Over 1.7 mln Vietnamese children are working: survey

Over 1.7 mln Vietnamese children are working: survey

An estimated 9.6 percent of Vietnamese children aged 5-17, over 1.75 million people, are working, according to the 2012 National Child Labour Survey that was unveiled in Hanoi on March 14.

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

As part of the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour between the Vietnamese Government and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the first survey of this kind was overseen by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

Thanks to the ILO’s technical assistance, the National Office of Statistics conducted the survey, which involved over 50,600 families.

The subsequent findings show that up to 85 percent of child workers are from farming households in rural areas. Nearly 569,000 have to work for over 42 hours per week, affecting their studies and causing many to drop out of school.

In the latest ILO report on the global child labour trend, it was announced that about 168 million children aged 5-17 all over the world are workers, or 10.6 percent of the child population. This rate in the Asia-Pacific is 9.3 percent, proving that the Vietnam’s child labour rate is lower than the global average and close to that of the region.

ILO Country Director in Vietnam Gyorgy Sziraczki made it clear that the launch of the first national database on child labour is indicative of Vietnam’s high determination in the fight against child labour, especially in its worst forms.

MoLISA emphasised the need to review the employment of children as workers as many of them are likely to be exposed to hazardous or hard working environments. It has also urged for stronger child protection policies and awareness campaigns to be implemented.-VNA

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