VIETNAM CHILDREN’S PARTICIPATION ASSESSMENT REPORT (Young Voices Vietnam)

The “Voices of Vietnamese Children” survey report was first conducted in 2020 by the Management and Sustainable Development Institute (MSD) and Save the Children in Vietnam (SC), receiving positive feedback from stakeholders, especially in efforts to promote the participation rights of Vietnamese children. Building on these efforts, and in response to current needs and the context of implementing the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 2016 Law on Children in Vietnam, MSD and SC have continued to carry out the “Vietnam children’s participation assessment” Survey Report. This survey was conducted in six provinces and cities across the North, Central, and South regions of Vietnam, including Yen Bai, Hanoi, Da Nang, Kon Tum, Ho Chi Minh City, and Dong Thap, from December 2023 to May 2024. It gathered input from 831 children, including 50 children with disabilities and LGBTQI+ children, as well as from parents, caregivers, and other stakeholders such as child protection officers, school leaders, lawyers, journalists, and leaders of clubs/groups involving children.

The “Vietnam Children’s Participation Assessment” report aims to provide an overview of children’s participation and the implementation of their participation rights in micro-environments like families, meso environments like schools, and macro environments like communities, including the online space. The survey findings, along with children’s recommendations and proposals within this report, are expected to serve as a reference and data source for stakeholders, particularly state agencies, local authorities, schools, social organizations, and international organizations, to inform their strategies, policy-making, and program implementation on children’s participation rights.

To comprehensively protect children and ensure the full implementation of their rights, it is essential to listen to children’s opinions to promote their meaningful and active participation in matters that affect them. We believe that updating the assessment of children’s participation on scales ranging from micro to macro, and on issues directly and indirectly related to their safety and development, will serve as a reference for suitable activities, solutions, and interventions across different scopes, levels, and forms, contributing to the effective implementation of children’s rights in line with current social development contexts.