(VOVWORLD) - A one-stop service center to support survivors of gender-based violence made its debut at Thursday’s ceremony in Hoa Binh province.
 Delegates take a group photo at the Anh Duong House in Hoa Binh province (Photo: Mai Lien/VOV5) |
The Anh Duong (Sunshine) House was initiated by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, the United Nations Population Fund, and the Australian Embassy in Vietnam.
This is the first Sunshine House model in the northwestern region and the fifth center to in Vietnam made possible with technical and financial support from the UNFPA and the Australian Government.
Matt Jackson, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam, said the organization will work with the Vietnamese government and stakeholders to replicate this model nationwide to meet the urgent need for services that put survivors of violence at the center.
“We conducted a feasibility study in March last year, looking at different locations and different provinces,” Matt told VOV, adding, “We are committed to supporting the women and girls of Vietnam and enabling them to access the support services that they need and to reclaim their lives and live with dignity, as well as the right location provides a range of services to survivors of gender-based violence including psychosocial support, medical services, welfare services, police services, legal services, as well as referrals and other areas.
 Matt Jackson, UNFPA representative in Vietnam, speaks at the launch ceremony. (Photo: Thanh Hai/VNA) |
According to the UNFPA representative, the center will run 24 hours a day 7 days a week and have a hotline as well.
“We are planning on opening another one-stop service center in An Giang province. Then next week we’ll also launch a new phase partnership with Koica of the Republic of Korea and with that we aim to open another two Anh Duong Houses, hopefully this time next year,” Matt noted.