A seminar was held in Hanoi on August 28 to launch the building of the ASEAN declaration on social work development.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Le Tan Dung at the event 

It was agreed that challenges regarding human resources and finance hamper social work development in the world and ASEAN in particular.

Additionally, ASEAN also faces changes arising from the fourth industrial revolution, population aging and climate change, which creates opportunities and challenges to socio-economic development policies of each country and the nation, including social welfare and work.

UNICEF General Director for East Asia and the Pacific Karin Hulshof said increasing supply of social services is a priority in UNICEF’s strategy for the 2018 – 2021 period in order to protect children from violence and abuse, contributing to fulfilling the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

It is said to be hard to achieve 65 percent of the 169 goals under the 17 SDGs without the participation of social services agencies.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Le Tan Dung said about 20 million Vietnamese people, or over 20 percent of the total population, need to access social work services.

The Vietnamese Government has also issued legal documents to create an important legal foundation for ministries, agencies and localities to develop professional social work in the country.

In accordance with the PM’s decision approving the social work development project for the 2020 – 2020 period, ministries, agencies and localities have also issued legal documents and developed social work establishments and personnel, as well as communications and international cooperation.

A number of regulations on social work are stipulated in the Labour Code, the Law on the Elderly, the Law on Persons with Disabilities, the Law on Children, and the Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control.