Circular No. 29/2019/TT-BLDTBXH guides the organization of children's forums

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for organizing children's forums

Pursuant to the Law on Children dated April 5, 2016;

Pursuant to Decree No. 14/2017/NĐ-CP dated February 17, 2017, of the Government, stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs;

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 56/2017/NĐ-CP dated May 9, 2017 detailing certain provisions of the Law on Children;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Children,

The Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs issues this Circular guiding the organization of children's forums.

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Article 1. This Circular guides the organization of children's forums.

Article 2. This Circular applies to agencies, organizations, and individuals with authority and responsibility for organizing and participating in children's forums, as well as children participating in such forums.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms shall be understood as follows:

1. Children's forum is an activity where representatives of children express their opinions and wishes or where agencies and organizations seek the opinions of children on issues concerning children or related to children.

2. Discussion session is an activity where children exchange and discuss to unify the content of opinions, wishes, proposals, and messages of the children's forum.

3. Meeting and dialogue session is an activity where children meet, exchange, express their opinions and wishes, and hear feedback from representatives of relevant agencies and organizations regarding the content of the children's forum.

4. Child representative is a person assigned by authorized agencies or organizations to care for, protect, and guide children in participating in the children's forum.

5. Volunteers is a person invited by authorized agencies or organizations to support the children's forum.

Article 3. Principles for organizing children's forums

1. In the best interests of children.

2. Children participate voluntarily.

3. Provide full information to children in a suitable manner, form, and method.

4. Create a safe, friendly, equal environment without discrimination, harassment, or prejudice when children express or do not express their opinions.

5. Ensure the privacy and confidentiality of personal information of children participating in the children's forum.

6. Children participating in the children's forum must represent regions, ethnic groups, age groups, gender, religion, and children in special circumstances.

7. Activities of the children's forum must be appropriate to the age, gender, ethnicity, circumstances, level of maturity, and development of children.

8. Messages, opinions, proposals, wishes, and questions of children must be respected, listened to, received, responded to promptly, objectively, truthfully, and used for the intended purpose by agencies, organizations, and individuals.

Article 4. Determining the Content of the Children's Forum

Based on practical situations, issues of concern to children and the community, or laws and policies related to children, determine the content of the children's forum appropriately.

Article 5. Time and Duration of Organizing the Children's Forum

1. Time

a) National children's forums are organized at least once during the implementation period of the five-year socio-economic development plan;

b) Provincial, district, and commune-level children's forums are organized annually or every two years;

c) Other children's forums are organized when political-social organizations, social organizations, occupational social organizations, educational institutions, and child protection service providers seek the opinions of children on issues concerning children or related to children.

2. The duration of organizing the children's forum must be appropriate to its content and activities, ensuring that children can discuss and meet with representatives of agencies and organizations, while not affecting the health, education, and life of participating children.

a) National children's forums are organized for a minimum of two days;

b) Provincial, district, and commune-level children's forums are organized for one day;

c) Other children's forums determine their duration based on specific content and conditions to ensure appropriateness.

Article 6. Material and technical facilities for organizing children's forums

The material and technical facilities for organizing children's forums must meet the following requirements:

1. Locations, equipment, and material facilities must ensure safety, friendliness, and equality for children.

2. Desks and chairs should be arranged flexibly to facilitate children’s participation in group discussion activities, games, cultural performances, and dialogues.

3. There must be sufficient sound, lighting, and office supplies.

4. There must be appropriate communication products relevant to the content of the children's forum.

5. Conditions for food, rest, hygiene, first aid, emergency transportation, accident prevention, fire prevention, and disease control must be ensured.

Article 7. Composition and Number of Participants in Children's Forums

1. Children

The number of children participating in children's forums at all levels must be guaranteed as follows:

a) National children's forum: minimum 100 children;

b) Provincial children's forum: minimum 50 children;

c) District children's forum: minimum 40 children;

d) Commune children's forum: minimum 30 children;

đ) Other children's forums: minimum 50 children.

2. Child Care Supervisors

Each child care supervisor is responsible for caring for and supporting no more than five children.

3. Volunteers

The number of volunteers shall not exceed one-tenth of the number of children participating in the forum.

4. Invited Guests

The total number of representatives from agencies and organizations related to dialogue and other guests attending the children's forum shall not exceed one-third of the number of children participating in the forum.

5. Journalists or Representatives of Media Outlets

Based on the number of children, child care supervisors, volunteers, invited guests, and the content and activities of the children's forum, the forum organizing committee will decide on the appropriate number of journalists or media representatives to invite.

Article 8. Criteria for Children, Child Care Supervisors, and Volunteers Participating in Children's Forums

1. For Children

a) Children must voluntarily participate and obtain written consent from their parents or legal guardians according to the form attached to this Circular;

b) They must be in good health to participate in the forum;

c) They must have knowledge about children's rights and duties, particularly the right to participate, and certain skills such as teamwork, presentation, questioning, observation, listening, feedback, and communication;

d) They must be selected from communities, classes, schools, educational institutions; child protection service providers, social assistance institutions; clubs, teams, groups; previous levels of children's forums based on criteria and selection methods through nomination, voting, or ballot.

