Children protection

Business practices are not sustainable if they do not take account of their impact on children, said a UNICEF Vietnam representative at a child rights and business forum held on Tuesday in Hanoi. The forum, co-held by UNICEF Vietnam and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), underlined the need for responsible business practices that respect child rights and prevent adverse human rights impacts. Speaking at the event, Rana Flowers, representative of UNICEF in Vietnam, said that children, whom she described as the present and the future, should be a key consideration in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) assessments. Businesses should assess impacts and risks objectively, and identify key practices that can minimize those risks and create a positive impact on children. In doing so, businesses will be able to enhance their competitiveness and sustainability and win the support of stakeholders, especially investors, who are socially conscious and looking at … [Read more...] about Children should be key consideration in ESG assessments: UNICEF Vietnam expert

General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Vu Viet Trang (R) hands over the prize to writer Tran Duc Tien at the ceremony. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Writer Tran Duc Tien was awarded the “Hiep si De Men” (Cricket Knight) Prize at the presentation ceremony for the fourth "De Men Award for Children" 2023 in Hanoi on May 31. De Men Award for Children ". The Cricket Desire Prize is presented to the winners. (Photo: VNA) Four winners of the "Khát vọng Dế Mèn" (Cricket Desire) Prize were also named, including a collection of paintings by 11-year-old Hoang Nhat Quang from Lang Son province; "Ông Ba Bị và những đứa trẻ trong mơ" (Mr. Ba Bi and the Children in Dreams, a long story by Lac An; "Ở một nơi có rất nhiều rồng" (In a Place with Many Dragons, a draft of a long story by Moc An; and "Vua ngan xóm hồ" (The King of the Duckweed Village, a draft of a long story by writer Uong Trieu. The prizes are granted to young artists (Photo: VNA) As scheduled, The … [Read more...] about Writer Tran Duc Tien wins “Cricket Knight” Prize 2023

Hanoi will apply many solutions to improve the efficiency of enforcing food safety regulations in 2023 and the future. The Hanoi People's Committee has issued a plan to ensure food security for ten million people in the capital by 2030. The plan, signed by Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen, aims to strengthen the responsibilities of local governments and socio-political organizations to ensure food safety and security in Hanoi in all circumstances. The plan also aims to promote the resources of all economic sectors and support from the State to develop agriculture in a sustainable way. A farmer introduces a new rice variety in Hanoi’s outskirts. Photo: Lam Nguyen/The Hanoi Times According to the plan, by 2030, Hanoi will have approximately 55,000 hectares of rice production with an annual output of at least 660,000 tons of rice. In addition, the city has set targets to increase food consumption, reduce the rate of … [Read more...] about Hanoi to ensure food safety for ten million residents

At the meeting, delegates, children, and students offered incense in commemoration of President Ho Chi Minh and visited Ho Chi Minh City culture space at the headquarters of the city’s association of farmers. They were also entertained with special artistic performances by children from Phu Nhuan district’s culture center, watched a video of the association’s implementation of scholarship and sponsorship programs, and talked about students’ aspiration. Annually, Ho Chi Minh City’s Association of Farmers works with the Ho Chi Minh City Television to organize a New Year program to call on units, organizations, businesses, individuals, and benefactors to facilitate its social security activities. Notably, together with maintaining a scholarship program for students whose parents are the association’s poor and near-poor members, it has launched a sponsorship project for those whose parents or caregivers died due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program has been carried out since 2021. In … [Read more...] about Meeting to present scholarships and sponsorship to students and orphans

At the launching ceremony, more than 300 cadres and youths of the unit were briefed on key contents in the “Action month for environment 2023.” In particular, youths will foster the implementation of the “Naval youths join hands to clean up beaches and prevent plastic waste” and “No plastic waste in agencies and units” activities and “For a green Vietnam” movement to plant at least 5,000 trees and build a “bright - green - clean - beautiful” barracks. After the event, youth members cleaned up the unit’s barracks and 500m of beach, collected 300kg of plastic waste, planted 200 fruit trees and more than 3,000 casuarina equisetifolia trees, and replaced over 100 underdeveloped trees with strong ones. This is one of the practical activities to realize the unit’s environmental protection efforts and its target of building a regular, green, clean, and beautiful unit to mark the 12th anniversary of its foundation day (June 20, 2011 - 2023) Translated by Tran Hoai … [Read more...] about Naval Brigade 189 launched “Green Sunday” program

