Efforts to prevent and reduce child labor in Vietnam

Information on efforts to prevent and reduce child labor in Vietnam was presented at a conference organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications on September 19.

Hanoi (VNA) – Information on efforts to prevent and reduce child labor in Vietnam was presented at a conference organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications on September 19.

Dang Hoa Nam, Director of the Department of Children in the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), highlighted Vietnam’s strong legal framework prohibiting child exploitation, citing the 2016 Children’s Law, the 2015 revised penal code and the labor code amended of 2019.

The Prime Minister also approved a program to prevent and reduce illegal child labor for the period 2021-2025, with guidance until 2030.

MoLISA has launched intervention models in Hanoi, An Giang and Ho Chi Minh City to protect children from hazardous work environments.

By establishing detection, support and intervention networks, the ministry is determined to stem the tide of child labour. However, child labor in the informal sector is difficult to monitor and detect, while the devastating effects of pandemics, natural disasters and climate change present daunting challenges. Economic instability, job losses and increased online use have increased the risk of child and adolescent labor and trafficking, with those in remote areas particularly vulnerable.

In addition to these problems there are insufficient numbers and the limited capacity of local staff to detect cases, as well as financial constraints that hinder prevention and intervention models.

In the future, MoLISA is committed to raising public awareness of international commitments and issues related to child labor in trade agreements, focusing on high-risk sectors such as agriculture, supply chain chains and industries family It will draw on today’s technology and innovative SCREAM methodology, which protects children’s rights through education, the arts and the media. In addition, the ministry is ready to strengthen international cooperation regarding the prevention and reduction of child labor. -VNA