn chăm sóc hơn.
Đầu tiên, về tỷ lệ tử vong cao, chúng ta cần nhớ lại thời kỳ 1918-1919, khi đại dịch cúm Tây Ban Nha hoành hành dữ dội nhất, hiện tượng sinh thấp đã xảy ra sau khi tỷ lệ tử vong đạt đỉnh tại nhiều quốc gia, một phần do tình trạng SKSS&SKTD của phụ nữ bị ảnh hưởng, bao gồm cả việc phụ nữ không đủ sức khỏe sinh con. Một nghiên cứu mô phỏng do UNFPA Việt Nam thực hiện năm 2020 chỉ ra khả năng tỷ lệ tử vong mẹ tăng từ 44% tới 65% do hệ quả tiêu cực của COVID-19, tức sẽ có thêm 298 tới 443 bà mẹ tử vong trong một năm nếu không có các can thiệp tức thì và được kiểm soát tốt. Nếu không, những tiến bộ mà Việt Nam đã đạt được trong nhiều thập kỷ qua về giảm tử vong mẹ sẽ bị đảo lộn.
Thứ hai, vật tư và dịch vụ KHHGĐ thường bị gián đoạn trong suốt đại dịch, đặc biệt là ở những quốc gia có thu nhập thấp và trung bình. Trong bối cảnh mà các hạn chế ở phía cung và cầu ngăn chặn khả năng tiếp cận dịch vụ KHHGĐ, số trường hợp mang thai ngoài ý muốn có nguy cơ cao sẽ gia tăng. Ở cấp độ toàn cầu, UNFPA dự báo có tới 47 triệu phụ nữ ở 114 quốc gia có thu nhập thấp và trung bình không thể áp dụng các biện pháp tránh thai hiện đại nếu tình trạng phong tỏa kéo dài 6 tháng, kéo theo sự ngưng trệ cung ứng dịch vụ do COVID-19, mà hệ lụy của nó là tạo ra 7 triệu trường hợp mang thai ngoài ý muốn. Việt Nam ước tính trong quý I năm 2020, COVID-19 đã làm giảm việc áp dụng các biện pháp KHHGĐ lâm sàng xuống 20% và phi lâm sàng xuống 10% ở những khu vực khó khăn nhất.
Thứ ba, trong khi các biện pháp phong tỏa và đóng cửa trường học được áp dụng, học sinh học tập tại nhà, khiến phụ huynh phải đối mặt với khối lượng việc nhà và chăm sóc con cái lớn hơn. Gánh nặng việc nhà này càng trở nên trầm trọng hơn do sự sụt giảm của các dịch vụ chăm sóc trẻ em chính thức và không chính thức. Khi COVID-19 gia tăng gánh nặng việc nhà lên vai người phụ nữ, ngay cả trong bối cảnh tiếp cận KHHGĐ không bị gián đoạn, các cá nhân và các cặp vợ chồng có thể lựa chọn trì hoãn việc có con ít nhất là trong khoảng thời gian ngắn hạn trước mắt.
Thứ tư, mối quan hệ giữa nền kinh tế của đất nước với mức sinh là một lĩnh vực đã được nghiên cứu kỹ lưỡng. Suy thoái và bất ổn kinh tế có thể khiến các cặp vợ chồng và các cá nhân trì hoãn việc có con ít nhất là trong ngắn hạn, và cũng có thể trở thành trở ngại đối với các lựa chọn sinh đẻ, khiến các cặp vợ chồng khó có thể thực hiện về số con tối ưu mà họ mong đợi.
Và cuối cùng, đại dịch COVID-19 có thể ngăn cản phụ nữ có thai sinh con với sự trợ giúp từ các nhân viên y tế có trình độ. Đồng thời, lo sợ về đại dịch có thể khiến phụ nữ không sử dụng các dịch vụ khám thai định kỳ, do đó khó xác định sớm các rủi ro và bệnh tật trong thai kỳ. Sinh con không có sự trợ giúp của nhân viên y tế có tay nghề khiến phụ nữ đối mặt với nhiều rủi ro, ảnh hưởng tới kết quả sinh sản.
