The system of legal documents on HIV/AIDS prevention plays a role as a legal ground and comprehensive framework for uniform and synchronous implementation of HIV/AIDS prevention activities across the country, contributing important parts to curbing HIV/AIDS infection rates in the community.

These legal documents also contribute to educating, raising legal understanding and awareness of HIV/AIDS and HIV/AIDS prevention in order to minimise its harmful effects on the socio-economic life of the country. Apart from that, legal documents on children and youth also focus on children and HIV/AIDS.

The provisions under the Criminal Code strictly define all forms of sexual violence for children, especially guilt relating to HIV transmission to others. A chapter consisting of 19 articles under the Law on Protection Care and Education of Children amended, supplied and passed by the National Assembly in 2004 stipulates responsibilities of individuals, families, social organisations and the state to protect and care for hard – hit children, including children affected by and infected with HIV/AIDS.

The Law on Protection, Care and Education of Children clearly specifies rights of children. The state protects, cares for and educates children who are not protected, cared for and educated by their parents. Actions violating children’s rights are all strictly punished. The code also stipulates that HIV/AIDS-infected children are not discriminated against and gives them favourable conditions to be treated and fostered in families or at social centres.

Le Thi Thu, minister and chairwomen of the Committee for Population, Families and Children, said the national action programme for children in the 2001-2010 period set one of important targets of protecting children from being infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

The committee is coordinating with relevant sectors to build and submit to the government for approval a children's protection strategy for the 2006-2010 period and vision to 2020 that includes specific targets and actions in order to protect and care for children infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Le Thi Thu stressed that after the prime minister enacted Decision No. 64/2005/QD-TTg approving the project “take care of orphans, street, disabled children and children infected with and affected by Agent Orange and HIV/AIDS based on the community in the 2005-2010 period,” regulations on broadening support for people and raising social allowance levels for children cared for in the community, allocating the state budget to develop replacement care model and helping hard-hit children access vocational education.

Over recent years, the Committee for Population, Family and Children in collaboration with Vietnam-based United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has organised activities and raised a fund to protect and take care of these children. The committee has built models of protecting and caring for HIV/AIDS-infected and affected children in Thai Nguyen, Thua Thien-Hue provinces. At the same time, authorities have also closely attached HIV/AIDS prevention work with activities against drug abuse among children.

After three months of implementation, there are no additional children addicted to drugs and infected with HIV. Accordingly, the model is being reviewed and disseminated in other localities.

In Mekong River delta provinces, HIV/AIDS infection in the community is at an alarming level. Unreported children getting HIV from their mothers make up a large rate. They are only detected when their father or mother or both die of AIDS. In some localities, HIV-infected children are still discriminated against and isolated.