Vietnam's National Committee for Children has called on provincial and central-level city authorities to step up their measures to prevent children from drowning and abuse in an urgent notice sent this week.

Recent reports of child drowning have emerged recently in Khanh Hoa, Phu Tho, and other provinces, as per the notice issued on Tuesday.

Child sexual abuse is also on the rise, with victims as young as two years old having been recorded in recent weeks.

In light of the issues, Nguyen Thi Ha, Deputy Minister of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs and standing member of the National Committee for Children, endorsed the urgent notice to call for prompt actions in child protection from local authorities.

Relevant agencies and assigned authorities are asked to continue upholding a government decree on the implementation of child abuse prevention law in Vietnam, as well as a government directive introduced in May 2020 on child rights and child protection.

They are also required to hasten the resolution of child abuse cases and levy rightful penalties on the perpetrators, plus boosting interdisciplinary collaboration in child drowning prevention.

Functional forces and residents must take a proactive role in monitoring and alerting child drowning risks, the notice stated.

Members of the public should be made aware of child protection laws and practical child abuse prevention measures.

Provincial and city authorities are asked to respond to the notice, reporting results of their implementation by May 31.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!