Năm 1994, tại Hội nghị Quốc tế về Dân số và Phát triển (ICPD) tại Cairo, 179 quốc gia trên thế giới, trong đó có Việt Nam, đã cam kết bảo đảm SKSS&KSTD như một trụ cột chính của phát triển bền vững. Các nguyên tắc của ICPD nhấn mạnh: “mọi cặp vợ chồng và cá nhân có quyền cơ bản được tự do quyết định một cách có trách nhiệm về số con, thời điểm sinh con và khoảng cách giữa các lần sinh, và nhận được đầy đủ thông tin, giáo dục cũng như phương tiện để có thể thực hiện được quyền đó (Chương trình hành động ICPD, đoạn 7.3).” Với vai trò hỗ trợ các nước thực hiện ICPD, UNFPA khẳng định lại các nguyên tắc này của ICPD và khuyến nghị tất cả các quốc gia, bao gồm cả Việt Nam, bảo vệ những thành quả đã đạt được trong việc mở rộng và tăng cường SKSS&SKTD và quyền của mọi người.
Giải pháp nhằm giảm thiểu tác động tiêu cực của COVID-19 là ưu tiên SKSS&SKTD và quyền thông qua việc đảm bảo cung cấp thường xuyên các thông tin và dịch vụ quan trọng cho tất cả mọi người ngay cả trong bối cảnh khủng hoảng hay phong tỏa; đảm bảo các dịch vụ chăm sóc sức khỏe cho bà mẹ đang mang thai không bị gián đoạn; và đầu tư nguồn lực tài chính và nhân lực để đạt được tất cả những mục tiêu này.
Trong khi Việt Nam nỗ lực phục hồi sau các tác động của đại dịch, như Tổng thư ký LHQ đã mô tả là cuộc khủng khoảng toàn cầu lớn nhất kể từ sau Chiến tranh Thế giới thứ hai, chúng ta không thể bỏ lại phía sau tài sản quý giá nhất của quốc gia là phụ nữ và trẻ em gái. Khôi phục và đạt các Mục tiêu phát triển bền vững trong Thập kỷ Hành động này hướng tới đích đến vào năm 2030 bao gồm việc hiện thực hóa các cam kết của ICPD về quyền và lựa chọn cho tất cả mọi người, trong đó lấy phụ nữ và trẻ em gái là trọng tâm.
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Press Release
14 July 2021
Pre-conditions to advance the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities in Vietnam discussed
A series of virtual consultation workshops on people and children with disabilities in Vietnam was co-hosted by UNDP, UNFPA, and UNICEF in late June and early July and was supported by the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Multi-Partner Trust Fund (UNPRPD MPTF).
The participants to these workshops were representatives from the National Assembly Office, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs; Government partners, leaders of organizations of persons with disabilities and persons with disabilities themselves.
During the consultations, the participants shared the knowledge and information on the current situations of the people and children with disabilities and the essential preconditions to disability inclusion. They also reviewed and analysed the existing gaps and challenges as well as proposed strategic and practical recommendations to address these gaps.
The discussion focused on strengthening the alignment of Viet Nam’s legal framework for persons with disabilities with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; enhancing meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in the policy making, implementation and monitoring process; and combatting stigma and discrimination against persons with disabilities which were hosted by UNDP.
The participants also discussed community-based services for persons and children with disabilities in Viet Nam which was hosted by UNICEF and sexual and reproductive health and rights for people with disabilities (hosted by UNFPA).
The conclusions of the consultation workshops aimed to provide meaningful inputs to Viet Nam’s Situational Analysis and Full Proposal for a programme to the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Multi-Partner Trust Fund (UNPRPD MPTF) to promote the rights of persons and children with disabilities, jointly developed by UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA in Viet Nam.
