Hanoi (VNA) -A project to prevent violence against women and to provide consultations forvictims of gender-based violence was launched in Hanoi on January 16.

The project, “Building asupport model to respond to and prevent violence against women and girls in Vietnamand consultation on essential services for survivors of gender-based violence”,was launched by the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs(MOLISA), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam and the KoreaInternational Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

Speaking at the ceremony,Deputy Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep saidduring the past years, the Vietnamese Government had made great efforts inensuring gender equality and preventing violence against women and girls.

The national action monthfor gender equality and prevention and control of violence against women andgirls, organised annually from November 11 to December 11, hadbrought in good results, he said.

However, Diep added thatwork still encountered obstacles due to the shortage of psychological, legaland health consultancy services. Moreover, the capacity of workers in the fieldwas still low.

He expressed gratitude toUNFPA and KOICA for their help and emphasised that the project’s launch markedthe cooperation of the three organisations towards ensuring a society free fromviolence against women and girls.

KOICA President LeeMi-kyung said that gender-based violence remained a big problem in developedand developing countries, affecting women of different socio-economicbackgrounds.

The violence had seriousconsequences on not just the victims, but also on the nations’ development, shesaid.

Lee Mi-kyung confirmedthat the project would help protect the rights of women, promote genderequality and enhance cooperation between the Republic of Korea and Vietnam.

The project has a totalbudget of 2.56 million USD for the period 2018-2020, of which 2.5 million USDsources from official development assistance of KOICA and UNFPA.

Under the project, asupport centre for victims of violence, especially sexual violence, will bebuilt in the northern province of Quang Ninh, where workers in the field willreceive more training and different campaigns in the field will be organised inprovinces to raise awareness on preventing violence against women.

Astrid Bant, a representativeof UNFPA Vietnam, appreciated the cooperation between MOLISA and KOICA inimproving gender equality and preventing violence against women during the pastyears.

UNFPA pledged to bringits international experience from other countries to ensure the project’stargets and expectations will be reached, and victims of violence can accesssupportive services, she said.-VNA