Tens of thousands of people have died and hundreds of thousands of people are still infected, facing physical and mental pain, obstacles in life and significant impact on the enjoyment of human rights.
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| Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan visited and presented gifts to the Hanoi Center for Care, Nurturing and Treatment of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in Yen Bai Commune, Ba Vi District, on August 10. (Source: Office of the President) |
Severe consequences
Dioxin is a group of highly toxic chemical compounds that are harmful to health; cause reproductive, developmental and immune system problems; disrupt hormones and lead to cancer; greatly affect the lives of people infected with Dioxin, depriving them of basic rights not only but also leaving serious consequences for future generations.
Agent Orange/dioxin has "deprived" people of their right to be born as normal people, to live a normal, healthy life. People born to victims of Agent Orange/dioxin are often not as normal as others. Most of them are born with deformed bodies, mental disabilities, missing limbs, abnormal limbs, hydrocephalus, anencephaly, meningocele; myelomeningocele...
On February 20, 2008, the Ministry of Health issued Decision No. 09/2008/QD-BYT promulgating a list of 17 diseases, disabilities, deformities, and malformations related to exposure to the chemical toxicant Dioxin, including: cancers; malignant multiple myeloma; reproductive abnormalities; congenital malformations and malformations; mental disorders...
According to the Ministry of Health, hundreds of thousands of people have died from dioxin infection, hundreds of thousands of children were born with deformities, and millions of victims were disabled or sick from Agent Orange/dioxin. Diseases caused by dioxin do not manifest immediately but are likened to “chemical time bombs”, invisible, latent, taking many years to appear, and when the disease is known, treatment is very difficult.
Agent Orange/dioxin limits the right to continue the race. It is not uncommon for couples to not have the opportunity to become parents due to secondary infertility or maternal diseases such as stillbirth, miscarriage, hydatidiform mole, abnormal fetal death, etc. This toxin affects ecological genetics, causing gene mutations, children born do not have normal healthy bodies but have congenital malformations, and are not fully developed in both physical and mental aspects.
Therefore, many people infected with dioxin, after many times giving birth to deformed, stillborn, premature babies, etc., have stopped having children for fear of affecting their future children. Their right to maintain their genetic makeup has also been taken away.
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| "Agent Orange girls" at the Vietnam Center for Social Protection for Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims, Thach That District, Hanoi. (Source: Center for Social Protection) |
Agent Orange/dioxin is also an indirect cause that limits the enjoyment of victims' rights such as the right to education; the right to participate in civil and political activities; the right to labor... Because of their health "disabilities" (physical, mental and spiritual), many of them cannot go to school, cannot study, and cannot work like normal people.
There are even cases of intellectual disability, loss of consciousness, no knowledge or missing or damaged limbs... daily activities must depend on the support of relatives, cannot participate in labor like normal people, opportunities for education, employment... are also reduced because of that.
Most of them do not have enough or no civil capacity; their awareness and understanding of social issues are limited, making it difficult for them to integrate into the community as well as participate in the right to vote, run for election or exercise other civil and political rights; therefore, their opportunities to find jobs are also narrowed.
In addition, victims of Agent Orange/dioxin also create certain pressure on society. These are challenges in terms of health care for victims, social security, health insurance, social insurance... Almost all families of victims of Agent Orange/dioxin live in poverty, most of them are poor and near-poor households. Their income is often low and unstable; income is often spent on health care. In fact, the main source of income depends on social assistance and community support.
The effects of Agent Orange/dioxin do not stop at the first generation, more dangerously, they have now affected the fourth generation. Children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of Agent Orange/dioxin victims are mostly deformed, have birth defects, and are in a vegetative state.
According to the 2022 data of the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, the country currently has more than 150,000 second-generation victims (children), 35,000 third-generation victims (grandchildren) and about 6,000 fourth-generation victims (great-grandchildren); a survey in some southern provinces showed that up to 23.7% of the surveyed people had 1-3 disabled children; 5.7% had disabled grandchildren. The cancer rate is 14.9%, mostly in the group of victims over 50 years old.
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| US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper and a delegation of veterans and relatives of US Marines visited, interacted with and presented gifts to Agent Orange victims at the Center for Supporting Agent Orange Victims and Disadvantaged Children in Da Nang City on September 6. (Source: VAVA) |
Supporting victims, ensuring human rights
Over the years, the Party and State have always paid attention to assisting victims of Agent Orange/dioxin to help them alleviate some of the difficulties in life.
Many guidelines and policies have been issued, including Directive No. 43-CT/TW dated May 14, 2015 on strengthening the Party's leadership in dealing with the consequences of toxic chemicals to ensure human rights; minimize negative impacts, and contribute to protecting the legitimate and legal rights and interests of victims of Agent Orange/dioxin.
Every year, the State has allocated a budget of more than 10,000 billion VND to provide monthly subsidies to victims of Agent Orange/dioxin. Currently, nationwide, there are more than 320,000 people exposed to toxic chemicals/dioxin and their children are entitled to preferential policies for people with revolutionary contributions. Households infected with toxic chemicals/dioxin are entitled to health insurance and free medical examination and treatment.
Together with the Government, all levels, sectors, socio-political organizations, businesses, and domestic and foreign philanthropists actively deploy and participate in activities to support victims of Agent Orange/dioxin.
From 2004 to December 2023, the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin mobilized more than 4,049 billion VND, spent more than 4,023 billion VND on caring for and helping victims; in the first 6 months of 2024 alone, it mobilized more than 348 billion VND, spent more than 320 billion VND on caring for and helping victims.
