English Review
‘’End child labour in supply chain – It is everyone’s business!’’
09:24 AM 2016-06-17

(LĐXH) In June 14, the Ministry of Labours-Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) corporated with the International Labour Office (ILO) in Vietnam to hold a workshop on prevention and elimination child labour in supply chains. This is an activity on the occasion of ‘’World day against child labour 2016’’ with topic ‘’End child labour in supply chain – It’s everyone’s business!’’

Representatives of the organisers and some special guests included Deputy Minister of MOLISA, Mr Doan Mau Diep; ILO Director Chang Hee Lee; Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Vietnam, Mr. Hoang Quang Phong; Economic Counsellor, Embassy of United States in Vietnam, Mr. John Hill ...

According to statistics, there was nearly 1.75 millions child labour, which is accounted for 9.6% of the population. Child labour was mainly within the range of 15-17 years old (58%), only 18% of them was between 5 to 11 years old. If the child labour number was compared among industrial factors,  agricultural sector would have 1.18 million children, took 67% in total; meanwhile the percentage of child labour at service sector only accounted for 16.6% ; in heavy industries and construction, the number of child labour was  267,000.

Among child labour, 52% of them had to stop their study and about 2% of these children never went to school before. Most of them had to work in outdoor working conditions, dangerous environment such as too hot or too cold temperature, poisonous chemical and other factors which are harmful for their physical development. Children were at risk employed in the industry which prohibited minor employees.

 

 

Deputy Minister Doan Mau Diep at the beginning of the workshop.


Deputy Minister said that Vietnam had participated in many international agreement to ensure the implementation of children’s right. The government also enacted some policies to increase the awareness about children’s right, specially in prevention and elimination of child labour. However, the practical process still had to deal with many challenge, firstly from the awareness of children, their families, society and employers. When Vietnam integrated to glow economic and international trade agreements, the commitments on labour standards to reduce and eventually stop using child labour is increasingly important. ‘’ According to ILO, during global manufacturing process of goods and products, children can be forced to join the product supply chains. Child labour occurred more often in the production chain of the product towards domestic consumption. It often took place in small workshops or in households which made identification and intervention progress very difficult "- Deputy Minister Doan Mau Diep said.

In the agreement with Deputy Minister of MOLISA, Director of ILO also pointed that  said that the supply chain includes the operation of the production process and distribution services, and with the number or 1.75 millions child labour, they can be involved in daily services supplied to produce goods and services for millions of people. However, child labour is difficult to detect because it exists primarily in the rural sector and informal form, outside the control of labour inspectors and where trade unions and organizations of employers don’t exist. In household production, children are very vulnerable as the income of their parents are not enough to hire other employee. As a result, the children have to work for their parents without any salary.

 

 

The experts are discussing about how to prevent and eliminate child labour in supply chains.


However, the boundary between child labour and children participating in economic activities is very thin. For example, in coffee harvesting season in Tay Nguyen province, children have days off on Saturday and Sunday, therefore, they follow their parents to collect coffee or expose coffee on the ground. These activities cannot be seen correctly as child labour. Or in ethnic minority areas, all girls needs to know how to weave fabric to be able to get married. So they have to learn sewing and weaving fabrics since they are 13 years old. It is a traditional feature in their culture, not counted as child labour. The question is what is the differences between child labour and children participating in economic activities? Deputy Minister said that children can participate in assisting parents but not affect their learning, their health, psychological situation as well as their leisure time. He also hope that Vietnam can end all worst form of child labour as soon as possible.

Dang Doanh

Translated into English by Minh Ngoc

Tags: