Vietnam has debuted a new child protection hotline in the wake of a string of violent child abuse cases throughout the country.
Tuoi Tre reports that the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) launched the new national hotline number, 111, on Wednesday. This replaces the old number used for the service, 1800 1567.
Dao Ngoc Dung, MOLISA's head, said during the announcement ceremony that reports of all kinds are welcome, whether from individuals or larger organizations.
Call centers have been set up in Hanoi, Da Nang and An Giang Province to handle calls to the hotline from northern, central and southern locations, respectively. The hotline is toll-free and open 24/7, including during holidays, the news source shares.
The old hotline will remain active for a short time period while people adjust to the new, shorter number. Tuoi Tre adds that since the old number was established in 2004, it has received over 2.5 million reports, or roughly 240,000 per year.
The new initiative from MOLISA comes amid a steady stream of violent recent stories, including brutal beatings at a daycare in Saigon and a seven-year-old being tortured by her father with a hot iron in Kien Giang Province.
In addition to the 111 hotline, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam was also appointed chairman of the new National Committee for Children, which will help to promote the rights of children, the news source reports.
[Photo via Tuoi Tre Tho Do]
