On November 14, in Krong Bong district – Dak Lak province, Local Rights Program 18 (LRP18) with technical support from ActionAid Vietnam successfully organized a workshop on establishment of sexual and reproductive healthcare network by civil society organizations.

At the workshop. Photo: ActionAid Vietnam

This network focuses on the coordination of capacity building and dissemination of knowledge to communities, especially for women and ethnic minority youth people about reproductive health knowledge, rights related to it. Furthermore, the network aims at mobilizing communities, women and young people from ethnic minorities and vulnerable groups to participate in monitoring and evaluation of public services, especially reproductive health services in the area. As a result, there will be an improvement in transparency and accountability of public services providers and policy makers.

This is an activity within the framework of the project "Civil society-led promotion of reproductive healthcare services" (EC4). The project is funded by the European Commision (EC) and ActionAid Vietnam from 2017-2021 with the objective of promoting Vietnam CSO led actions to improve access to quality and gender responsive health care services for marginalized groups in ethnic and rural areas in Dak Lak and Lam Dong, Vietnam.

The project aims at 95,320 final beneficiaries, which is equivalent to 60% of women and youth in the two districts of Krong Bong (Dak Lak province) and Lam Ha (Lam Dong province).

The highlight of the project is sexual and reproductive healthcare clinics establised and operated by civil society organizations. Uniquely, the marginalized community are empowered to use digital technology to monitor and feedback on the quality of public services through a smart phone application. This is the first clinque of its kind being implemented in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, contributing to improved healthcare services for local women and youth./.

VNF