The workshop took place in Ha Tinh under the chairmanship of Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha and UNFPA Representative in Vietnam Matt Jackson.

Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha and UNFPA Representative in Vietnam Matt Jackson. (Source: Organizing Committee)

Attending the workshop were Mr. Le Ngoc Chau, Vice Chairman of Ha Tinh Provincial People's Committee, representatives of relevant Ministries/branches, Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Departments, branches, agencies and units participating in supporting victims of gender-based violence in some provinces/cities.

At the workshop, delegates were shared with international guidelines on inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms in preventing and responding to gender-based violence, the results of implementing the Inter-sectoral Coordination Regulations on preventing and combating domestic violence, as well as successful lessons in building and implementing inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms on preventing and combating gender-based violence and child abuse in Quang Ninh and Ho Chi Minh City.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Deputy Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha said: “In Vietnam, the issue of gender equality in general and prevention and response to gender-based violence in particular is one of the issues that the Party, State, Government and relevant ministries and sectors are constantly paying attention to and are committed to implementing through solutions in terms of institutions, policies, communication, raising awareness, improving capacity, research, and building pilot models to provide support services for victims of gender-based violence in many diverse and rich forms.

The attention and involvement of ministries, sectors and agencies in the prevention and response to gender-based violence is also demonstrated through inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms to address different aspects of gender-based violence such as: Inter-sectoral coordination regulations on domestic violence prevention and control; Coordination regulations on receiving, protecting and supporting victims of trafficking between the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Coordination regulations on preventing and combating violence and child sexual abuse between the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Security, etc.

Despite many important achievements, the work of preventing and responding to gender-based violence still faces many difficulties and challenges.

Gender-based violence remains widespread, and it is concerning that the majority of women who experience violence do not seek help from formal support services or local authorities.

The service provision system still faces many difficulties in terms of facilities, equipment, human resources and staff skills, especially the coordination between relevant agencies and units is still not unified and synchronous, affecting the quality of support for victims of violence and creating fear for people when they need support.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Ha affirmed that it is necessary to expand and improve the quality of the network of support services to help victims of violence, especially the need for participation, connection and close coordination of all relevant agencies and organizations at both central and local levels.

UNFPA Representative in Vietnam Matt Jackson said that to ensure timely support, focusing on victims of violence, there needs to be an inter-sectoral coordination mechanism and continued investment to replicate this model.

Mr. Matt Jackson affirmed: “UNFPA is committed to continuing to support the Government of Vietnam in building inter-sectoral coordination regulations at the national and local levels, in line with international standards and so that no one is left behind.

The multi-sectoral coordination protocol will ensure that efforts to prevent and respond to gender-based violence are comprehensive and cross-cutting, and that survivors of gender-based violence can access timely and quality support services wherever they live and whatever their circumstances.

Delegates attending the conference took a souvenir photo. (Source: Organizing Committee)

At the workshop, delegates from ministries, sectors, localities and service providers supporting victims of gender-based violence also exchanged, discussed and made many suitable and feasible recommendations, and proposed the need for coordination regulations at both central and local levels, clearly defining the specific roles and responsibilities of relevant agencies in the work of preventing and responding to gender-based violence.

The information, experiences and opinions discussed and shared at the Workshop will be an important basis for moving towards research and proposing the formation of an inter-sectoral coordination mechanism on prevention and response to gender-based violence at the national level in the coming time.