The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin (VAVA) inked an agreement in Hanoi on September 20 to further their coordination in supporting AO victims and protecting their rights and interests. The coordination will focus on communications work to accelerate the implementation of policies towards AO victims and joint efforts to take care of AO victims at rehabilitation and welfare centers. Between 2017-2020, the two sides will work together to provide vocational training and generate jobs for AO victims, helping them gain stable incomes and integrate into society, while expanding external activities to raise international community’s awareness of consequences of the toxic chemical in Vietnam, thus mobilizing their support for Vietnamese AO victims. VAVA President Nguyen Van Rinh said over the past time, the two sides coordinated to advise the Party and the State on policies towards people who rendered great services to the nation in general and war veterans exposed to toxic chemicals in particular. They also tied up to organize activities marking War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27) and AO Victims Day (August 10), he added. Vietnam has about three million AO victims, of whom 320,000 and their children are entitle for state’s support. MOLISA suggested the VAVA to contribute its opinions on revising the ordinance on national contributors, which will expand the scope of beneficiaries to those who fought in the resistance war during 1974-1975, children and grandchildren of revolutionary contributors exposed to dioxin, and policies for later generations of dead AO victims. (http://vietnam.vnanet.vn [1] Sept 21)
