Launching project to strengthen prevention and response to violence against women and girls in Quang Ninh
WVR - On February 4, UNFPA in Vietnam in collaboration with Quang Ninh Department of Health, with financial support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), today launched “Strengthening the model in preventing and responding to violence against women and girls in Quảng Ninh, 2025-2027".
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| The launch ceremony of the project 'Strengthening the model in preventing and responding to violence against women and girls in Quảng Ninh, 2025-2027'. (Source: UNFPA) |
The project is implemented in partnership with the Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee, the Quang Ninh Department of Health and the Provincial Social Assistance Centre, together with relevant central and local authorities.
The launch event, held in Hạ Long Ward, brought together around 80 participants from central ministries, provincial and commune-level authorities, development partners, civil society organisations and the media. The project reflects a shared commitment to strengthening survivor-centred, coordinated and sustainable systems to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls (VAWG) at the local level.
Violence against women and girls remains a serious human rights and public health concern in Vietnam. The 2019 National Study on Violence Against Women found that nearly 63 per cent of women have experienced physical, sexual, emotional or economic violence, or controlling behaviours by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Yet over 90 per cent never seek help and half never disclose their experience to anyone. In Quang Ninh, the proportion of women reporting physical or sexual violence in the past 12 months (43 per cent) is higher than the national average (32 per cent), underscoring the urgent need for strengthened prevention and response systems at provincial level.
UNFPA highly appreciates the strong leadership and timely approval of the project by the Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee, as well as the close collaboration of the Department of Health and the Social Assistance Centre in coordinating and organising the launch. Since 2017, Quang Ninh has been a key partner in the successful implementation of KOICA-funded, UNFPA-supported initiatives, including Phase I (2018-2021) and subsequent bridge phases. These efforts have laid a solid foundation for a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach to addressing gender-based violence.
A major milestone of the first phase was the establishment and operation of the One-Stop Service Centre (OSSC) - Ánh Dương House, which has provided integrated, survivor-centred services since 2020. The province also institutionalised a multi-sectoral coordination
mechanism on gender-based violence and child sexual abuse, strengthening collaboration across health, social protection, justice and law enforcement sectors.
By the end of 2025, 1,254 survivors had received support through nearly 24,000 hotline calls (1800 1769) and in-person services, demonstrating both impact and sustained provincial commitment.
Building on these achievements, the 2025-2027 project represents a further strengthening of Quang Ninh’s comprehensive model. Under UNFPA’s technical guidance and financial support, the project will reinforce survivor-centred services, including responses to emerging forms of violence such as technology-facilitated gender-based violence. At the same time, it places strong emphasis on prevention-addressing harmful gender norms, engaging young people, promoting safer workplaces for women and strengthening multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms to function effectively in both development and emergency contexts.
Speaking at the launch, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam Matt Jackson said: “Ending violence against women and girls requires strong national laws and local systems: comprehensive prevention approaches, coordinated services, trained frontline responders and sustained political and financial commitment. Through this partnership with KOICA and Quang Ninh Province, UNFPA is supporting survivor-centred and evidence-based prevention and response solutions that ensure survivors can access timely, dignified and comprehensive support when they need it most.”
The project contributes to UNFPA’s global commitment to ending violence against women and girls and supports Vietnam’s efforts to strengthen gender-responsive, people-centred social protection systems. Through close collaboration with government and civil society partners, UNFPA will continue to provide technical assistance, policy support and evidence-based prevention and response models to help ensure that women and girls in Quang Ninh can live free from violence and fear.