2. For Child Care Supervisors

a) They must have good moral qualities;

b) They must understand children's rights;

c) They must possess certain skills such as observation, listening, feedback, communication, and child protection;

d) They must commit to protecting children.

3. For Volunteers

a) They must voluntarily participate;

b) They must possess certain skills such as observation, listening, feedback, communication, and child protection;

c) They must commit to protecting children.

Article 9. Activities Prior to Children's Forums

1. Develop a plan for organizing children's forums including: objectives and requirements; time and location; composition of participants; content and program; implementation organization; budget.

2. Evaluate the results of implementing children's recommendations from the previous children's forum (if applicable).

3. Equip children, child care supervisors, volunteers, and other relevant members participating in the children's forum with knowledge and skills regarding children's rights, children's participation rights in issues concerning children, and the content of the forum.

4. Issue guidance documents; request agencies and organizations to co-host or coordinate in organizing children's forums.

5. Produce communication products; organize publicizing the children's forum through mass media channels, social media, and other forms of communication.

6. Prepare material and technical facilities for organizing the children's forum in accordance with Article 6 of this Circular.

Article 10. Activities in the Children's Forum

1. Discussion Session

a) The organizing committee, child supervisors, and volunteers provide information, guidance, and explanations to children about relevant documents and materials related to the content of the Children's Forum using friendly and easy-to-understand language; promptly identify, support, and resolve obstacles and difficulties that children face during the discussion session;

b) Divide children into groups for discussions based on the issues and contents of the forum;

c) Children participate in discussions, unify messages, opinions, recommendations, wishes, questions, and issues to be exchanged during the meeting and dialogue sessions; determine the format for presenting group discussion results;

d) Select and appoint children to represent and present the discussion outcomes, deliver messages, and recommendations to relevant agencies and organizations;

đ) Discuss and elect children to participate in higher-level Children's Forums (if applicable) according to the criteria specified in Clause 1, Article 8 of this Circular;

2. Meeting and Dialogue Session

a) Share the results of implementing children's recommendations from the previous Children's Forum (if applicable);

b) Child representatives present the discussion results; ask questions and exchange with representatives of relevant agencies and organizations;

c) Representatives of relevant agencies and organizations answer questions and explain the opinions and recommendations raised by children within their functional scope, duties, and authority;

d) Child representatives deliver messages and recommendations of the Children's Forum to representatives of relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals;

3. Other Activities

Depending on the time, duration, and budget for organizing the Children's Forum, other activities such as communication, tours, cultural performances, physical education, sports, and other suitable activities may be organized.

Article 11. Activities After the Children's Forum

1. The agency organizing the Children's Forum sends messages, opinions, recommendations, wishes, and questions of children to the Organization representing the voice and wishes of children and relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals;

2. Relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals have the responsibility to receive, consider, inform, respond, and answer the opinions, recommendations, wishes, and questions of children;

3. The Organization representing the voice and wishes of children receives, compiles, monitors the resolution and feedback of messages, opinions, recommendations, wishes, and questions of children at the Children's Forums.

Article 12. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs

1. Guide and coordinate with relevant agencies and organizations to organize the National Children's Forum;

2. Compile and transfer messages, opinions, recommendations, wishes, and questions of children at the National Children's Forum to the Organization representing the voice and wishes of children and relevant ministries, sectors, agencies, organizations, and individuals;

3. Guide, inspect, and audit the organization of Children's Forums; suspend, terminate, or request competent authorities to suspend or terminate the organization of Children's Forums if they violate laws or do not serve the best interests of children.

Article 13. Responsibilities of Relevant Agencies and Organizations

1. Relevant agencies and organizations organize Children's Forums according to the provisions of this Circular based on their capacity and actual conditions;

2. Within fifteen days from the end of the Children's Forum, central-level agencies and organizations submit reports on the organization of the Children's Forum to the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs; local agencies and organizations submit reports on the organization of the Children's Forum to the People's Committees at the same level;

Article 14. Responsibilities of People's Committees at all levels

1. Take the lead and coordinate with relevant agencies and organizations to organize Children's Forums at various levels;

2. Allocate and mobilize funds to organize the Children's Forum at the same level and to cover expenses for children and child supervisors to participate in higher-level Children's Forums;

3. Monitor and report on the situation of receiving, responding, and resolving children's opinions, recommendations, wishes, and questions at the forum;

4. Commune-level People's Committees compile and send reports to district-level People's Committees and district-level People's Committees compile and send reports to provincial-level People's Committees on the results of organizing the Children's Forum within fifteen days from the end of the forum;

5. Provincial-level People's Committees compile and send reports on the results of organizing the Children's Forum to the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs within fifteen days from the end of the provincial-level Children's Forum.

Article 15. Budget for organizing the Children's Forum

The budget for organizing the Children's Forum is allocated from the regular budget estimates of agencies and units according to the current state budget classification; support from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals; other lawful sources as prescribed by law.

Article 16. Implementation Provisions

1. This Circular takes effect from February 20, 2020.

2. Circular No. 33/2014/TT-BLDTBXH dated December 24, 2014, issued by the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs guiding the organization of children's forums at all levels shall cease to be effective from the date this Circular takes effect.

3. In the course of implementation, if there are difficulties or obstacles, agencies and organizations shall submit their opinions to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs for consideration and resolution./.