The draft Law on Protection, Care and Education of Children (revised)
was discussed at a seminar in the northern mountainous province of
Hoa Binh on April 9-10.
Co-organised by the
Department of Children Protection and Care under the Ministry of Labour,
War Invalids and Social Affairs, and the United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF), the event focused on evaluating Vietnam ’s legal documents
and policies on children’s rights based on international standards.
Participants, including international experts and officials from many
ministries, pointed out existing shortcomings and unfeasible contents of
the legal documents and suggested amendments and supplements to the
revised law.
Many opinions said the age level for defining a child in legal terms should increase from the current 16 to 18 years old.
The seminar agreed that the approval of the law has created an
important legal corridor for the protection, care and education of
children while promoting the implementation of children’s basic rights
as Vietnam is one of the first countries to ratify the UN Convention
on the Rights of the Child.
However, an array of new
issues have emerged during the implementation of the law, prompting the
need to revise it to create a solid and advanced legal corridor for
children protection and care.-VNA