Child Rights in Vietnam

Out of Vietnam’s child population of 18.3 million, one-sixth (2.83 million) are currently engaged in some forms of economic activities , 42.6 per cent of whom are girls. Nearly 86 per cent of these working children live in rural areas and two-thirds belong to the 15-17 age group. Many children are negatively impacted by urban migration in Vietnam, with many left behind by parents leaving for cities to work. For parent workers that live with their children, a lack of childcare provision and/or inadequate childcare is a major concern. 

A lack of decent work opportunities for young workers creates further challenges; many juvenile workers excluded from the formal sector are forced to find work. 

Along with the strong economic development and effective efforts by the Vietnamese government, child labour has been significantly reduced during the last decades. However, with an estimated  1 million children who are still engaged in child labour, these efforts are still ongoing, across all sectors. 

Businesses can directly contribute to these efforts, by further investing in strengthened opportunities for migrant families and their children and offering decent work for youth as well as measures that can directly contribute toward the elimination of child labour, promote the rights of children and create a stable and reliable workforce in one of the key sourcing countries in the years to come.