Decision 23/QD-TTg 2021 approving the National Action Program for Children for the 2021-2030 period

DECISION

Approving the National Action Program for Children
for the 2021-2030 period

___________________

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated June 19, 2015; the Law dated November 22, 2019, Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Organization of the Government and the Law on Organization of Local Administration;

Pursuant to the Law on Children dated April 5, 2016;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 121/2020/QH14 dated June 19, 2020 of the National Assembly on continuing to strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of the implementation of policies and laws on prevention and control of child abuse;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 56/2017/ND-CP dated May 9, 2017, detailing a number of articles of the Law on Children;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 80/2017/ND-CP dated July 17, 2017, on a safe, healthy and friendly education environment which prevents and stops school violence;

At the proposal of the Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

DECIDES:

Article 1. To approve the National Action Program for Children for the 2021 - 2030 period (hereinafter referred to as the Program) with the following contents:

I. OBJECTIVES

1. Overall objectives:

To ensure the realization of children's rights, the comprehensive development of children meeting the requirements of building quality human resources for socio-economic development and international integration; to create a safe, healthy, and friendly environment, thus contributing to accomplishing objectives of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

2. Specific objectives:

a) Objective 1: Regarding the comprehensive development, healthcare and nutrition for children

- Indicator 1: The rate of communes, wards and townships meeting the standards suitable for children will reach 65% by 2025 and 75% by 2030.

- Indicator 2: The rate of children aged up to 8 having access to comprehensive child development services will reach 90% by 2025 and 95% by 2030.

- Indicator 3: To decrease the infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births to under 9.5 by 2025 and under 9 by 2030; to decrease the mortality rate of under-1 children per 1,000 live births to 12.5 by 2025 and 10 by 2030; to decrease the under-5 mortality rate per 1,000 live births under 18.5 by 2025 and under 15 by 2030.

- Indicator 4: To make efforts to decrease the prevalence of malnutrition regarding weight-for-age among under-5 children to under 9% by 2025 and under 6% by 2030; to decrease the prevalence of malnutrition regarding height-for-age among under-5 children to 17% by 2025 and under 15% by 2030; to decrease the prevalence of obesity and malnutrition among under-5 children to under 5% in rural areas and under 10% in urban areas by 2025 and 2030, respectively.

- Indicator 5: The rate of under-1 children who are fully immunized with 8 vaccines will reach 97% by 2025 and 98% by 2030; 98% of under-5 children will be fully immunized with all vaccines by 2030.

- Indicator 6: The rate of mother-to-child HIV transmission will be 2% by 2030.

- Indicator 7: To make efforts for 100% of child educational institutions to have sanitation facilities by 2025 and maintain the figure by 2030.

b) Objective 2: Regarding child protection

- Indicator 8: To decrease the rate of children with special circumstances to under 6.5% of the total by 2025 and 6% by 2030; 90% of children with special circumstances will be cared for, nurtured and supported by 2025 and 95% by 2030.

- Indicator 9: To decrease the rate of children suffering child abuse to under 4.5% of the total by 2025 and under 4% by 2030.

- Indicator 10: To make efforts to decrease the rate of children and juveniles aged 5 to 17 suffering forced labor to 4.9% by 2025 and 4.5% by 2030.

- Indicator 11: To decrease the rate of children being injured by accidents to 550/100,000 children by 2025 and 500/100,000 by 2030; to decrease the rate of children dying from injuries to 16/100,000 children by 2025 and 15/100,000 by 2030.

- Indicator 12: To make efforts for 100% of children experiencing natural disasters and catastrophes to receive timely relief and support.

- Indicator 13: To gradually eliminate child marriage and reduced the number of child marriages from 2 to 3% annually from 2025 to 2030.

- Indicator 14: The rate of under-5 children with birth registration will reach 98.5% by 2025, and 100% by 2030.

c) Objective 3: Regarding education, cultural activities and recreation for children

- Indicator 15: To make efforts for the rate of under-5 children who are appropriately developed in terms of health, education and psychosocial well-being to reach 99.1% by 2025 and 99.3% by 2030.

- Indicator 16: The rate of children aged 5 mobilized to attend kindergarten will reach 99.1% by 2025 and 99.3% by 2030.

- Indicator 17: The rate of children completing primary school will reach 97% by 2025 and reach 99% by 2030; to make efforts to decrease the rate of children dropping out of primary school to under 0.12% by 2025 and under 0.1% by 2030.

