Gov’t adopts national strategy on child development for 2026–2035, towards 2045

To ensure that children are born safely and healthily, receive adequate healthcare and nutrition, and achieve better physical development and stature, the strategy sets a target of reducing the infant mortality rate to below 10 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030 and below eight by 2035.

Vaccination coverage for children under the Expanded Program on Immunization is expected to exceed 95 percent by 2030 and remain above 95 percent through 2035.

To ensure equitable access to quality education and develop children's knowledge, character, skills and adaptability in the digital age, the strategy aims to raise the preschool enrolment rate to 97 percent by 2030 and maintain it at 97 percent or higher through 2035.

The proportion of students receiving life-skills education is expected to reach 95 percent by 2035.

Ensuring equitable access to quality education

Under the strategy, the rate of violence and sexual abuse against children will be reduced by at least 5 percent annually through 2030, followed by a targeted annual reduction of 3 percent during 2031–2035.

The rate of child labor among children aged 5–17 is expected to fall below 1.1 percent by 2030 and remain below that level through 2035.

The strategy also targets a decrease in the child mortality rate from accidents and injuries to below 12 deaths per 100,000 children by 2030 and below 11 per 100,000 by 2035.

It aims for 85 percent of communes, wards and special administrative zones to have designated facilities for children's activities and recreation by 2030, rising to 90 percent by 2035.

The strategy calls for strengthening maternal, newborn and child healthcare networks while improving service quality.

It prioritizes prenatal and newborn screening, early detection and intervention for diseases, disabilities and developmental disorders, and measures to reduce child mortality. Priority will be given to disadvantaged areas, ethnic minority communities, border regions and islands.

The strategy also seeks to ensure equitable and inclusive access to quality education by helping children enroll in school, remain in education and avoid dropping out. Particular emphasis will be placed on ensuring access to inclusive education for children with disabilities.

In the digital environment, measures will be carried out to protect children online while efforts will be made to prevent, detect and address risks of abuse, fraud, bullying, grooming, exploitation and emerging threats./.