Ho Chi Minh City has become the first city or province in Vietnam to introduce a representative body for its minors with the establishment of a children’s council.

The move is one of many steps taken by the government of Vietnam to improve children’s rights and their participation in issues related to their own affairs.

Members of the council were elected by their peers from a pool of talented students with excellent academic performances and good moral behaviors from the city’s 24 districts.

The 55-strong council held its first meeting on Thursday, chaired by Mai Hai Yen, a schoolgirl from District 6, in which the delegates discussed the topic of ‘My Future City.'

The Children’s Council of Ho Chi Minh City will meet twice yearly to discuss different topics that relate to their welfare and development.

During their first meeting, issues such as traffic congestion, flooding, pollution and public transport were brought up by attending delegates, who offered local authorities a new perspective on some of the city’s long-standing issues.

“The minor delegates illustrated their role in transforming Ho Chi Minh City into a modern, civilized, and friendly metropolis with good quality of life,” said Thi Thi Tuyet Nhung, head of the Sociocultural Committee of the municipal People’s Council. “We will aggregate their proposals to present to the municipal People’s Council at our next meeting.”

Four other Vietnamese cities and provinces - Hanoi, Yen Bai, Binh Dinh and Quang Ninh - are also set to establish their own children’s councils in the near future, according to a pilot scheme of the Vietnamese government.

The establishment of such councils is in accordance with a decision issued by the prime minister, which looks to promote children’s rights in Vietnam and the participation of children in their own affairs in the 2016-20 period.

These councils are anticipated to be a platform where Vietnamese children can express their wishes and desires to leaders from all levels of government.

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