Hanoi (VNA) – At a workshop held in Hanoi on May 25,delegates exchanged insights and suggested initiatives aimed at enhancing theperformance and service quality of the pioneering one-stop service centremodel, specifically designed to aid women and girls affected by domesticviolence.

The workshop was co-hosted by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids andSocial Affairs (MoLISA), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and theKorea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

The gathering represented a key element of the UNFPA's ongoingproject – the development of a supportive framework for female victims ofdomestic violence in Vietnam. Initiated in July of the previous year, theambitious project is set to conclude in June.

The project aims to ensure the sustainability of the one-stopservice centre model, named Ngoi nha AnhDuong (Sunshine House).

The one-stop service centre to support women and girlsexperiencing domestic violence was first established in northern QuangNinh province in April 2020 under a project funded by the KOICA with a totalbudget of 2.5 million USD.

Last year, three more Sunshine Houses were established in central ThanhHoa province, central Da Nang city and Ho Chi Minh City with financialsupport from the Japanese Government. Costs for operation are then covered byfunding from the Australian Government.

The Sunshine House provides essential services to women and girlsexperiencing or at risk of gender-based and domestic violence.

It offers various services, including medical care, psychologicalsupport, counseling, emergency shelter, public protection, and legal andjudicial services.

All services are based on the principle that victims of violenceare respected, and their dignity is protected.

Representatives of the four Sunshine Houses said that serviceproviders at the houses had to work very hard to meet the needs of local womenand girls.

The four Sunshine Houses have supported more than 1,100 peopleexperiencing gender-based violence.

The Sunshine Houses’ hotlines have received and handled more than20,000 calls from people experiencing violence.

Appreciating the effectiveness and necessity of this model, DeputyMinister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha said: "Vietnamhas always made great efforts to promote gender equality and preventgender-based violence, especially violence against women and girls.”

“Replicating the model of one-stop service centres like SunshineHouse is essential and important to support people experiencing gender-basedviolence to access integrated services. To do this requires the participationof all levels, agencies and organisations,” she said.

Naomi Kitahara, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam, said that UNFPAwanted to ensure that all women and girls in Vietnam, including the mostvulnerable, have the right to live a life free from violence and without lossof dignity.

“Women and girls will not be left behind in achieving theSustainable Development Goals by 2030,” she said.

Cho Han-Deog, Country Director of KOICA Vietnam, said KOICAconsidered gender equality an integrated content in its official developmentprogrammes and projects.

Speaking at the workshop, the representatives all agreed that theone-stop service centre model replication was consistent with Vietnam's laws,policies and priorities in response to gender-based violence and domesticviolence./.