HCMC takes more drastic action to better protect children
In the Fourth Industrial Revolution with the growing socio-economic development, it is undeniable the benefits of technology in people’s lives. The continuous development of entertainment facilities and the internet has opened up opportunities to learn and also change a lot in children's lives. In addition, the earlier physical, cognitive, and psycho-physiological development of children is also a matter of concern.
These things have presented many new problems for the protection and care of children today that have not been previously identified namely how to protect children against risks in the online environment, and how to protect them from domestic violence or violence in intimate relationships. For instance, recently, the death of an 8-year-old girl who was brutally abused by her father and lover is heartbreaking domestic violence in Ho Chi Minh City.
Moreover, in the past two years of the pandemic, children are also affected a lot. Social distancing and online learning to prevent epidemics have made children face more stress, with the risk of being abused in the online environment. Worse, thousands of children have lost their parents and loved ones, the pandemic pain will never end. Accordingly, social workers of the child protection program must take this into account.
Over the past time, the People's Council of Ho Chi Minh City has met, listened to children's voices and conducted many surveys on children's work in many localities and organizations. The initial survey shows that the system of child protection and care in HCMC includes public and non-public facilities, establishments with the function of nurturing and sponsoring children, and facilities that connect and provide social security services for children.
Also through these surveys, the People's Council of Ho Chi Minh City found that the team in charge of children's work at the district, district, ward, commune and township levels often concurrently holds many fields, often changing, especially over time. Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, the work of capturing and managing information and data about children, and supporting interventions in cases of abuse and violence are also significantly affected.
Child protection and care require the involvement of the entire machinery of the state and the community to get good results.
From the reality of children's rights protection activities in Ho Chi Minh City and the opinions and recommendations of voters, the municipal People's Council said that it is necessary to strengthen the role of the grassroots organizations in child care and protection. Communication on child protection must also be further enhanced in many forms, not only in the mass media but also through oral communication through activities in residential areas. There should be harsh punishment for children offenders and those posting malicious news on social networks that affect children's psychophysiology and behavior.
In addition, it is also necessary to study additional regulations on the mandatory installation of surveillance cameras at educational institutions, centers, and social protection facilities in the city to deter people from committing child abuse and violence. This will also be a source of evidence for police agencies to investigate and handle cases of violence or abuse.
The People's Council of Ho Chi Minh City said that the city needs to continue to improve the organizational structure, personnel, and policies for officials, collaborators and social workers working in the field of child protection, especially in grassroots facilities.
At the same time, HCMC will call for social contributions to the protection of children with a focus on care for disadvantaged children.