The Fund is a unique global programme that brings together UN entities, governments, organizations of persons with disabilities, and broader civil society to advance the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and disability-inclusive Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the country level. Viet Nam is one of 26 countries selected out of 110 applications to proceed to the Inception Phase of this programme.
Addressing the consultation workshops chaired by UNDP, Ms Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative for Vietnam emphasized: “A disability should be defined as the combination of individual impairments and social barriers. Without considering social barriers, regulations may be inclined to only foster individual endeavours and functional rehabilitation, which is unworkable and may facilitate the exclusion of PWDs from social life. Legislation should create an accessible and enabling environment for PWDs to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.”
Relating to stigma and discrimination against people with disabilities, Ms. Caitlin Wiesen encouraged the participants to recommend solutions to overcome misconceptions, stereotypes, and stigma among the general population as well as among policy makers, health, education professionals and service providers. To address inequality faced by people with disabilities in various spheres of life, a comprehensive legal framework and inclusive services are needed.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities also specifies the importance of quality and equitable access to community-based protection, education, health care and rehabilitation for children with disabilities. UNICEF together with other UN agencies and development partners welcome the commitment of the Government of Viet Nam to implementing the obligations of UNCRPD; the recently approved Master Plan on Persons with Disabilities (2021-2030); and the Sustainable Development Agenda with its aim of leaving no one behind.
Addressing the consultation workshop on community-based services for persons and children with disabilities in Viet Nam, Ms. Lesley Miller, Deputy Representative, UNICEF Viet Nam said: “Despite the Government’s efforts, access to quality inclusive education, especially at higher education levels, remains a challenge for children with disabilities in Viet Nam. At the upper secondary level, only one third of children with disabilities go to school at the right age compared with two thirds of children without disabilities. When we look at physical infrastructure for inclusive education, only 3% of schools are fully accessible and only 10% have sanitation facilities for students with disabilities. In addition, the quality of inclusive education for children with disabilities remains modest and the application of technology in inclusive education is still limited.”
Ms. Lesley Miller also highlighted the need for structural and systemic changes to better support persons and children with disabilities in accessing inclusive and quality essential services. For example, to improve inclusive education for children with disabilities, UNICEF is currently partnering with MOET and experts around the world to bring technology to inclusive education such as Augmented Virtual Reality for children with developmental disorders. During the same consultation, Ms. Lieve Sable, Programme Specialist on Children with Disabilities of UNICEF Regional Office for the East Asia and Pacific emphasized the importance of inter-sectoral coordination in improving the community-based services for persons and children with disabilities in Viet Nam.
For his part, Mr. Le Bach Duong, UNFPA Assistant Representative said that UNFPA supports the Vietnamese government to fulfil its national commitment to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) intervention in line with the principles of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The ICPD Program of Action explicitly calls for governments at all levels to consider the needs and rights of persons with disabilities and to eliminate discrimination against persons with disabilities with regard to reproductive rights and household and family formation.
He confirmed at the consultant workshop to discuss sexual and reproductive health and rights for people with disabilities (hosted by UNFPA), that people with disabilities are one of the most disadvantaged groups, and are often exposed to many risks in terms of sexual and reproductive health, as well as physical, mental and sexual violence.
Mr. Duong said: “A recent estimate shows that about 80% of people with disabilities (PWDs) have never visited health workers for SRH services. About 50% reported stigma and discrimination against their disability status. Young people are particularly vulnerable, as the unmet need for modern contraceptives is high. The workshop’s practical recommendations for interventions on SRH care for people with disabilities, especially the young are very significant to the Viet Nam’s Situational Analysis and Full Proposal for a programme to promote the rights of persons and children with disabilities, jointly developed by UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA in Viet Nam.”
The participants discussed needs for sexual and reproductive health information and care of persons with disabilities, especially young people with disabilities, analysed barriers to realization of their rights, including the right to be protected from violence and abuse, and proposed strategic interventions to support reproductive health/sexual health care for people with disabilities, especially young people with disabilities.