It is the VUFO’s most noble distinction honoring Park's significant contribution to the Vietnamese football and the friendly and cooperative relations between the people of Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK). Speaking at the event, Nguyen Phuong Nga said the bilateral ties have become a successful model based on political trust, vibrant economic cooperation, and a close attachment in people-to-people exchanges. She attributed that to the important contribution of people’s organizations and individuals from both countries, including Park. As the head coach of the Vietnamese national football team from 2017 to 2022, Park trained and improved the talent of players, helping them gain confidence and bring glory to Vietnam at regional and international tournaments, including winning the 2018 AFF Cup championship, two gold medals in men's football at the 30th SEA Games in 2019 and the 31st SEA Games in 2021, becoming the second runner-up at the 2018 U23 Asian Cup, securing the fourth … [Read more...] about Coach Park Hang-seo awarded VUFO’s friendship insignia

On May 30, nearly 1,000 students register for voluntary blood donation (Photo: VNA) Hanoi – Hanoi’s Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union on May 30 launched a volunteer youth campaign for summer 2023, during which it will intensify the application of digital transformation in volunteer activities. Secretary of the city Youth Union Chu Hong Minh said that this year, the union is aiming for digital transformation across all activities, including supporting the national high school graduation exam, building an online teaching platform, opening online classes for students living in difficult circumstances in the capital city as well as in other cities and provinces. This year’s campaign aims to attract the participation of 100,000 youth union members and young people. It sets targets of forming and maintaining at least 80 civilised roads, investing in and supporting the building of at least 100 entertainment places for juveniles and children, repairing at least 150km of rural roads, … [Read more...] about Hanoi youths apply digital transformation in volunteer activities

VCCI Vice Chairman Nguyen Quang Vinh speaks at the forum. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - A Child Rights and Business Forum was organised in Hanoi on May 30 by UNICEF Vietnam and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry ( VCCI ), emphasising the need for responsible business practices that respect child rights and prevent adverse human rights impacts. “Children are both the present and the future, and business practices cannot be sustainable if they do not account for their impact on children”, said Rana Flowers, Representative of UNICEF in Vietnam. “It requires children to be a key consideration in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) assessments – where impacts and risks are assessed objectively, and key practices identified that can minimise those risks and create a positive impact for children. It will improve competitiveness and sustainability, it will win the support of stakeholders, especially investors, who are socially conscious and looking at ESG risks … [Read more...] about Responsible businesses for Vietnam’s thriving next generation: forum

Vietnam was the 8th largest trade partner and the largest ASEAN exporter of the US in 2022. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The current trends in economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and the US guarantee big growth in two-way trade and investment in next 10 years and warrant upgrading the partnership to a strategic level, said Ted Osius , President and CEO of the US - ASEAN Business Council ( USABC ). In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the 10th anniversary of the two countries’ comprehensive partnership (July 2013 - 2023), the former US Ambassador to Vietnam said trade and investment play a big role in this relationship. The US is Vietnam’s second largest trading partner and biggest export destination. In 2022, bilateral trade reached a record high of 138.9 billion USD. Vietnam was the 8th largest trade partner and the largest ASEAN exporter of the US. The US was the biggest export market of Vietnam last year. Vietnam’s annual export to … [Read more...] about Current trends guarantee big growth in Vietnam – US trade, investment: USABC leader

Speaking at a May 19 conference on plans to develop one million social houses for lower-income people and workers by 2030, Minister of Construction Le Thanh Nghi said that the ministry would coordinate with authorities to ensure it achieved its social housing targets. The ministry (MoC) has completed the draft amended Law on Housing, which has been approved by the government and submitted to the National Assembly for approval. It is hoped that the amended law will draw policies for social housing development and take effect from 2024, including planning and reserving land for social housing development, selection of project investors, and procedures for implementation. As of Q1 2023, Vietnam has completed just over 300 social housing projects in urban areas and worker housing projects in industrial zones (IZs), with nearly 156,000 units in total. About 400 projects are still planned to be built, with a total scale of 454,000 apartments. However, demand has not been fully met. … [Read more...] about Investors wanted for social housing efforts