Child protection is one of the priorities and cross-cutting themes of the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development and SRD’s donor, Caritas Australia (CA). Following the action plan, fiscal year 2021 – 2022 of the “Empowering People with disabilities” project funded by Caritas Australia and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT); SRD collaborated with the project Steering Board and Commune People’s Comittees to organize three training courses on protection of children, preventing accident injury and preventing sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PSEAH) at children in general and children with disabilities in particular. There were 84 participants who are PwDs and parents of children with disabilities (CwDs) attending the training courses from October 19th to November 12th, 2021.
Mrs. V.T.H, mother of a CwD at Trung Hai commune shared: “I have heard about child rights but found it very critical to know from the training today, , especially when my daughter is at her growing age (she is studying at a specialized for CwDs in Dong Ha). I will talk and share with her more to enable me and my daughter to self-protect from hazards around.
Mrs. P.T.H, mother of CwD in Trung Hai commune said: “I live in a rural area where we farmers are always busy with farming and thus unable to update related knowledge often. Therefore, I only protect my children with my own experience. Through this training course, I understand more about the potential risks around, especially sexual abuse which is rarely shared. I will then pay more attention to this through sharing with and guiding my children, particularly the one with disability. Hopefully there will be more training courses like this so that we parents will know better in helping and protecting our children.”
Mrs. T.T.C, a woman with a disability (PWD) in Gio Viet commune shared, “Although my children are all grown up, there are my nieces and nephews at home. In fact, we know but not many care about child 's issues. Attending the training today, I have learnt a lot also from other people’s experience. I found it very interesting and useful. I will talk with my grandchildren at home about their rights and guide them how to protect themselves from unexpected dangers.”
Mr. N.H, a PwD in Gio Viet commune said: “Nowadays with spreading internet, children are able to access both the good and bad information online from their smart phone. This could possibly affect their way of thinking and doing. Therefore, it is good for us to access to more information so that we could help and teach our chidlren. I have found the training very practical and would share with my children at home."
Up to now, the project has established 8 groups of CwDs’ parents with 116 members, and 12 groups, and clubs for PwDs with 739 members in 10 project communes. Annually, the project in cooperation with the local partners organizes a number of training activities, sharing sessions, and exchange visits focusing on child protection, child' rights, accident and injury prevention as well as raising awareness of parents about child care, and protection. This year, on the issue of preventing sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment was added as an integral part in SRD’s and its donor’s policy coming into implementation from October 2020.
Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD)
No.31, Alley 19 Kim Dong Street, Hoang Mai District, Ha Noi
Phone: +84 24 3943 6676/78 | Fax: +84 24 3943 6449