For further information please contact: Ms. Dao Thu Huong, Disability Rights Office, United Nations Development Programme. Tel: +84 24-38500340
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Press Release
14 July 2021
Rights and Choices: Prioritizing Sexual and Reproductive Health for Women and Girls
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exposed health care systems globally, highlighting serious gaps and challenges in the provision of sexual and reproductive health information and services. The allocation of resources away from these services is taking a toll on the health of women and girls. At this critical juncture, UNFPA marks World Population Day on 11 July with the theme “Rights and Choices are the answer: Whether baby boom or bust, the solution lies in prioritizing the reproductive health and rights of all people.”
While the impact of COVID-19 on mortality and morbidity have been relatively well documented, the impact of the pandemic on human fertility trends, patterns and choices remains less studied.
As of early July 2021, there were about 18,000 cumulative cases and 75 deaths recorded in Viet Nam. While Viet Nam has been generally successful in curbing the spread of the virus, even this exemplary country has not been an exception in facing the negative socio-economic consequences of the pandemic just like any other country in the world. And when it comes to the issue of fertility, we will only begin to see the pandemic’s impact in the coming months. As the lead UN agency for the analysis of population dynamics, UNFPA highlights five key dimensions of the pandemic which can impact fertility: high mortality, restricted access to family planning services, increased household burden on women, economic recession and uncertainty, and fewer births attended by skilled medical professionals.
First, with regard to high mortality, we need to recall that in the period 1918-1919, when the so-called Spanish Flu pandemic hit the hardest, we saw a birth deficit after the mortality peaked in many countries. Part of the reason is the compromised sexual and reproductive health status of women including the availability of healthy women giving birth. A modelling study conducted by UNFPA Viet Nam in 2020 pointed to the possibility of a rise in maternal mortality by 44% to 65% as a negative consequence of COVID-19, meaning that an additional 298 to 443 maternal deaths could possibly occur in a year unless urgent intervention is undertaken, and it is well controlled. If this is confirmed, it can mean a reversal of developmental gains that Viet Nam has achieved in the past decades in reducing maternal deaths.
Second, family planning supplies and services are often interrupted during the pandemic, particularly in low and middle income countries. In settings where supply and demand-side restrictions impede access to family planning services, there is a real potential for a rise in unintended pregnancies. At global level, UNFPA projected that 47 million women in 114 low and middle income countries may be unable to use modern contraceptives if the average lockdown persists for six months with high levels of COVID-19 related disruptions to health services, causing an additional seven million unintended pregnancies. In Viet Nam, it is estimated that in the first quarter of 2020, COVID-19 reduced the utilization of clinical family planning methods by 20% and non-clinical methods by 10% in the most disadvantaged areas.
Third, with lockdowns and school closures, students are at home, and parents have to face increasing workloads in housework and childcare. This domestic burden is exacerbated by the decline in the availability of formal and informal childcare services. When COVID-19 further increases the domestic burden on women, in contexts where access to family planning has not been disrupted, individuals and couples may postpone having children at least in the short term.
Fourth, the relationship between the country’s economy and fertility is a well-studied area. Economic recession and uncertainty may encourage couples and individuals to postpone childbearing at least in the short term, and can also work as an obstacle to fertility choices, making it more difficult for couples to realize their ideal family size.
And lastly, the COVID-19 pandemic can prevent pregnant women from delivering babies assisted by qualified medical personnel. Also fear of the pandemic can drive pregnant women not to avail of optimally scheduled antenatal care services, thus making it difficult to identify pregnancy-related risks and morbidity early enough. Child delivery without skilled birth attendance exposes women to heightened risks, thus affecting the outcome of the pregnancy.
In 1994, 179 countries in the world including Viet Nam committed to sexual and reproductive health as a key pillar of sustainable development at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo. The ICPD principles stipulate that “all couples and individuals have the basic right to decide freely and responsibly the number, timing and spacing of their children and to have the information, education and means to do so (ICPD Programme of Action, para 7.3)”. As a guardian of the ICPD, UNFPA stands firm in reiterating the ICPD principles, and advises all countries, including Viet Nam, to safeguard against rolling back on the progress made in expanding and strengthening sexual and reproductive health and rights for all.
