Vietnam Launches National Programme to Strengthen Child Protection and Reduce Child Labour
Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has launched a national programme on child protection and the prevention and reduction of child labour, with a target of reducing the proportion of children aged 5–17 engaged in child labour to below 1.1 per cent by 2030.
The programme was launched in Hànội on Friday to implement Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1415/QĐ-TTg, issued on July 28. The event was connected with health departments across all 34 provinces and centrally governed cities nationwide.
Under the 2026–2030 programme, children affected by violence, sexual abuse or child labour, as well as those at risk of exploitation, abandonment and other vulnerable circumstances, will have greater access to support and intervention services aimed at facilitating their reintegration into society and promoting their comprehensive development.
The programme sets several targets for 2030, including reducing the rate of children affected by violence and sexual abuse by at least 5 per cent annually and bringing the proportion of children aged 5–17 engaged in child labour below 1.1 per cent.
All provinces and cities are expected to establish integrated child protection service models, while 95 per cent of commune-level administrations are required to implement inter-sectoral service models. In addition, all commune-level administrations are expected to establish child-friendly investigation rooms.
The programme also stipulates that all requests for legal aid involving children must be addressed in accordance with the law. To strengthen child protection management, 100 per cent of children requiring protection or identified as being at risk are to be registered and managed through a database linked with other relevant information systems.
Speaking at the launch, Deputy Minister of Health Lê Đức Luận highlighted several challenges facing child protection efforts in Vietnam.
He noted that violence against children is increasing globally amid economic downturns, inflation and natural and social disruptions. These pressures can increase the vulnerability of children, including the risk of dropping out of school and entering the labour force prematurely.
Child labour remains a concern in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, as well as in households and small-scale production and business establishments, where inspection and monitoring are particularly challenging. In some localities, the network of child protection service providers remains limited, while coordination, referral and interconnection mechanisms among services are not yet fully consistent.
Luận also pointed to disparities among localities in the application of information technology and the management of child-related data.
A UNICEF representative in Vietnam said children in the country continue to face multiple risks, including violence, exploitation and sexual abuse, including abuse and exploitation in online environments, as well as hazardous and arduous work.
Addressing these challenges requires more than legislation and policy measures, the representative said, stressing the need for a strong, integrated and adequately funded child protection system supported by social workers, reliable data, effective coordination mechanisms and accessible services reaching communities nationwide.
At the launch, Luận said the national programme for 2026–2030 outlines six groups of tasks and solutions, with clearly defined responsibilities, authorities, timelines and expected outcomes.
He stressed that 2026 marks the first year of implementation of Vietnam’s five-year socio-economic development plan, making effective implementation of the child protection programme from the outset essential to achieving the country’s sustainable development objectives and fulfilling its international commitments on children’s rights.
According to the Department of Mother and Child Health, Vietnam had nearly 25 million children as of 2025. Boys accounted for 13,092,705, or 52.5 per cent, while girls numbered 11,857,711, representing 47.5 per cent.
Children from ethnic minority groups accounted for 18.3 per cent of the total child population, while children living in multidimensional poverty represented 8.4 per cent.
The country had 790,514 children in special circumstances, equivalent to 3.2 per cent of all children nationwide. Around 15,000 children in special circumstances were receiving monthly social assistance benefits.
