Gov't approves national child protection program for 2026–2030

The Program aims to ensure that all children grow up in a safe and healthy environment, reduce violence and abuse against children nationwide, and provide timely support for child victims of violence, sexual abuse, child labor, and those at risk of exploitation, neglect, abandonment, or other especially difficult circumstances. It also seeks to help these children reintegrate into society and achieve their full potential, contributing to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to children.

By 2030, the Program targets to provide all families with children with knowledge and skills on child protection through various forms of communication. It also aims to ensure that all students receive age-appropriate education on life skills, self-protection against child abuse, school violence, online violence, and the prevention of child labor.

The Program targets to strengthen the capacity of all civil servants, public employees, and personnel working in child protection across health and education authorities, medical facilities, social assistance institutions, educational establishments, and agencies and organizations responsible for child protection.

Under the Program, 90 percent of businesses, cooperatives, household businesses, and service establishments will receive information and guidance on preventing, detecting, and reducing child labor.

All centrally run provinces and cities are expected to implement integrated child protection service delivery models, while 95 percent of communes will establish inter-sectoral child protection service delivery mechanisms. Each commune is also required to set up child-friendly interview rooms for investigations.

The Program sets key outcome targets, including reducing the incidence of violence and sexual abuse against children by at least five percent annually and lowering the child labor rate among children aged 5–17 to below 1.1 percent.

It also aims to ensure that all child victims of abuse and children at risk of violence, exploitation, or abandonment receive timely and appropriate support and intervention, while all requests for legal assistance for children are addressed in accordance with the law.

In addition, all abused children, children at risk, and children in other especially difficult circumstances will be managed through the national child database, which will be integrated with other relevant data systems.

To achieve these goals, the Program outlines a range of measures, including improving the legal framework, policies, standards, and guidelines on child protection; enhancing public awareness and legal education; strengthening the capacity of child protection personnel; developing a comprehensive child protection service system; expanding prevention, detection, and intervention efforts to combat child labor; promoting international cooperation; and accelerating the application of information technology and digital transformation in child protection.

On March 24, the Government approved the national program on protecting and supporting children in the digital environment for the 2026–2030 period. The program aims to strengthen child protection while promoting healthy development and enhancing digital competencies, contributing to the formation of a new generation of digital citizens amid the country’s ongoing digital transformation./.