(VNF) - Plan International Vietnam and Dong Anh’s Women Union recently jointly opened a new safe, inclusive and gender-responsive playground at Nguyen Khe village, Nguyen Khe commune, Dong Anh district on the outskirts of Hanoi, as part of the “Safer Cities for Girls” project.

The inauguration ceremony of a new safe playground for Nguyen Khe’s children on June 16^th. (Photo: Plan)

New equipment like swing, slide, seesaw and exercise machines which are assembled on this playground will provide safer living environment for more than 300 girls, 700 boys and nearly 2,900 people.

One girl said, “Before, our playground was only 1/3 of the current space – we often had to play outside of the playground while adults were playing basketball or badminton. After this, we can play on a wider playground and not worry about our safety.”

Since 2014, Plan International Vietnam has started cooperation with the Dong Anh District People's Committee to implement the “Safer Cities for Girls” project. It aims to create a safe and friendly city where people - especially women and girls - are free to work and live, access or use public services, focusing on awareness raising activities of local agencies and organisations; providing knowledge and skills for boys, girls, parents and teachers on the prevention and response to gender-based violence in public places. In particular, the project is piloting safe communities in Kim Chung and Hai Boi communes and supporting the replication of the whole district.

Children play in the new playground in Nguyen Khe commune, Dong Anh district on the outskirts of Hanoi.

Plan also set up two safe, inclusive and gender-responsive playgrounds in North Thang Long high schools which inaugurated and put into use on May 18^th, Kim Chung Junior High School on May 21^st, benefiting about 1,900 male and female students, and now one more in Nguyen Khe commune.

In 2018, Plan International Vietnam continue to coordinate with the Dong Anh District People's Committee and six communes of Xuan Canh, Lam Dong, Dong Hoi, Co Loa, Kim No and Bac Hong to set up seven safe community playgrounds, which is expected to create peaceful and friendly places for nearly 4,500 boys and girls this summer./.

Translated by Minh Chau