Two additional, safe and reliable centres have been launched in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang City to serve survivors of gender-based and domestic violence, which is accessible 24/7 with a hotline number 02433335599.

Anh Duong House provides safe shelter and support services to battered women and their dependent children. Photo: UNFPA Vietnam

With financial contribution from the Government of Japan, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Vietnam contracted the Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender – Family – Women and Adolescents (CSAGA) to establish a One Stop Service Centre (OSSC) in HCM City and Da Nang to provide integrated and essential services to survivors of gender-based and domestic violence. Those who are from neighbouring provinces can also receive services from the centres.

An OSSC, which is called in Vietnam as “Anh Duong House (Sunshine House),” is to detect, prevent, and support survivors of violence. It was first opened in Quang Ninh in April 2020 by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) with technical and financial support from UNFPA in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

And early this year, MOLISA kicked off another Anh Duong House in Thanh Hoa with support from UNFPA in partnership with the Government of Japan. The two new OSSCs are an attempt to try out a new model by CSAGA, while earlier two OSSCs are based on the social protection centres under MOLISA.

The Anh Duong House provides essential, comprehensive, and integrated services to women and girls who are experiencing and/or at risk of gender-based and domestic violence.

It provides a wide range of services, meeting international standards, including health care, psychological support, counselling, social welfare services, emergency shelters, police protection, legal and justice services, and referrals. All services provided at the OSSC are based on the survivor-centred principle, in which survivors are treated with respect and dignity, and assured of privacy and confidentiality.

The Anh Duong House in Quang Ninh and Thanh Hoa has so far accommodated more than 450 women and children, who are the survivors of gender-based and domestic violence.

The centres’ hotlines, which is also available 24/7 free of charge, is receiving more than 1,000 calls a month per centre, which is already beyond the original capacity. Therefore, additional centres were called for to help more survivors of violence.

At the opening ceremony. Photo: UNFPA Vietnam

In her remarks at the opening ceremony on June 21, UNFPA Representative for Vietnam Naomi Kitahara, stressed that UNFPA and CSAGA share the same mission, which is to promote women’s rights and gender equality and support vulnerable groups, particularly survivors of gender-based and domestic violence.

Ending gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls is one of the three transformative agenda of UNFPA’s corporate Strategic Plan. In Vietnam, UNFPA has been accompanying the Government of Vietnam in the path to ending violence against women and girls, Kitahara said.

Towards this goal, UNFPA also partners with a variety of organisations including CSAGA, as UNFPA want to be able to reach out as many women and girls as possible. UNFPA is working to ensure that all women and girls in Vietnam, including those most vulnerable, have the right to live a life free of violence and with dignity, she concluded.

The Government of Japan appreciated UNFPA for the tireless effort on the prevention and response to violence against women and girls in Viet Nam, which is prevalent especially in the Covid-19 context.

In his remarks, Minister Okabe from the Embassy of Japan to Vietnam stressed that UNFPA’s decision to collaborate with both the ministry and a non-governmental organisation is very innovative as it diversifies the way to reach survivors of gender-based violence, providing them with integrated services.

By funding the establishment of three Anh Duong Houses in Thanh Hoa, Da Nang and HCM City, the Government of Japan was pleased to have been able to contribute to mitigating the negative impact of Covid-19 in Vietnam, making sure that everyone is part of the country’s sustainable development process, the official said.

Overseas Vietnamese Celebrate Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day Delegations from the Ambassadors of Vietnam in Egypt, US, and France visited and congratulated the permanent representative office of the resident Vietnamese news agencies on ...

Essential Services Improved to Support Women, Children Experiencing Gender-Based Violence Women’s role in trade is increasing as they contribute not only to the growth of the economy, but also the harmony and sustainability of society.

VietHarvest and Action On Poverty Collaborate to Fight Food Waste and Hunger in Vietnam This collaboration will implement the renowned Australian OzHarvest Food Rescue Model to reduce food waste and nourish the underserved people of Vietnam.