Vietnam, Australia Exchange Experiences on Domestic Violence

The Vietnamese Government has worked hard to end violence against women and children, with special attention to negative impacts from Covid-19 on the people. However, violence has still happened and the problem can only be solved with joint efforts of all members in the society, organisations and authorised agencies.
August 20, 2022 | 07:52

Senior Government officials and Parliament members of Vietnam recently exchanged knowledge and experience with relevant stakeholders in Victoria, state of southeastern Australia on the revision and the implementation of Vietnam’s Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control.

Vietnam, Australia Exchange Experiences on Domestic Violence
Australia-Vietnam exchanged experience in addressing domestic violence. Source: UNFPA in Vietnam

In partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam, Australia’s National Research Organization for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) hosted a study tour for leaders of the Ministries and National Assembly Committees to gather Australia’s experience and best practice in addressing domestic violence, as the National Assembly prepares to consider and approve the draft amendment on the Domestic Violence Prevention and Control Law during its October session.

The draft amended law, containing six chapters with 62 articles, was being considered by the National Assembly at the third session in Hanoi. The law is expected to be amended in a way that protects human rights, the rights of family members, and the rights of domestic violence victims, thereby engaging multiple stakeholders from the political system, society and families in the task to minimise losses and reduce cases.

The delegation led by the Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) Trinh Thi Thuy, visited Melbourne and met Australian senior experts who provided an overview of the domestic violence policy and its implementation in Australia.

High on the agenda of the mission were on the effective legal system in addressing domestic violence, the development and the replication of the integrated response models for violence against women, the mechanism engaging society organizations in delivering services, the development of specialist courts for domestic violence, and the evidence-based policy development.

A survey by the UNFPA in Vietnam said that in 2019, 62.9% of women in Vietnam experienced one or more forms of violence in their lifetime such as physical, sexual, emotional and economic violence, as well as controlling behaviour by the husband.

In addition, violence against women resulted in a deficit of 1.81% of the country's GDP.

The Australian experts also shared the best practices in educational and awareness-raising campaigns targeting different population groups, including information-sharing for survivors of domestic violence, instigating change in men’s attitudes and beliefs, and the whole-of-community “call to action”.

The delegation was also introduced to The Orange Door, providing free services for adults, children and young people who are experiencing or have experienced violence, and other family members who need extra support in terms of care for children, and to the Centre for Multi-Cultural Women’s Health, which provides services for female migrants, experiencing violence.

The findings from the study tour will be shared to other deputies to the National Assembly and Government officials during the coming consultative meetings and discussions prior to the year-end session of the National Assembly in October 2022, where the amended Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control is planned to be approved.

Vietnam, Australia Exchange Experiences on Domestic Violence
Vietnam has fully recognised that sustainable family development constitutes one of the key factors to ensure the success of industrialisation and modernisation in the country. Source: UNFPA in Vietnam

In July, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), in collaboration with UN agencies and the Australian Aid, launched a campaign to enhance public awareness of women and children protection, spreading the message of zero tolerance for violence against children and women.

The initiative is built on the 2020 campaign to raise public awareness and change individual and societal behaviour, helping prevent violence before it begins.

According to the organizers, the campaign calls for attention and support from the whole community to create a violence-free environment in families, schools and community as well as on cyber space.

MoLISA Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Ha said that the Vietnamese Government has worked hard to end violence against women and children, with special attention to negative impacts from Covid-19 on the people.

However, violence has still happened and the problem can only be solved with joint efforts of all members in the society, organizations and authorised agencies, she stressed.

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