On 23-25 November, EPF organised a field visit to Vietnam for European Parliamentarians who had participated in the 2006 IPCI Conference in Bangkok. Seven members of Parliaments from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland and Ireland, visited SRHR projects for youth in Hanoi and the regions of Vietnam, within the framework of EC/UNFPA Project “RHIYA” – Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in Asia. EPF was assisted by the host organisation UNFPA Vietnam.

The field visit included stops at the Delegation of the European Commission to Vietnam; Provincial People’s Committee of Hai Phong province and Vietnam Family Planning Association; Youth Friendly Corner of Hai Phong; Community Event in Hai Phong: Reproductive Health Show and the UNFPA delegation in Vietnam



Key findings 

• EPF President Anne Van Lancker MEP (Belgium) pointed out that she saw a positive perspective about the project, because it has integrated the youth friendly SRHR services into the general health framework. She was impressed by the awareness raising activities such as dramas, singing songs on SRHR topics promoting visits to the youth friendly service corners which were done within the framework of the project.

• MP Guðrún Ögmundsdóttir (Iceland) said that she found the project interesting because there is a constant dialogue between young people, their parents and teachers. It is very powerful to use local culture and traditions in passing on the messages about healthy lifestyle.

• Senator Mary Henry (Ireland) said that she was very impressed by what she saw during the site visit of the RHIYA project in Hai Phong. She could see that engaging with young people in this way would be very useful in her own country.

• The EPF Delegation learned about the sustainable result of the RHIYA Project: during the project implementation an enabling environment was created. The SRHR issues now have support from the community leaders and inhabitants: they are all involved in key activities of RHIYA. The staff of Youth Friendly Service Corners are at the same time a part of Community Centre staff. The Vietnam Family Planning Association and Youth Unions will now take over the project. Moreover there has been a strong support from the government in developing the relevant youth and health policies. The staff whose capacity has been continuously built during the project will stay and work in the YFC. All these points have been vital to ensure the sustainability of the RHIYA project.

Participants:
Karl Öllinger, MP Austria
Anne van Lancker, MEP Belgium
Hilde Vautmans, MP Belgium
Kirsten Brosbol, MP Denmark
Hélène Mignon, MP France
Gudrun Ogmundsdottir, MP Iceland
Senator Mary Henry Ireland