"Attendees at the inauguration ceremony of 'An Giang Sunshine House' included: Ms. Luong Thi Hai Anh, Deputy Director of the Department of Youth Affairs and Gender Equality (Ministry of Home Affairs); Ms. Le Thi Minh Hue, Deputy Head of the Farmers' Committee (Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers' Union); Mr. Matthew David Jackson, Representative of UNFPA in Vietnam; Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of the People's Committee of An Giang Province; Associate Professor Dr. Tran Quang Hien, Director of An Giang Department of Health. Representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs (Ministry of Public Security), and Sunshine Houses from Thanh Hoa and Quang Ninh provinces"

An Giang is one of the few localities selected by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to implement the 'Sunshine House' model, a support model for women and girls affected by violence in An Giang Province. The project will be implemented at the An Giang Social Protection Center (Long Xuyen ward, An Giang province) from December 2024 to December 2026, with a total budget of $130,000 funded by UNFPA, aiming to protect women and girls, who are vulnerable to gender-based violence.

The project's objectives are to promote gender equality, prevent and respond to gender-based violence, and support victims of violence in accessing essential and quality comprehensive services.

It is expected that by 2026, 100 women and girls will access and utilize the services of 'Sunshine House'; 60 service providers will receive training to enhance their capacity; and 1,000 people will be reached with information about 'Sunshine House'.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairwoman of the People's Committee of An Giang Province, Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, emphasized: 'The launch of the 'Sunshine House' model not only concretizes the Party and State's policies on gender equality, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of women and children, but also demonstrates the concern and efforts of authorities, sectors, organizations, and the community in building a safe, compassionate, and violence-free society.

With its function as a center for reception, counseling, medical care, legal support, psychological support, and community reintegration, 'Sunshine House' will become a reliable haven that provides timely shelter and assistance to women and girls who unfortunately find themselves in difficult situations.

After the inauguration ceremony, the An Giang Department of Health and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) co-hosted the launch event for 'An Giang Sunshine House'. Additionally, they convened a consultation meeting to discuss the development of a collaborative framework for referring and supporting women and girls subjected to violence in An Giang Province.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Ms. Luong Thi Hai Anh, Deputy Director of the Department of Youth Affairs and Gender Equality (Ministry of Home Affairs), emphasized: 'An Giang is the 6th province nationwide and the first in the Mekong Delta to launch this model. 

The goal is to promote effectiveness and raise awareness among people in preventing and combating gender-based violence, moving towards a violence-free society, and contributing to the United Nations' goal of "no one left behind".

Reported by Hanh Chau

Translated by Huynh Nhu