Socialist Republic of Vietnam

HA NOI — The National Assembly on Monday adopted the Law on Child Care, Protection and Education after reviewing a revised draft presented by the NA Standing Committee.

The law governs the basic rights and responsibilities of children and the duties of families, the State and society in protecting, caring and educating children.

Of the 400 delegates present, 394 voted in approval.

The revised law, which will take effect at the start of 2005, has five chapters and 60 articles, 34 more than the 1992 law.

The new law makes no change to the official definition of children, maintaining that they are Vietnamese citizens under 16, though some delegates suggested that the suitable age should be 18.

On May 24, NA delegates debated on how to provide free medical care to children under six.

The two methods considered were issuing children health insurance cards or, alternately, reimbursing hospitals that provided treatment.

Out of the 361 delegates in attendance, 273 endorsed the latter method, which was adopted into the draft law, said Nguyen Thi Hoai Thu, the chairman of the NA Committee on Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents and Children.

Item four of article 27 stated that the Government will allocate part of its annual budget to the Health Ministry and provincial People’s Committees to ensure free medical care for children under six in central and local health care units.

According to the law, parents and guardians can’t abandon their children; children cannot be seduced into street life or forced to transport, trade or use drugs; and children are protected from labour abuse and heavy, dangerous work.

The law also forbids placing production units and stores of insecticides, toxic chemicals or inflammables near child-rearing, education, health care or entertainment centres for children.

Apart from the rights that protect them, children are not allowed to drop out of school or to live on the street; gamble, use alcohol, tobacco or other stimulants that are dangerous to their health; or exchange and use depraved cultural products or aggressive toys.

The revised law has one new chapter governing the care, protection and education of children living in difficult circumstances.

This includes orphan children, those with disabilities, Agent Orange victims, HIV/AIDS patients, street children, victims of sexual abuse and those who violate the law.

The law states that the State will have policies to ensure that such children enjoy their rights, support individuals and families that raise them, and set up assistance units to help them.

Also at Monday’s NA meeting, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Huy Ngo read the report of a revised draft law on Forest Protection and Development.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Mai Ai Truc presented seperate plans to use land by 2005 and 2010. — VNS