About Child safety in Vietnam*

* Drowning kills nearly six times as many children as communicable diseases * Burns and scalding kills more children than dengue fever * Falls are responsible for more child deaths than tuberculosis * If injury were prevented among Vietnamese infants and children, the under-five mortality rate would fall by almost 40 per cent * Ninety-eight per cent of all child injuries occur in the developing world (Source: Unicef)

Over 30,000 children die each year in Vietnam from preventable accidents such as drowning, road accidents and poisoning. This is in stark comparison to the 250 Australian children who die every 12 months as a result of injury deaths - a tragic statistic for Australian parents, but one that Australian community education programs target each year.

Historically, ChildFund Australia's community development work in Vietnam has focused on maternal and child health issues, such as nutrition and sustainable livelihoods, which has saved thousands of lives and reduced instances of malnutrition.

Following the success of our health and education programs, ChildFund is now working to improve child safety and reduce the number of preventable deaths.

Around 80 per cent of Vietnam's population live in rural and mountainous areas of Vietnam where waterways, especially during the wet season, cause severe flooding, increasing potential drowning risks. Children in remote communities walk or cycle long distances, unaccompanied by adults, to attend school.

With parents in rural communities forced to work long hours on their farms and tending livestock, children are often left unsupervised and exposed to many dangers. Risks are particularly high for young children, with deaths and serious injuries frequently occurring due to drowning, road accidents, poisoning and burns from kitchen fires. Risks of physical and sexual are also greater for those children unsupervised in the community.

To reduce risks and improve safety for Vietnamese children, ChildFund Australia has just launched an innovative Child Protection Program. CEO Nigel Spence said: "Vietnam was the first country in Asia, and the second in the world, to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and is working towards creating 'communes fit for children'.

"Our Child Protection Program will support this initiative by ensuring that children are educated about everyday risks, and are made aware of their legal rights, in order to prevent child exploitation, harm and abuse."

As one component of our program, ChildFund is establishing 83 Children's Clubs across a number of districts in northern Vietnam, where local children can learn about child rights, injury prevention and traffic safety. The Clubs will provide a rare opportunity for children to meet and learn in an environment that is child-friendly. Older members of the Clubs will be trained as peer educators, enabling them to pass on valuable knowledge to younger children in the community.

"ChildFund will train local volunteers on injury prevention and, most importantly, we will teach and empower children to help other children in their community - in this way, an estimated 7,000 children will benefit."

In a region where many families often live in homes consisting of a single room, the Clubs will give children a place of their own, where they can gather and organise their own activities.

Mr Spence stated: "ChildFund's work is focused on providing a better future for children. We believe the Child Protection Program will make a significant difference to the lives of many disadvantaged children in Vietnam; ensuring that they grow up in safety, and with the knowledge they need to help future generations of children."

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