- Indicator 18: The rate of children completing lower secondary school will reach 88% by 2025 and 93% by 2030; to make efforts to decrease the rate of children dropping out of lower secondary school to under 0.14% by 2025 and under 0.05% in 2030.

- Indicator 19: To make efforts for 95% of schools to have child psychological support services by 2025.

- Indicator 20: The rate of schools with infrastructure and materials suitable for disabled students will reach 55% by 2025 and 60% by 2030; the rate of disabled children in need of education having access to suitable special education, inclusive education and rehabilitation support will reach 80% by 2025 and 90% by 2030.

- Indicator 21: To make efforts for the rate of communes, wards and townships with cultural and recreation facilities for children to reach 40% by 2025 and 45% by 2030.

d) Objective 4: Regarding children's participation in child issues

- Indicator 22: To make efforts for 30% of children aged 7 and older to be consulted on child issues with appropriate forms by 2025 and 35% by 2030.

- Indicator 23: To make efforts for 85% of children to have improved awareness and capacity about their participation rights by 2025 and 90% by 2030.

- Indicator 24: The rate of children aged 11 and older participating in models and activities to promote children's participation rights will reach 30% by 2025 and 35% by 2030.

II. TASKS AND SOLUTIONS

1. To strengthen direction, guidance and coordination among ministries, sectors, and localities in the implementation of the Program’s objectives and indicators

a) To formulate specific programs, schemes and plans to realize children-related objectives and the Prime Minister's decisions promulgating programs, schemes and plans on children in the 2021-2025 period and by 2030.

b) To ensure the incorporation of children-related objectives and indicators in the five-year and/or annual socio-economic development plans of ministries, sectors, and localities, and specify the mechanisms and resources for the implementation thereof.

c) Heads of ministries, sectors and localities shall be responsible for leading and directing the implementation of policies, programs, plans, objectives and indicators related to children, and solving problems related to children in their respective localities, domains and scopes of management.

2. To improve laws and policies so as to ensure children's rights and solve children-related problems

a) To study and revise policies to support the comprehensive care for and development of children aged up to 8, especially those aged 36 months; policies to support children with special circumstances, children of ethnic minorities and those living in mountainous areas, children of poor and near-poor households, migrants and working-class families in industrial parks, and children affected by natural disasters, epidemics, catastrophes.

b) To improve laws and policies on child protection, child abuse prevention and control, and child- and juvenile-friendly justice.

3. To develop a service system that responds to the realization of children’s rights as well as integrates and coordinates health, education, justice and social security services; to give priority to the child protection service system

a) To study, build and develop networks and models of providing child protection and care services with inter-sectoral, inter-level incorporation, coordination, and referrals in the form of single-window services and service packages that can reach children, their parents and caregivers at home and in the community.

b) To train, foster and develop a contingent of professional and part-time social workers; providers of health, education, justice, child protection and other social security services.

c) To maintain and develop a system of facilities specialized in providing child protection services at the central, regional and provincial levels; to maintain and expand the operation of facilities with part of their functions and tasks being providing child protection services.

4. To enhance communication and education on the necessary knowledge and skills regarding children’s rights and obligations; to mobilize the whole society to achieve objectives and indicators related to children as well as to solve children-related issues

a) To diversify products and forms of communication, education and social mobilization on the mass media and the cyberspace, and direct communication among families, educational institutions, and the community.

b) To focus on communication and education to improve knowledge and skills for realizing children's rights; to take care of and comprehensively develop children; to create a safe and friendly living environment for children; to prevent and control child abuse; to protect children during legal proceedings and handling of administrative violations; to protect children during natural disasters, catastrophes and epidemics; to prevent child accidents and injuries; to promote children's rights to participate in children-related issues.

5. To ensure resources for the realization of children’s rights and the implementation of objectives and indicators related to children; to give priority to allocating resources for child protection;

a) To improve the organizational structure and human resources so as to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the State management over children; to strengthen inter-sectoral coordination; to improve the capacity of cadres, civil servants and public employees working in the fields of child protection, care and education; to attach importance to the application of information technology in the management and administration, provision of services for the realization of children's rights.

b) To develop the network and improve the capacity of child protection workers at all levels; to make policies to support commune-level child protection workers and mobilize resources to develop the network of child protection collaborators at the grassroots level and residential communities.

c) Ministries, sectors, and localities shall be responsible for allocating budgets for the implementation of the Program's objectives, indicators, tasks and solutions; giving priority to child protection objectives and indicators.

