For future comprehensive development of children in ethnic minority areas
Ensuring the rights of children in ethnic minority areas is an important task and has been paid great attention by the Party, State and people who have implemented many strategies to realize the goals of social justice and improving living standards.
Latest
 |
| Addressing malnutrition among ethnic minority children is a top priority to reduce the burden of disease, for their bright future and to strengthen socio-economic development. (Source: People's Committee of Binh Thuan province) |
Clear-sighted leadership and guidelines
On July 12, addressing at the virtual conference reviewing ethnic work in the first 6 months of the year and implementing tasks in the last 6 months of 2023, Minister-Chairman of National Assembly’s Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs Hau A Lenh said that the Committee was coordinating with ministries and branches to implement the The National Target Programme for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the period 2021-2030.
The program contributes to better care for ethnic minority children in terms of physical condition, knowledge and skills; at the same time, ensuring children to have access to the best social services, including Project 5 (Developing education and training to improve human resources’ quality), Project 7 (Improving health and stature of ethnic minorities; preventing child malnutrition), Project 8 (Implementing gender equality and solving urgent problems for women and children), Project (Investment in development of ethnic minorities with very few people and ethnic groups with many difficulties).
Regarding budget, on August 15, 2023, the Ministry of Finance issued Circular No. 55/TT-BTC regulating the management, use and settlement of public funds from the state budget to implement national target programs for the period 2021-2030.
Accordingly, newborn babies from ethnic minorities with specific difficulties are supported with screening and treatment according to the List of common congenital diseases regulated by the Ministry of Health; one-time support for travel costs for children going to medical facilities for screening for congenital diseases, maximum 500,000 VND/child.
Children under 5 years old with severe malnutrition receive a maximum treatment support of 3 million VND/child. They are also supported with nutritious meals with instant rice/nutritious porridge and school milk for children at public preschool educational establishments, maximum 550,000 VND/month/child. The support period is based on the actual number of months of school attendance and the maximum support period shall not exceed 36 months/child.
At the 6th session of the National Assembly on 3 national target programs on October 30, delegate Chau Quynh Dao (Kien Giang) affirmed that this is an important program in protecting, educating children, helping them have the best access to services, reflecting the motto of leaving no-one behind.
Outstanding efforts
In Lang Son, despite being a mountainous, border province with difficult socio-economic conditions, this locality always pays special attention to protect children, especially those from ethnic minority and disadvantaged areas.
Standing Vice Chairman of Lang Son Provincial People's Committee Duong Xuan Huyen said that districts, cities have reviewed and issued health insurance cards so that children under 6 years old can receive free medical examination and treatment. In the entire province, over 74,730 children under 6 years old were issued health insurance cards, reaching a rate of 100%.
 |
| Our Party and State always pay attention to protect, educate children and create a safe, healthy living environment for children to develop comprehensively regarding physical, morality, and mentality. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
Besides, 100% of 6-year-old children in the province can enroll in grade 1; 100% of children complete the elementary school program by grade 6. They are able to experience practical activities and enhance life skills. Orphaned and disabled children during school age are entitled to educational incentives.
In Quang Ninh, the Provincial People's Committee approved the Project "Propaganda to improve nutrition and physical fitness for children in ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Quang Ninh province, period 2022-2025 ”, thereby, contributing to the prevention of malnutrition in children, reducing the rate of underweight malnutrition in children under 5 years old to below 11% by 2025 and to below 17% of stunting.
Accordingly, the province spent more than 8 billion VND from state budget on improving nutrition and physical fitness for children in 64 communes in 8 localities and 16 communes with the highest rate of children under 5 years old getting malnutritioned.
In Binh Phuoc, as of August 2021, 100% of districts, towns and cities in the province have developed plans to ensure children's basic rights such as birth registration, health care, entertainment, learning...
The rate of children attending primary school at the right age reached 99.6%. The rate of communes, wards and towns with children's entertainment spots reached 100%. Over 96% of children in special circumstances receive support for community integration and development opportunities. The proportion of children with special circumstances decreased to less than 2% of the total number. In entire province, there are 115,014 children under 6 years old who are issued health insurance cards.
The work of universalizing education and eradicating illiteracy in localities continues to remain effective. 100% of districts, towns, cities and 111/111 communes, wards and towns meet national standards for universal preschool education for 5-year-old children; 100% of communes, wards and towns meet the standard of universal primary education level 3; 111/111 communes, wards and towns achieve universal secondary education; 15/111 communes, wards and towns achieve universal high school education.
Thus, the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2021-2030 is a guideline for provinces and localities to implement solutions to protect, educate and help children gain best access to social services, following the motto of leaving no one behind. With that spirit, the governments and people of Lang Son, Binh Phuoc, and Quang Ninh provinces have promoted plans to ensure children's basic rights such as birth registration, health care, entertainment, and education.
