Challenges
The majority of child labourers in Vietnam work in the informal sector, as wage or contract workers, or as domestic workers in family enterprises. The nature of the work and the situation in which children find themselves pose challenges to eliminating child labour.
The underlying causes of child labour in Vietnam are poverty, lack of access to basic services and lack of awareness of children’s rights, including education. In HCMC and Dong Thap, migration is an additional challenge and cause of child labour.
Impact of COVID-19: economic recession compounds challenges
In Vietnam, COVID-19 posed significant challenges in 2020 and 2021. Ho Chi Minh City and the province of Dong Thap were some of the most affected areas. In April 2022, Vietnam reopened after two years of strict controls due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The economy proved resilient during the health crisis thanks to its solid foundations.
But the pandemic has left its mark in Vietnam, especially among those in vulnerable situations. In the aftermath of the pandemic, increased temporary poverty and limited social protection services affected people in general, but especially the most vulnerable. The impact of the pandemic on family income, education and the prevention of child labour led to an increase in child labour.
The number of children returning to school decreased after the pandemic. Local statistics on dropout rates in secondary and higher education were particularly high for migrant students. Large differences remain between socio-economic groups in completing school and in household expenditure on education. Children in the Mekong Delta have persistently fallen behind in learning outcomes.
The post-Covid 19 recession lasted until 2023. This compounded the challenges around child labour and child rights. As a result of the recession, business priorities and awareness of sustainability and human rights issues shifted. Declining orders for textile and footwear companies due to reduced global demand led to fewer orders, reduced production, job cuts, reduced working hours and wage cuts. The focus of government and business shifted to immediate economic concerns, making it difficult to address child rights issues and protect the rights of young workers. Local companies still face significant challenges in maintaining their commitment to take action on child labour prevention and child rights.
The economic recession that followed the pandemic was also marked by unprecedented floods, severe droughts and saltwater intrusion, which also put millions of families at risk. This situation diverted government priorities and efforts, exacerbating children’s pre-existing vulnerability to child labour and exploitation.
School attendance, drop-out rates and the link with migration
The likelihood that a child will end up in child labour is influenced by school attendance, dropout and retention. If children are not in school, they are more likely to be involved in child labour. There are many reasons why children in Vietnam and in our programme areas do not, or cannot, attend or stay in school.
In Vietnam, children who are not in school or who drop out typically come from poor families where it is common for children to work and support the family financially. Children from poor families are also more likely to be out of school because their parents’ financial and social status often means that they are less likely to pay attention to and support the child’s education.
In addition to poverty, migration is a major risk factor for child labour in Vietnam. Dong Thap is a rural area where many parents migrate to urban areas, leaving their children behind. The lack of parental care, support and awareness of the value of education due to parental migration increases the school dropout rate in the area. Once out of school, these children are at greater risk of becoming involved in child labour.
Children who have migrated with their families to the city, or who are born to rural migrant families in urban areas, also face barriers to education and are at risk of child labour. Ho Chi Minh City is one of the places to which many migrants from rural areas within Vietnam move. Over 35 per cent of the population are rural migrants who have moved to the city. Many migrant families live in slums with temporary residence status and no permanent registration (‘Ho Khau’ in Vietnamese). If a household lives in a system outside its Ho Khau, it may be denied access to schools and government services, or be forced to pay a higher fee – an extra expense that poor migrants cannot afford. These barriers to education for migrant children put them at greater risk of entering different forms of work.
Many migrant children who are not in school work at least some hours a day in restaurants, small shops or end up selling lottery tickets or flowers in tourist areas.
In addition to poverty, migration, lack of registration and lack of birth certificates, there are many other social factors that affect children’s retention in school. Staying in and returning to school can be difficult due to bullying, violence at school and unfriendly learning environments where corporal punishment is still common. Returning to school after dropout and retention can also be difficult because children may not be able to keep up with the educational level of their peers.
Gender and social norms
Girls and boys are affected differently by child labour. For example, social or cultural norms and perceptions of gender roles may lead families to prioritise education for boys over girls. In the 13-14 age group, more girls than boys drop out of school. This is because parents place a higher priority on secondary education for boys, and in some ethnic minority communities there is a tradition of early marriage for girls.
Social and cultural norms and perceptions of gender roles also influence the type of work boys or girls do. Boys are more likely than girls to be involved in hazardous agricultural work, such as handling chemicals, using sharp tools or catching fish on boats at night. Girls do domestic work, such as caring for younger children, cooking and cleaning, or doing laundry and other household chores.
Many children in Vietnam who attend school every day also do household chores, ranging from 30 minutes to 4 hours a day. Combining school and household chores is a culturally ingrained phenomenon in the country. Adults see value in children doing household chores to build strength and character. Girls’ domestic work is often in addition to paid work and is rarely recognised as work. Compared to boys, girls are more likely to be involved in multiple tasks. This multitasking drastically reduces their opportunities for schooling and socialising.
Gender inequality norms and practices are also reflected in women’s livelihoods. Their economic opportunities are lacking and their resilience is suffering. Women often have less of a voice in family and community decision-making processes. Poor migrant women in particular are often overlooked in local support systems. This gender inequality and lack of community involvement is one of the root causes of child labour.
Labour regulations: lack of awareness, capacity and coordination
The education system is an important ally of the child protection system; if children are not in school, the risk of child labour becomes high. However, this link has not been clear enough for schools and government organisations. Schools don’t have child protection protocols or guidance on the risks of child labour. Teachers don’t know how to help.
Governments and businesses also generally lack awareness of the issue and how to address child labour in society and supply chains. Collaboration between governments, companies and communities is often weak or non-existent. Governments and businesses need to engage in dialogue and exchange views on respecting and protecting human rights, including the rights of children, in business practices. The voices of business should be heard by those making policy on responsible business and sustainability. Governments should work with businesses to raise awareness and promote the rights of the child in business.
In addition to a lack of awareness and knowledge, supply chain actors lack the commitment and technical capacity to respect and promote children’s rights. Poor labour practices in supply chains are therefore often tolerated.
Informal supply chain
Many children work for informal suppliers in informal parts of supply chains. These parts of supply chains often have fragmented networks and complex business operations. Large companies and government agencies are not always aware that children are working in these places. There are logistical barriers to tackling child labour due to a lack of awareness, capacity and coordination mechanisms among relevant stakeholders (such as local authorities, workers’ and employers’ organisations, the media, as well as children, their families and the community).
Lack of opportunities for alternative livelihoods for parents/caregivers and children
A modern social protection system is lacking, providing adequate unemployment insurance, cash transfers and other forms of social assistance and security for workers and the near-poor. The effectiveness of existing social protection programmes for children is hampered by limited coverage and accessibility, including for children in remote or minority areas and children with disabilities.
Legislation and implementation and awareness of governments and businesses
Vietnam has comprehensive laws and policies on child labour. The amended Labour Code of 2019 and the National Programme for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour are evidence of this. However, the government is concerned that child labour is damaging the economy. Raising the issue of child labour with key government officials at national and local level can be difficult as it is a rather sensitive topic.
Government structures and policies often delay the implementation of child protection activities. Following Covid-19, the government has reformed the public administration, which has had an impact on the social services workforce. In addition, new restrictions on the freedom of civil society organisations and the sensitive nature of child labour have made it more difficult to improve children’s lives.