HumanTrafficking.org | Vietnam: Government Best Practices

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Vietnam

Vietnam Best Practices

Prevention

Domestic

Governmental
The Vietnam Women's Union, Youth Union, and Committee for Population, Family, and Children have active programs in place aimed at prevention and victim's protection. These programs included publicity to warn women and girls of these dangers, repatriation programs to help female returnees, and vocational training for teenage girls in communities considered vulnerable to trafficking in persons.

Government agencies worked with international NGOs on mass media campaigns, community outreach visits, distribution of leaflets, and vocational training in their efforts to prevent trafficking.

The Government worked with international NGOs to supplement law enforcement measures and cooperated with other national governments to prevent trafficking.

International

Governmental
The Vietnamese government cooperated closely with other countries within the framework of INTERPOL and its Asian counterpart. Government agencies worked closely with the International Organization for Migration and a number of other international NGOs to provide temporary shelter, some medical services, education, credit, counseling, and rehabilitation to returned trafficking victims. In March 2002, government officials held a series f meetings with their Chinese counterparts to improve victim protection and repatriation processes. During the year, Government officials held similar meetings with the Cambodian Government. The country also participated in an ILO project on child trafficking in the Mekong region.

The Government has also engaged neighboring governments to combat trafficking in persons. Vietnam has made increasing efforts to prosecute trafficking crimes. It is cooperating with Cambodia and other neighboring countries on the repatriation of victims and other cross-border issues.

Prosecution

Domestic

Governmental
The Penal Code prohibits trafficking in women and children. While no law specifically prohibits trafficking in men, existing laws could be used to prosecute traffickers who recruit or send men abroad to work for "illegitimate profits" or illegal purposes.

In July 2002, a government decree forbade the use of marriage and adoption for trafficking related purposes. Hundreds of traffickers have been convicted and imprisoned, most notably in one high-profile case in 2002 in which over 150 persons were indicted for prostitution and migrant smuggling. That particular case involved ex-ministerial and law enforcement agents.

Protection

Domestic

Governmental
Government agencies worked closely with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and a number of international NGOs to provide temporary shelter, some medical services, education, credit, counseling, and rehabilitation to returned trafficking victims. Although voluntary commercial sex workers were subject to criminal sanctions, the Government sought to assist trafficking victims. Trafficking victims in general were not treated as criminals, but some women trafficked into prostitution were prosecuted for prostitution.

International

Governmental
In March 2002 government officials held a series of meetings with Chinese counterparts to improve victim protection and repatriation processes.