Hanoi (VNA) - While strides are being made to ensure safety for women andchildren, more still needs to be done, heard a workshop held by the VietnamWomen's Union in Hanoi on November 26.

Nguyen ThiTuyet Mai, head of the Family and Society Division under the Vietnam Women'sUnion, said provinces and cities across the country have been enhancing rolesand responsibilities in ensuring safety. Many improvements had been made, but alot more needs to be done, she said.

Over thepast year, the women's union implemented a pilot model of a safe city in DaNang and a safe village model in Thanh Hoa, Tuyen Quang and Kien Giangprovinces, with practical activities such as building a happy family, safety onbuses, food safety and building clubs with activities related to familyhappiness.

Accordingto the official, women and children with disabilities have also receivedsupport. But there are still many problems. In 2017 and 2018, 2,600 cases ofsexual abuse against women were reported nationwide and nearly 2,700 againstchildren.

Inaddition to the achieved results, Mai said the implementation of the campaignshowed some limitations and difficulties.

Mai saidthere were also serious concerns over workplace harassment and there was anegative effect on family life as more and more people migrate for work.

With thenational campaign "Safe year for women and children" in 2020, women'sunion at all levels should prioritise the implementation of key activitiesrelated to the prevention and fighting against child abuse, she said.

Regardingchild safety, Nguyen Thi Nga, Deputy Director of the Department of Childrenunder the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said from 2011 toJune 2019 about five children were victims of domestic violence and sexualabuse each day.

Toprotect children, the current implementation of the law on child protection andchild abuse prevention is still limited due to lack of awareness of children'sself-protection responsibilities; lack of basic knowledge and skills, accordingto Nga.

Manyfamilies did not report or denounce acts of child sexual abuse, leading tocrimes not being handled.

Meanwhile,awareness of responsibility and law enforcement capacity of local authorities,especially at commune and ward levels, is limited.

In orderto protect children from sexual abuse in the future, the deputy director saidlaws needed to be reviewed and amended.

Inspectionteams should be set up to ensure the implementation of children's rights,especially at non-public preschool education institutions in industrial parksand export processing zones.

Theauthorities needed to increase communication to prevent and combat child abuse,detect and report acts of violence against women and children and supporthealth care, legal assistance and counselling.

At theforum, participants exchanged issues related to safety for women and childrenin urban and rural areas; shared experiences, initiatives and proposedsolutions to protect women and children in the current period./.