Decision No. 1235/QD-TTg approves the Program to Promote Children's Participation Rights in Child-related Issues for the period 2016-2020.

Pursuant to …;

Approving the Program to Promote Children's Participation Rights in Child-related Issues for the Period 2016-2020

_______________________

 PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to the Law on Protection, Care, and Education of Children dated June 15, 2004;

Pursuant to Decree No. 71/2011/NĐ-CP dated August 22, 2011 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Protection, Care, and Education of Children;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs,

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the Program to Promote Children's Participation Rights in Child-related Issues for the Period 2016-2020 with the following main contents:

I. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM

1. General Objective: To create a favorable environment and enhance children's capacity to exercise their participation rights in issues related to them as stipulated by law and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

2. Specific Objectives:

a) 100% of laws and policies concerning children at the central, provincial, and district levels will seek children's opinions.

b) 90% of decisions related to children in schools will seek children's opinions.

c) 90% of decisions related to children in communities and society will seek children's opinions.

d) 100% of provinces and centrally-administered cities will implement at least two models promoting children's participation rights in child-related issues.

II. TARGET GROUPS AND SCOPE OF THE PROGRAM

1. Target Groups: Children aged six years and above; agencies, organizations, and individuals responsible for implementing children's rights.

2. Scope of the Program: Provinces and centrally-administered cities.

III. TASKS AND SOLUTIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM

1. Enhance awareness among all levels of government, organizations, and individuals about the significance and necessity of children's participation rights, enabling children to be proactive, creative, and confident in life, becoming future masters of the country. Improve state management capacity, knowledge, and skills in implementing children's participation rights for all levels of government, organizations, and individuals.

2. State agencies when drafting and implementing laws and policies related to children; schools, communities, and society when drafting and implementing decisions, plans, and activities related to children must organize consultations and seek children's opinions through appropriate forms.

3. Vigorously mobilize social resources, community, and business support to implement the Program; encourage organizations and individuals to provide resources to organize activities and models promoting children's participation rights.

4. Expand international cooperation in promoting children's participation rights to leverage international resources, technology, and experience. Actively participate and host regional and international events on children's participation rights such as children's forums and meetings.

IV. BUDGET FOR IMPLEMENTATION

The budget for implementing the Program includes: State budget allocated in the budget estimates of ministries, sectors, and localities; mobilization from foreign financial aid sources; support from domestic organizations and individuals, and other legitimate sources.

Attached for approval are the following projects:

1. Project 1: Communication, raising awareness, and enhancing skills in implementing children's participation rights

a) Objective: Raise awareness, provide knowledge, and enhance skills in implementing children's participation rights for all levels of government, organizations, and individuals responsible for implementing children's rights;

b) Responsible agency:

 - Lead agency: Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

 - Coordinating agencies: Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam Radio, Vietnam News Agency, Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union, Vietnam Children's Rights Protection Association, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities.

2. Project 2: Enhancing capacity in implementing children's participation rights

a) Objective: Enhance capacity in drafting and implementing laws and policies ensuring children's participation rights for all levels of government, organizations, and individuals responsible for implementing children's rights, focusing on child protection and care officers at all levels, teachers, youth league cadres, parents, and children; develop procedures, standards, guidance materials, and enhance monitoring and evaluation capacities in implementing children's participation rights;

b) Responsible agency:

- Lead agency: Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

- Coordinating agencies: Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Children's Rights Protection Association, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities.

3. Project 3: Building and Implementing Models to Promote Children's Participation Rights

a) Children's Forum

The Children's Forum is an activity where children express their opinions and wishes or where agencies and organizations seek children's opinions on issues related to them.

- Objective: National Children's Forums are organized every two years; provincial Children's Forums are organized annually.

- Lead agency: Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

- Coordinating agencies: Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Children's Rights Protection Association, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities.

b) Surveying Children's Opinions

Surveying children's opinions involves consulting children's views through conferences, seminars, roundtables, questionnaires, mobile phones, counseling hotlines, the Internet, and other suitable methods.