The answer in mitigating the negative impacts of COVID-19 is to prioritise sexual and reproductive health and rights by ensuring the continuous provision of crucial information and services for all people even in a crisis or under lockdown, uninterrupted care to pregnant mothers, and the investment of financial and human resources to achieve all of this.
As Viet Nam seeks to build back better from the impacts of what the UN Secretary-General has called the biggest global crisis since World War Two, we cannot leave the country’s greatest assets - its women and girls - behind. Getting back on track and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in this Decade of Action towards the 2030 finish line includes achieving ICPD and its vision of rights and choices for all, with women and girls at the centre.
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Press Release
29 June 2021
Winners of the Contest “Men take action – Stop violence against women” received awards from UNFPA and CSAGA
The awards ceremony “Men take action – Stop violence against women” was held at GOUNH (Green One UN House), Ha Noi on 28 June 2021. The contest was run from May 24th to June 24th, 2021 by the Center for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender – Family – Women and Adolescents (CSAGA) with technical and financial support from the UNFPA, Bread for the World, and the companion of CCIHP.
The Contest received 139 entries, reached nearly 190,000 followers on CSAGA’s fan-page, and attracted some 120,000 interactions on social media. The entries to the contest attracted a lot of interest, received a number of likes and shares, and created extensive effects by the social network community.
The national study on violence against women in Vietnam in 2019 shows that nearly 2 out of 3 women in Vietnam (62.9%) experienced at least one form of violence (physical, sexual, emotional, and economic violence and controlling behaviors) and 13.3 per cent of women experienced sexual violence by a husband during their lifetime. Although violence can happen to anyone regardless of gender or age, women and girls are the main victims, most affected by violence, and the majority of perpetrators are men. It is thus essential that men be the central part of the solution to ending violence against women and girls. It is in this context that the "Men take action – Stop violence against women" contest was brought about.
The context was not only looking for creative products for solutions to end violence, but also aiming at promoting the participation of young people, especially young men and boys. The contest allowed the participants to join as an individual or as a group. They were free to create products in various media forms of their choice, such as videos, photos, pictures, etc., focusing on key topics: “identifying behaviors, providing solutions to violence against women, or suggesting ways to support/intervene when witnessing the violence.”
Speaking at the award ceremony, Ms. Naomi Kitahara – Representative of UNFPA Vietnam said, “While we are giving the awards of the contest today, I would like to say that everyone who joined this contest is the winners. I was so impressed with such strong communication and advocacy skills of young people in the campaign to achieve “Zero gender-based violence and harmful practices to women and girls”. UNFPA looks forward to keeping this momentum created, and we are not leaving women and children behind due to gender-based violence, in Vietnam’s development process.”
Ms Naomi Kitahara also pointed to the important role of Vietnamese reporters and editors in raising the public awareness. She said, “The media play an important role in changing Vietnam’s socio-cultural practice of silence when it comes to gender-based violence. We need to break the silence, so that survivors of gender-based violence can speak up and seek help and services when needed. The media needs to explain that violence against women has serious consequences on the social and economic growth of the country. No matter where violence happens, in what forms, or who it affects, it must be stopped.”
Ms. Nguyen Van Anh, Founder, and Chairwoman of CSAGA said: “Men play an important role in promoting gender equality and ending violence against women. As an organization that has worked in this field for many years, CSAGA has always wanted to work with men and boys to raise awareness and provide skills for relationship-building, problem-solving, and peace-building. The organization of these contests through social media will contribute to the creation of social movements about men working to end violence against women.”
On this occasion, UNFPA and CSAGA call for the joint action of the community in general, and young men in particular, to end violence against women and girls. Together let’s join hands to create an equal and safe society for women and girls. Without addressing gender-based violence, the country’s sustainable development goals (SDGs) can not be achieved!
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