Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, June 18 (VNA) -- Foreign aid for the National Action Programme for Children has been crucial to the success of the programme over the past 10 years.

Foreign governments as well as international and non-governmental organizations have provided the Vietnamese children with around USD 400 million over the last 10 years.

Programmes on support of Vietnamese children have received the largest support and assistance from the United Nations Children's Fund with aid totalling USD 100 million, thus making Viet Nam Asia's third biggest beneficiary from UNICEF after China and India. The World Health Organization has given aid to Viet Nam's programmes on expanded immunization and HIV/AIDS prevention. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has cooperated with UNICEF to devise a project on education for children and jurisdiction of people under legal age in ASEAN countries.

About one-third of national UNICEF committees have implemented programmes and raised funds in support of Vietnamese children, including the UNICEF committees of the Netherlands, Japan, the U.S., Australia, Belgium, and RoK.

According to the National Committee for Child Care and Protection, 350 non-governmental organizations are implementing assistance projects in Viet Nam with a total aid of USD 50-70 million. Of them 30 organisations are taking part in caring for, protecting and educating children.

The number of foreign countries providing aid to Viet Nam through bilateral cooperation has increased remarkedly since 1995, becoming an important funding source for child care programmes of the country. The Dutch Government takes the lead with its aid to Viet Nam's programmes on expanded immunization, primary healthcare, and malnutrition prevention, while the Canadian government focused its aid on the prevention of iodine-deficiency disorders and Vitamin A deficiency. The Danish government has given priority to aiding projects on safe water, environmental protection and social services in rural areas. The Japanese government focuses its aid on education, especially universalization of primary education. New Zealand and Luxembourg focus on social service in rural areas and disseminating information on children's rights. The World Bank has provided more than USD 400,000 for a project on nutrition and development of children.

Because Viet Nam has obtained many achievements in basic social targets regarding children, UNICEF may be able to reduce aid to the country in the coming years.

Non-governmental organizations, including Plan International, Sweden's Radda Barnen Save the Children, European Adoption Consultant and others from the U.S., RoK, France, Canada, the U.K., Spain, and Switzerland have carried out projects on assistance to Vietnamese children, especially handicapped children, Agent Orange affected children, and children in poor areas.

In the coming years, Japan - a potential partner to Viet Nam - will help the country to vaccinate more people and to upgrade schools. It is now the biggest donor to Viet Nam. Its aid to Viet Nam through UNFPA, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNHCR and other international organisations in 1995 totalled 392 billion Japanese yen.

Viet Nam hopes that foreign and international organizations will continue to assist Viet Nam's programme for children in the 2001-2010 period.--VNA