HA NOI – A ceremony to mark ten years of collaboration between the Viet Nam Family Planning Association (VINAFPA), the Government of Luxembourg and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, was held today to close the project "Strengthening the Accessibility and Quality of Reproductive Health Care with Focus on Safe Motherhood, Adolescent Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights". Running from October 2007 to May 2012, the project is implemented in the provinces of Quang Ninh, Hue, Nghe An and Can Tho by VINAFPA, with technical assistance from UNFPA and financial support from the Government of Luxemburg.
The main focus of the project is to provide sexual and reproductive health knowledge and life skills for the Vietnamese people in remote and mountainous areas, particularly for the youth and adolescents before starting their own family. During the last five years, the project has supported behaviour change communication activities that promote gender equality, prevent gender-based and domestic violence, improve women’s status in the family and society, and promote men’s responsibilities. In addition, many awareness-raising activities have been organized, with active participation from the youth and adolescents to equip them with information and knowledge related to pregnancy, family planning, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention.
Speaking at the event, Nguyen Thien Truong, Standing Vice President of VINAFPA, said: “One of the greatest achievements of the project is that we have witnessed active participation and support from local authorities in delivering sexual and reproductive health care services, including family planning, in remote and mountainous areas. Our main challenge will be on sustaining the achievements we have gained so far and continuing these activities into the future.”
Although the project will conclude in May 2012, the model “Integration of Sexual and Reproductive Health Communication and Counseling in Marriage Registration Ceremonies”, initiated by VINAFPA, will be scaled up to 2,000 other communes and wards throughout the country.
Bruce Campbell, UNFPA Representative in Viet Nam, emphasized that with the strong foundation created over the past ten years, VINAFPA has developed to become one of the most effective actors in the field of reproductive health and family planning.
"Although technical assistance will be phased out in May 2012, we are optimistic that these achievements will be sustained and further applied to other provinces so that more vulnerable women, men, young people and adolescents – whether from urban or rural areas, or from majority or minority ethnic groups – will have access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services," said Campbell.
During the event, Marc Franck, Chargé d‘Affaires a.i. of the Luxembourg Embassy, thanked VINAFPA for its significant contribution in promoting quality reproductive health and family planning services, and encouraged the organization to stay strongly committed in the years to come.
“I would like to encourage VINAFPA to put focus on Vietnam’s poorest provinces and districts, and continue to address mother and child health care and reproductive health care for the poor, particularly those men and women in remote areas. I encourage VINAFPA to specifically support vulnerable adolescents and unmarried youth, and promote gender equality,” said Franck.
VINAFPA, UNFPA and the Government of Luxemburg called for more joint efforts from relevant government ministries and international organizations, as well as civil society organizations, in promoting the rights of the youth, adolescents and people in remote and mountainous areas to reproductive health education, information and care, and in ensuring their needs are prioritized in health policies and programmes.
For more information, please contact:
In VINAFPA, Nguyen Thien Truong, tel. +84 4 3764 8128, vinafpa@hn.vnn.vn
In UNFPA, Nguyen Thi Hong Thanh, tel. +84 4 3822 4383, ext. 117, tnguyen@unfpa.org
