Promote communication on preventing physical violence against children

Thanh Hoa Province Association for the Protection of the Disabled, Orphans and Children's Rights organized training on policies and codes of conduct when working with children and children's participation.

In Thanh Hoa province, the project “Enhancing community capacity in preventing and combating physical violence against children” funded by Terre des Hommes (Federal Republic of Germany) has been implemented to promote communication and training to raise awareness in the community. The Association for the Protection of the Disabled, Orphans and Protection of Children’s Rights of Thanh Hoa province is the direct unit implementing this project.

One of the focuses of the project is to promote communication on preventing and combating physical violence against children. Communication activities are widely deployed in 15 project beneficiary areas, including wards: Dong Tho, Dong Ve, Dong Son, Quang Hung, Quang Phu (Thanh Hoa city); communes: Ngu Loc, Trieu Loc, Hung Loc, Phu Loc, Hau Loc town (Hau Loc); communes: Hoang Phong, Hoang Duc, Hoang Tien, Hoang Thinh (Hoang Hoa).

From project kick-off workshops to community communication activities, the project has developed and printed over 22,000 documents, including training materials, leaflets and posters; coordinated with Thanh Hoa Newspaper, Thanh Hoa Radio and Television to publish articles and reports on children's rights and physical violence prevention. These contents not only help raise community awareness but also create a widespread impact, promoting behavioral change among parents and caregivers.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan, a parent in Hoang Tien commune (Hoang Hoa) shared: “Previously, I thought that lightly hitting my child when he made a mistake was an effective way to educate him. But after attending the project’s training session, I realized that there are many ways to educate my child without using violence. Now, I have applied positive discipline methods and see that my child is more obedient and not as afraid as before.”

Not only stopping at communication, the project also organized training courses to provide more in-depth training for those who directly care for children. Specifically, 15 commune-level training courses were deployed, each with 50 participants, including parents, caregivers, children and teachers at private preschools. These training courses were attended by lecturers who are experts in the field of child protection, from universities in the province, child protection agencies and international organizations. The training content not only helps participants better understand the consequences of physical violence but also equips them with skills to educate their children in a positive way.

After a period of implementation, the project has created positive impacts in the beneficiary areas. Many parents have changed the way they educate their children, and people's awareness of child violence has been significantly improved. Information disseminated through the media has also helped many people access useful knowledge. However, to maintain and expand the effectiveness of the project, closer coordination between local authorities, child protection organizations and the community is needed. Maintaining regular training programs, promoting communication campaigns and having long-term support policies for high-risk families is very important.

Ms. Chau Ba Thuy Thanh, National Coordinator of the Project “Enhancing Community Capacity in Preventing and Combating Physical Violence against Children” shared: “We are very pleased that the project has brought positive results. However, to create a safe and healthy environment for children, the whole community needs to join hands. We hope that programs like this will be expanded and replicated in many other localities.”

Physical violence against children is not only a family issue but also a responsibility of the whole society. The project “Enhancing community capacity in preventing and combating physical violence against children” in Thanh Hoa has made an important contribution to raising awareness and changing people’s behavior. However, to achieve long-term goals, there needs to be persistent efforts from the government, social organizations and the entire community. By continuing to promote communication, expanding training programs and applying positive educational methods, we can together build a safer and healthier environment for children – the future buds of the country.

Article and photos: Tran Hang

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/day-manh-truyen-thong-ve-phong-chong-bao-luc-the-chat-doi-voi-tre-em-243557.htm