In 2023, the program "Joining hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange" mobilized more than 2 billion VND and allocated more than 1.6 billion VND, including supporting the construction of 14 new houses with a total amount of 930 million VND; visiting and giving gifts directly to nearly 600 victims in 22 provinces and cities with a total amount of 568.5 million VND; supporting the care of victims at the Social Protection Center under the Central Association with more than 140 million VND.
| Every year, the State allocates a budget of more than 10,000 billion VND to provide monthly subsidies to victims of Agent Orange/dioxin; currently, nationwide, there are more than 320,000 people exposed to toxic chemicals/dioxin and their children are entitled to preferential policies for people with revolutionary contributions. Households affected by toxic chemicals/dioxin are entitled to health insurance and free medical examination and treatment. |
Currently, hundreds of thousands of people with severe disabilities, including victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, have received orthopedic and rehabilitation services. Tens of thousands of disabled children, including children indirectly affected by Agent Orange/dioxin, are attending integrated and specialized schools; 12 Hoa Binh Villages, Friendship Villages, and many centers for nurturing children with disabilities, in the form of concentrated/semi-boarding, have nurtured thousands of victims, mainly children with deformities and disabilities due to the effects of Agent Orange/dioxin; the Center for Genetic Reproductive Health Counseling in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is actively working to reduce the rate of birth defects.
Health care activities for victims of Agent Orange/dioxin are diverse in content and form: preferential subsidies; organizing medical examinations, assessments of diseases, deformities, disabilities, care, treatment, rehabilitation, sauna, detoxification. In addition, new houses are built, repaired, gifts and scholarships are given to victims. With the cooperation of society, the physical and mental pain of victims of Agent Orange/dioxin is somewhat reduced.
However, ensuring the rights of victims of Agent Orange/dioxin faces many obstacles, due to their particular vulnerable groups. Meanwhile, coordination between authorities at all levels, departments, sectors and organizations in some localities in implementing policies, regimes, regulations and ensuring the rights of victims of Agent Orange/dioxin lacks consistency.
The mobilization of social resources in some places has been low and not commensurate with the actual potential of the locality. The awareness of some people is still inadequate, even showing indifference, apathy, discrimination and prejudice.
Alleviating the pain of Agent Orange demonstrates humanity and humanitarianism, and is the call of conscience and responsibility of the entire political system and society. To better ensure the rights of victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, it is necessary to focus on the following solutions:
Firstly, raise awareness and responsibility for all organizations and individuals about the need to ensure the rights of victims of Agent Orange/dioxin. Promote multimedia communication not only for people in the country but also for our overseas Vietnamese. The content of propaganda focuses on the policies of the Party and State towards victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, the achievements, and the difficulties of the victims so that everyone can join hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange.
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| The art exchange program "Lighting up the future" - a practical activity to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the Agent Orange disaster in Vietnam (August 10, 1961 - August 10, 2024) took place on the evening of August 8 in Hanoi. (Photo: Dieu Linh) |
Second, continue to thoroughly grasp and well implement the Party and State's guidelines and policies such as Directive 43-CT/TW dated May 14, 2015 of the Party Central Committee (11th tenure) on strengthening the Party's leadership in dealing with the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the war in Vietnam; Decision No. 2215/QD-TTg dated December 28, 2021 of the Prime Minister promulgating the National Action Plan to overcome the consequences of toxic chemicals/Dioxin after the war in Vietnam for the period 2021-2030...
It is necessary to identify the promotion of human rights of victims of Agent Orange/dioxin as the task of the entire political system and the responsibility of the social community. Make the content of overcoming the consequences of dioxin after the war and improving the quality of life of victims a regular task, integrated into leadership resolutions, social security programs, and annual socio-economic development tasks of localities.
In addition, it is necessary to do a good job of inspection and supervision; promptly resolve problems and backlogs; and at the same time, prevent negativity during the implementation process.
Third, promote the role of political and social organizations, in which the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin must truly be an organization representing and protecting the rights of victims, meeting the requirements and tasks in the new situation. Regularly improve and enhance the quality of activities at all levels.
Strengthening coordination between the Association and other socio-political organizations, calling for support and assistance from businesses, philanthropists, organizations and individuals to create resources in promoting human rights of victims of Agent Orange/dioxin.
Fourth, strengthen medical activities, develop consulting services, examination and treatment of diseases for victims of Agent Orange/dioxin. Do a good job of consulting and guiding victims to medical examination, treatment and rehabilitation facilities at medical centers, facilities or at home. Organize the establishment of records to monitor, examine and manage health, promptly detect early related diseases; examine, treat and rehabilitate victims at medical examination and treatment facilities, nursing facilities for people with meritorious services and at home according to regulations when needed.
Fifth, persistently fight for justice for Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange/dioxin , making the world better understand the severe consequences of war that the Vietnamese people are still suffering; the physical and mental pain, hardships, and obstacles in the lives of Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange/dioxin so that the international community can sympathize and share.
According to the Ministry of Defense, from 1961 to 1971, about 80 million liters of toxic chemicals, of which 60% was Agent Orange, containing 366 kg of dioxin, were sprayed by the US military in South Vietnam, causing an unprecedented Agent Orange disaster in human history. About 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed, more than 3 million people were victims of toxic chemicals and hundreds of thousands of victims died, hundreds of thousands of victims of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generations are struggling every day, every hour with serious diseases caused by the toxic chemicals. |
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/bao-dam-quyen-cho-nan-nhan-chat-doc-da-cam-287022.html
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