- Objective: At least ten provinces and centrally-administered cities will conduct surveys of children's opinions during the drafting of laws and policies related to children.

- Lead agency: Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

- Coordinating agencies: Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Ministry of Health, Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Children's Rights Protection Association, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities.

c) Children's Council

The Children's Council is a group representing children to periodically express opinions, wishes, exchange, and dialogue with representatives of People's Councils at all levels regarding issues related to children in their locality.

- Objective: At least five provinces and centrally-administered cities establish and organize activities for the Children's Council.

- Leading agency: Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Central Committee.

- Agencies to coordinate: Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Justice, Vietnam Children's Rights Protection Association, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities.

d) Children's Participation Club

The Children's Participation Club is an organization established based on voluntary participation by children, initiated and developed by children themselves to implement activities related to children's rights and responsibilities.

- Objective: Establish at least 100 Children's Participation Clubs operating in schools and communities.

- Lead agency: Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

- Coordinating agencies: Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Children's Rights Protection Association, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities.

đ) Programs and activities initiated and implemented by children

Programs and activities initiated and implemented by children are proposals and initiatives aimed at addressing the needs of children, the community, and society. These programs and activities are proposed, built, implemented, and monitored by children under the guidance of agencies and organizations with relevant functions and tasks to fulfill children's participation rights as stipulated by law.

- Objective: Implement at least 100 programs and activities initiated and carried out by children in schools and communities related to children's participation rights.

- Lead agency: Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

- Coordinating agencies: Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Children's Rights Protection Association, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities.

Article 2. Implementation

1. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall be responsible for:

a) Develop plans to implement and coordinate activities of the Program;

b) Organize the implementation of projects assigned within the Program in accordance with the law;

c) Promote and innovate communication activities about the Party's policies, state laws, and policies regarding children's participation rights;

d) Guide, inspect, audit, compile information on the implementation of the Program and report periodically;

đ) AssistThe Prime Minister urges ministries, sectors, and localities to consult children's opinions when drafting laws, policies, programs, and projects related to children;

e) Organize the evaluation of the Program's implementation.

2. The Ministry of Education and Training shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Central Committee to perform the following tasks:

a) Implement training and enhance the capacity of management staff, teachers, and youth leaders in schools on building and applying educational methods linked to children's participation;

b) Integrate and incorporate contents involving children's participation into core subjects and extracurricular activities suitable for grade level, educational qualifications, and children's capabilities and development.

3. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to study and propose policies to promote children's participation activities in families.

4. The Ministry of Finance shall allocate funds for the Program in accordance with the State budget law; cooperate in auditing and inspecting the management and use of funds for the Program.

5. Ministries, sectors, and central agencies must adopt appropriate forms of consulting children's opinions during the process of drafting laws and policies related to children and organize the implementation of the Program according to their assigned functions and tasks.

6. Provincial and centrally-administered city People's Committees shall be responsible for:

a) Organizing the implementation of the Program in their locality in accordance with guidelines from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and relevant ministries and sectors;

b) Developing and implementing annual activity plans to promote children's participation rights; integrating the implementation of the Program with other related programs in their jurisdiction;

c) Directing agencies and organizations to consult children's opinions when drafting and implementing laws, policies, programs, and projects;

d) Proactively allocating budgets and human resources for the Program;

đ) Inspect the implementation of the Program in their locality and submit annual reports on the results of the Program's implementation to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs for consolidation and reporting;

7. Request the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and its member organizations to participate in organizing and implementing the Program within their respective functions and tasks; intensify communication efforts on children's participation rights; participate in building and supervising the implementation of laws and policies on children's participation rights.

Article 3. This Decision takes effect from the date of issuance.

Article 4. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-affiliated agencies, and chairpersons of provincial and centrally-administered city People's Committees are responsible for enforcing this Decision./.