6. To promote international integration and cooperation on children's rights, to solve global and regional child issues

a) To actively participate in global and regional networks and movements on children's rights.

b) To actively exchange and creatively apply solutions, experiences and models of countries, regional and international organizations to the realization of children's rights, the implementation of sustainable development objectives, and the dealing with issues related to children.

7. To mobilize resources and social participation

a) To mobilize the participation and contribution of resources of organizations, businesses, families, and individuals to the realization of children's rights, children-related objectives and indicators, and the resolution of children-related issues.

b) To form voluntary movements and networks to support the realization of children’s rights and solve issues related to children; to encourage the activities of child protection funds to support the implementation of the Program's objectives and indicators.

c) To strengthen the management and coordination of State management agencies in the mobilization and use of social resources for children, ensuring the fairness, transparency, and efficiency thereof.

8. To strengthen inspection and supervision; to build a database to monitor and evaluate the implementation of laws, policies, programs, objectives, and indicators related to children

a) To strengthen inspection and examination of the implementation of laws and policies on children; to promptly settle complaints and denunciations and handle violations of the laws on children; to settle and expedite the settlement of opinions and petitions of children, parents, guardians, and organizations representing children's aspirations.

b) To standardize and upgrade the systems of information, statistics and reports on children's situation and the implementation of policies and laws on children's rights; to conduct surveys, investigations and research on children, the situation of child abuse and its impact on the realization of children’s rights.

c) To upgrade and develop the database on children, in which the quality of information about children and their protection, care and education from residential communities and households must be ensured; to connect and link the database on children with the national population database and other databases.

III. FUNDING FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM

1. It shall be covered by the State budget in the annual estimates of ministries, sectors, Central-level agencies, socio-political organizations, social organizations, socio-professional organizations, and local authorities; national indicator programs, other related programs, projects, and schemes in accordance with the law provisions on State budget.

2. It shall also be covered by the funds, international aids and contributions of the society and the community, and other lawful sources

3. Ministries, sectors and localities shall, based on their functions, tasks, and powers, direct and make annual budget estimates for the implementation of the Program's objectives, indicators, tasks, and solutions.

Article 2. Responsibilities for implementation

1. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall:

a) Assume the prime responsibility for formulating and guiding the implementation of programs, schemes and plans to implement the Program and indicators 1, 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 22, 23, 24 therein; incorporate and integrate the Program's objectives and indicators within its scope of responsibility and competence into the annual socio-economic development plan of the Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs sector.

b) Guide and implement communication, education, and social mobilization activities on realizing children's rights and solving children-related issues.

c) Build, guide, implement and develop models of comprehensive child development, child protection services and child abuse prevention and control, promote children's rights to participate in children-related issues; coordinate with the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to implement and develop Children's Councils at all levels.

d) Improve the management capacity, service provision, child protection and care skills for the contingent in charge of children at all levels, sectors, and organizations, especially the grassroots level; for children themselves and their parents or caregivers; coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to strengthen the grassroots-level systems and models of providing services for the realization of children’s rights.

dd) Build a database on children, which shall be connected to the national population database and other databases; assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate in carrying out surveys, investigations and research on children, the situation of child abuse and its impacts on the realization of children’s rights.

e) Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries and sectors in conducting interdisciplinary and specialized examination and inspection of the realization of children’s rights, and policies and laws on child protection.

g) Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries and sectors in evaluating and summarizing the results of the Program's implementation; periodically report them to the Prime Minister and the National Committee for Children.

2. The Ministry of Justice shall:

a) Guide and implement indicator 14 of the Program.

b) Continue to improve policies and laws on justice related to children and juveniles; research and develop a national program on juvenile justice.

c) Popularizing, disseminating, and educating the law provisions on child protection in the course of proceedings and handling of administrative violations.

d) Build, guide, implement and develop models of providing domestic adoption services.

3. The Ministry of Public Security shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and relevant ministries, sectors and localities in supporting, intervening, and protecting the safety for children who are abused victims; preventing recidivism, managing and educating children and juveniles who violate the laws; fighting crimes against children so as to achieve indicator 9 of the Program.

