USAID helps child adoption reform in Vietnam

Updated : 4/27/2011 3:20:00 PM

USAID helps child adoption reform in Vietnam

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has granted US$300,000 to UNICEF in Vietnam to support the programme “strengthening legislation and monitoring systems for child adoption” in the nation from now until 2013.

The USAID grant will contribute to the improvement of the current legal and regulatory framework to ensure its compliance with international standards to better protect children without parental care through the development and implementation of national legislation and policies on domestic and inter-country adoption, and the ratification of the Hague Convention.

In addition, the grant will support setting up a national monitoring system for child adoption and building the capacity of policy makers, welfare and enforcement personnel to better protect children.

It will also help improve protection and care for children deprived of parental care through the promulgation of new policies, guidelines and standards on alternative care, and pilot the implementation of new alternative care models, including foster care, and inter-country adoption programmes for children with special needs.

UNICEF Vietnam Representative Lotta Sylwander said, “We applaud the Government of Vietnam for its strong commitments in improving child adoption and highly appreciate the timely financial support from USAID and other international partners to UNICEF.”

She also said UNICEF was strongly committed to supporting the Government in establishing comprehensive child protection systems, including the development of efficient alternative care and child adoption systems for children in need of special protection.