On May 18, Vietnamese National Assembly delegation led by Vice Chairman of the NA's Economic Committee Duong Quoc Anh attended a virtual meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

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Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Economic Committee Duong Quoc Anh (Photo: VNA)

Held as part of the ongoing 142nd IPU Assembly, the meeting highlighted a theme of mainstreaming digitalization and the circular economy to achieve the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly responsible consumption and production.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the NA's Economic Committee Duong Quoc Anh praised the theme, which also reflects a resolution of the IPU. With 29 notes and 36 orientations, this is a comprehensive, ambitious, but extremely necessary resolution, especially in the context of the current Covid -19 pandemic, reported by VOV.

According to Vietnam’s speech presented at the meeting, education plays an important role in equipping people with circular economy knowledge to put it into practice and helps shape responsible consumption habits early on. At the same time, the ability to use digital tools and skills, and the readiness to implement digitalization must also be considered one of the basic contents of the educational programmes at all levels.

Fighting online child sexual abuse concerned in IPU’s meeting

Standing member of the NA Committee for External Relations Le Thu Ha (Photo: quochoi.vn)

Standing member of the National Assembly (NA) Committee for Social Affairs Le Thi Nguyet and standing member of the NA Committee for External Relations Le Thu Ha participated in the meeting focusing on global laws against sexual exploitation and abuse of children on the Internet space.

At the meeting, Vietnamese representatives said that in order to minimize online sexual exploitation and abuse against children, Vietnam needs to complete its system of legal documents in the field. The Government should issue legal documents on the implementation of measures to protect children on the Internet environment, along with policies to support disadvantaged children and those from ethnic-minority-inhabited areas and poor families, while promptly releasing decrees guiding the implementation of the Law on Cyber Security and applying measures to timely prevent toxic information on the Internet that may lead to the risk of child abuse, according to NhanDan.

The Vietnamese representatives also underscored the need for relevant agencies to build long-term strategies and programmes on child protection on the Internet environment, increase international cooperation in the field, and assign specific agencies to coordinate actions among relevant ministries and agencies as well as public-private cooperation in the field.

In September 2019, the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Rights of the Child issued guidelines on combating child sexual exploitation and the sale of children in the digital age. The committee noted that despite some progress, there are still legal loopholes at national level that need fixing to deal with the problem.

The COVID-19 pandemic has even increased the online risks for children due to the rising social isolation and economic instability, it said.

Peace, security issues discussed in IPU’s virtual meeting

Vietnam's representatives attending the IPU meeting (Photo: People’s Army Newspaper)

Vietnam has called on parliaments to keep their political commitments, comply with international law, and make practical contributions to climate change prevention for world peace and security, said permanent member of the Vietnamese National Assembly’s Committee for External Relations Le Thu Ha.

In the meeting, along with representatives from 34 other countries, Ha said financial resources should be mobilized strategically according to each country’s needs, reported by VOV.

The Vietnamese NA asked participating parliaments to urge their governments to fulfil their post-2020 responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and make financial contributions if they have not yet completed the mission. Vietnam also urged other parliaments to help people affected by climate change and ensure that no one is left behind.

Rosie Nguyen