Listen to children with your heart, protect children with your actions

PV:To promote and spread activities for children, each year, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs will choose a practical theme to mobilize the participation of the whole society. What is special about this year's theme "Joining hands for poor children and ethnic minority children"?
Mr. Vi Ngoc Quynh:The theme of the 2019 Children's Action Month: "Joining hands for poor children and ethnic minority children" was unanimously chosen by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs nationwide; However, in Nghe An, we have added the theme: Preventing abuse, violence, and preventing child drowning. Activities in the Children's Action Month will focus on conveying meaningful messages such as joining hands for poor children and ethnic minority children, leaving no child behind, creating equal development opportunities for all children, listening to children with the heart, and protecting children with action.

Mr. Vi Ngoc Quynh talks with reporters. Photo: PV

PV:RObviously, it is not until this topic is launched that we respond, but for a long time, activities aimed at poor children and children from ethnic minorities in Nghe An have received a lot of attention. What is the specifics of this issue, sir?

Mr. Vi Ngoc Quynh:Indeed, for this group of children, we have long had regular attention and specialized support associated with national target programs or volunteer programs of organizations and societies. Therefore, the rate of children in special circumstances in our province receiving care reaches 92%. We are also one of the top provinces to implement the early establishment of the Children's Protection Fund.

The joy of Khmu children with a new game. Photo: Dinh Tuan

The Children's Support Fund is chaired by the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, the Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs is the Standing Deputy of the Council, the members are departments, branches and directors of some units. The Council regularly organizes calls for organizations, businesses and philanthropists to contribute resources to the Fund to support poor children, ethnic minority children, children in especially difficult circumstances, an average of 15 to 20 billion VND per year. In 2018 alone, 15 billion was mobilized for the provincial BTTE fund. Through activities to build schools, classrooms, boarding houses, entertainment venues for children, give gifts, scholarships, bicycles, wheelchairs, free surgery for children with disabilities of all kinds, especially children in mountainous and ethnic areas.

Traveling to different regions and areas during our visits and gift-giving trips, we were deeply moved to see the joy and happiness in the eyes of poor children when they received small gifts. Many children only dream of having warmer clothes and a more intact school bag. Many children who study far from home only wish to have a bicycle to ride, but their dreams cannot come true if we do not mobilize the support of charitable organizations.
PV:In addition to efforts to provide children with a more complete material life, improving the quality of their spiritual life and helping them enjoy a happy and peaceful childhood is extremely important. Could you provide more information about the efforts of all levels, sectors and local authorities in this regard?
Mr. Vi Ngoc Quynh:It can be said that, targeting this group of people, we have really taken practical actions, bringing material and spiritual benefits to children.

Along with taking care of children in difficult circumstances, we always mobilize resources to support and create conditions for children to fully exercise their basic rights, such as: the right to study in general and to develop their talents in particular; the right to play and entertain; the right to participate in children's issues, thereby helping children have the best spiritual life, to develop comprehensively in morality, intelligence, physicality, and aesthetics in accordance with local conditions.

Mr. Vi Ngoc Quynh - Deputy Director of Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs

Summer day of children in Mon Son commune, Con Cuong district. Photo: Ho Sy Hung

Typically, Que Phong district organizes music, vocal, dance and martial arts classes during the summer; Anh Son district organizes summer activities for children every Saturday evening with many useful contents, especially instructions on swimming techniques and first aid for drowning victims; Cua Lo town organizes competitions and communication on drowning prevention for children; Ky Son district organizes summer activities for students such as instructions on reading newspapers, drawing, organizing cultural and artistic activities for children; Quy Chau district organizes recreational activities such as stick pushing, tug of war, shuttlecock throwing, table tennis, badminton, chess, soccer, mini volleyball... attracting a large number of children to participate.

Children's joy. Photo archive

Obviously, spiritual "food" for children is not only aimed at disadvantaged children, but any child needs to be given the opportunity to play safely and usefully during the summer. Having a playground for children during the summer means limiting unfortunate accidents and injuries that may occur.
PV:One of the issues that is currently receiving the most attention is the prevention of accidents and injuries, especially the prevention of drowning accidents for children during the summer. Since the beginning of the year, the whole province has recorded 34 cases of child drowning, some cases of drowning with 2-5 victims dying, many cases of drowning victims being siblings, relatives... What have we, are doing and will need to do more drastically to minimize these heartbreaking statistics?
Mr. Vi Ngoc Quynh:Preventing drowning for children in general and especially preventing drowning for children in the summer is considered an urgent issue that requires the participation of the whole society.
Clearly identifying the above issue from the beginning of the year, the Department has proactively issued a document guiding the work of protecting and caring for children to localities for implementation; proactively coordinated with departments and branches to deploy an inter-sectoral plan leading to the signing between the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and related departments and branches in implementing the work of preventing and combating child drowning.
In addition, the Department has advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue a plan for the 2019 Action Month for Children, which includes full contents and solutions for preventing injuries and drowning; at the same time, a commitment was signed between the Chairmen of the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns and the Standing Office of the Provincial Children's Committee on implementing contents and solutions for preventing injuries and drowning of children.

Launching ceremony of Action Month for Children in Anh Son district. Photo: PV

The Department has also coordinated with districts to launch and implement swimming skills training courses; assigned districts to develop plans and budgets. At the same time, directed and urged districts and localities to organize healthy and useful recreational activities during the summer for children.

Most tragic drowning accidents occur because children do not know how to swim, so this is also the most important skill for children to prevent drowning. However, currently, teaching children to swim is not really effective. Many schools and parents have organized swimming lessons for children, but because the budget for building and maintaining swimming pools is very large and they have to hire additional teachers, they face many difficulties.
Besides, the coordination between families, schools and organizations is not close in some places, not creating many healthy and useful playgrounds for children.

Folklore says:Blessed are you to learn to swim/Sinned are you to learn to climbTherefore, parents need to proactively coordinate closely with schools, mass organizations, local authorities, and relevant authorities in managing, protecting, caring for, and educating children.

Listening to Children Speak Forum at the Launching Ceremony of Action Month for Children in Que Phong District. Photo: PV

PV:During the launch of “Action Month for Children”, each unit participating in the launch ceremony signed a commitment. According to you, what are the obligations of signing the commitment and how does it affect the awareness and responsibility of local authorities and child guardians; how can we make the signing not only meaningful... on paper?

Mr. Vi Ngoc Quynh:When signing the commitment, each unit and organization is aware of their responsibilities. Localities will have to be proactive in connecting and coordinating to allocate funds for children; will have to worry about the effectiveness of survival skills classes for children. Worry about creating playgrounds for the summer, will they attract children? Therefore, signing the commitment here is not signing a movement, but clearly after the launch, each organization, unit, especially the leader, needs to have a specific action plan.
PV:Thank you for this conversation!