The Institute for Social Development Studies (ISDS) in collaboration with Plan International Vietnam recently organized a workshop entitled "Project summary: Increasing awareness of ethnic minority youth about human trafficking and child marriage through digital technology - EMPoWR/Em Vui”.

The overall goal of the project is for girls, boys, young men and women of ethnic minorities (from 10 - 24 years old) to use digital spaces to learn and access their rights. , access support services and contribute your opinions to policy makers.

The project is implemented from June 2020 to the end of June 2023 in 4 provinces, 11 districts and 52 communes of Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces.

According to Dr. Khuat Thu Hong, Director of the Institute for Social Development Studies (ISDS), "The project has received effective support from central and government agencies as well as relevant agencies in the project area. The most important thing is that the project has been very enthusiastically received by ethnic minority youth in 4 provinces. Em Vui's products are loved and widely used by children, teachers, and social organizations in the project area."

According to Dr. Khuat Thu Hong, the lesson learned through this project is mutual respect and trust between partners and love for the children. That is the condition and motivation to achieve success.

Although the project closed, the Em Vui online platform is still there. Em Vui is still a reliable and useful address for teenagers and local officials and teachers in their efforts to join hands to repel child marriage and prevent human trafficking, helping teenagers grow up. to be safe, healthy and have a happy life", Dr. Khuat Thu Hong shared.

Expressing his interest in using the Em Vui platform in discussion session No. 1 on experiences using the Em Vui platform locally, Ho T.R.T, a member of the Bru Van Kieu ethnic group in Huong Hoa district of Quang Tri province, expressed his interest in using the Em Vui platform. or, “On the Em Vui platform, I watched animated episodes of "Mi's Journey" about human trafficking and child marriage. In addition, I also learn lessons about safety in cyberspace."

Teacher Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung, a teacher in Lao Va Chai commune, Yen Minh district, Ha Giang province said: "The school has organized many activities of the Em Vui Project at school such as cyber safety training and promoting the use of the Em Vui platform as well as guiding children to participate in competitions and programs. The students are extremely excited and interested in the rich and useful content."

It is known that Em Vui is an open space that attracts the participation and connects relevant individuals, agencies and organizations to join hands to spread knowledge, skills and spread useful messages to the community. teenagers in all parts of the country. This is also a dialogue forum between ethnic minority youth and policy planners and managers from relevant agencies at all levels.

In the past 6 months, there have been an average of nearly 400 visits per day, most of which are ethnic minority teenagers in the project areas of Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces.

The Em Vui project also directly trained 7,458 ethnic minority youth on Internet knowledge and cyber safety skills. After the training, 4,766 students have basic knowledge of cyber safety issues.

In 2022, the project communicated directly to 8,771 ethnic minority youth. In 2023, the communication activity "Promoting the use of Em Vui online platform" attracted more than 20,000 ethnic minority teenagers.

Thuy Vi