Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Labour, Invalidsand Social Affairs launched the 2018 action month for children, themed “Forchildren’s safe and healthy living”, in the northern province of Phu Tho on May27.

The campaign sets to promote the children’s rights to protection,respect and living in a safe and healthy environment in the digital era.

Addressing the ceremony, Vice President Dang Thi NgocThinh, who is also Chairwoman of the National Fund for Vietnamese Children,urged authorities at all levels, parents and teachers to raise their sense ofresponsibility and strengthen their coordination for the effective enforcementof the Law on Children and related regulations.

She also asked them to work harder to prevent violenceagainst children and together deliver acts of kindness to children from thebottom of their hearts. The good deeds should not be done during the actionmonth but every day and everywhere, she stressed.

In her opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Labour,Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha said education about knowledge andskills to protect children for family members, teachers, people who directly workwith children and even children themselves is essential for effective childprotection.

Ha called for the better cooperation between authorities and stateagencies in preventing and handling violence against children and child abuseas well as the provision of intervention for children suffering from violenceand abuse.

At the ceremony, the National Fund for VietnameseChildren presented scholarships and gifts to 60 impoverished children tomotivate them to overcome difficulties. A delegation from the fund also visitedSOS Children’s Village in the provincial capital of Viet Tri and gave gifts tochildren here later the same day.

During the action month for children in 2018, theMinistry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs will hold a series of eventsand activities to support children in need. It plans to organise children’sforums at different levels, entertainment activities, and free medical checkupevents for the children and at the same time, provide those in need withscholarships and deformity correction surgeries.

Meanwhile, the National Fundfor Vietnamese Children will allocate more than 14 billion VND (616,000 USD)for activities to support about 5,000 children from difficult backgroundsacross the country.

The action month aims to raise public awareness of a widerange of child-related issues through a number of messages, including Forchildren’s safe and healthy living, Safe and healthy summer for children,Summer without child drowning, Listen to children with heart, protect childrenwith actions, Calling 111 to report any acts of violence against children andchild abuse, Using social media for the safe and healthy life of children andmore.-VNA