4. The Ministry of Education and Training shall:

a) Guide the implementation of indicators 7, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 of the Program.

b) Implement policies and solutions to decrease the number of children dropping out of school, especially children of ethnic minorities and those living in mountainous areas; maintain and expand semi-boarding and ethnic minority boarding schools.

c) Build a healthy, friendly, and non-violent educational environment; improve knowledge and skills for education administrators, teachers and students about children's rights to participate in children-related issues; build, guide, implement and develop the model of school dialogue to promote children's participation rights in schools; the model of providing child protection services in schools.

d) Implement the coordination between schools, families, and the society in education activities, especially education on cultural lifestyle and morals for students. Incorporate and integrate content with children's participation into mainstream programs and extracurricular activities suitable to children's grades, capacity, and development.

5. The Ministry of Health shall:

a) Guide the implementation of indicators 3, 4, 5, 6 of the Program.

b) Implement solutions, programs and projects on healthcare and nutrition for children, especially children of ethnic minorities and those living in mountainous areas.

c) Provide guidance and support of healthcare for children in special circumstances, abused children, migrant children, those affected by natural disasters, catastrophes, epidemics, and environmental pollution; build, guide, implement and develop the model of providing child protection services in hospitals.

6. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall:

a) Guide and implement indicators 13 and 21 of the Program; give priority to building cultural and sports institutions for children, especially in extremely difficult socio-economic areas; ensure that art performances and creative activities are suitable to the national culture and the children in accordance with the law provisions

b) Implement measures to protect children, prevent child abuse in cultural, sports and tourism activities; strengthen the inspection, examination and strict management of cultural products and the organization of cultural activities to ensure that children have access to a healthy cultural environment.

c) Guide and equip families with knowledge and skills on the realization of children’s rights; build, guide, implement and develop the model of family groups accompanying children to promote children's participation rights in the families.

7. The Ministry of Information and Communications shall:

a) Direct and guide press agencies, organizations and individuals operating in the cyberspace to apply information and communication technology, and mobilize the social participation to realize the objectives, indicators, tasks, solutions of the Program; disseminate knowledge and skills on child protection and prevention of child abuse in the cyberspace.

b) Implement child protection solutions, establish information channels to receive information on child protection in cyberspace; ensure children's rights to privacy in information and communication activities.

c) Study and propose policies and information technology solutions to promote the realization of children's rights, form a digital culture for children, and ensure the safety of children when operating in the cyberspace; build, guide, implement and develop a model to strengthen children's capacity to approach the fourth industrial revolution.

d) To promote capacity building for reporters and editors of press agencies regarding the exercise of children's rights in information and communication activities.

8. The Ministry of Finance shall assume the prime responsibility for summarizing and advising competent authorities to allocate funds for regular implementation of the Program in annual budget estimates of ministries, sectors, and localities in accordance with the Law on State Budget.

9. Ministries and sectors shall, based on their assigned functions, tasks and powers, incorporate or integrate the Program's objectives, indicators, tasks and solutions into their five-year, annual socio-economic development plans; promulgate by themselves, or submit to the Prime Minister for promulgation of programs, schemes and plans to deal with children-related issues under their scope of management; report on the results of the Program's implementation to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs for summarizing and reporting them to the Prime Minister.

10. The People's Committees of provinces and municipalities shall:

a) Develop, implement local programs, and action plans for children in the 2021-2030 period, incorporate and integrate the program's objectives, indicators, tasks and solutions in the local five-year, annual socio-economic development plans.

b) Allocate budgets for the implementation of local children-related objectives, indicators, tasks and solutions; reciprocate local budgets for implementation and replication of models and solutions for realizing children's rights in programs, plans and projects funded by the Central budget and international aids; review and give priority to investing local budgets to maintaining and developing facilities with functions and tasks of providing child protection services in their respective localities.

c) Regularly inspect, examine, and review the assurance of a safe, healthy and child-friendly living environment; prevention and control of child abuse, child accidents and injuries; direct their sub-units to strictly and promptly handle cases of child abuse in their respective localities.

d) Monitor and evaluate the implementation of local programs and action plans for children; make preliminary reviews in 2025 and summaries in 2030 on the results of their programs and plans, then send them to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs for summarizing and reporting them to the Prime Minister.

11. The Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union and member organizations of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Vietnam Association for Protection of Children Rights, and social organizations, within the scope of their functions and tasks to participate and mobilize social contributions to the implementation of the Program's objectives, indicators, tasks and solutions.

Article 3. This Decision takes effect from the date of signing for promulgation.

Article 4. The Ministers, the Heads of the ministerial-level agencies, the Heads of the Government-attached agencies, the Heads of the relevant agencies and organizations, the Chairpersons of the People's Committees of the provinces and municipalities shall be responsible for the implementation of this Decision.