Children are not brides: Crossing the “stone fence”

BHG - On their journey to adulthood, many children in mountainous regions face a choice between early marriage and pursuing education. A prime example is Vang Thi De, a Hmong girl from Dong Van who overcame family pressure to marry early and continue her studies tofulfil her dreams.

De firmly refused to listen when her parents tried to prevent her education. She trekked across mountains to get to school and later overcame financial hardships while studying at the Hanoi University of Culture. De’s success changed her family’s view and motivated her to pursue and promote Hmong culture through various domestic and international forums.

Vang Thi De introduces tourists to linen weaving at the Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo.

To address child marriage, Good Neighbors International (GNI) has implemented the “Children are not Brides" project in Quang Binh District, Ha Giang Province, since 2020, aimed at raising awareness among children and communities about preventing child marriage.

The project has achieved considerable success, attracting over 3,450 participants and helping many children gain the knowledge and skills necessary to avoid early marriage.

Phuong Hoai Ngoc, a member of the Dao ethnic group and participant in the anti-child marriage club in Quang Binh, has been actively educating her friends and family about the consequences of child marriage and encouraging them to focus on education to build their future.

With the same goal, the Ha Giang Women’s Union has established 1,071 communication teams and 394 “trusted addresses” to help women and girls prevent child marriage.

Many training courses and clubs have been opened in schools to change students’ mindsets and actions. Additionally, in Vi Xuyen District, local authorities have consistently prioritised preventing child marriage, promoting a civilised lifestyle, and raising student awareness through school education programmes.

By 2030, the province aims to eliminate outdated customs and minimise child marriage in the community. To achieve this, Ha Giang Province is focusing on promoting laws related to marriage and family, strengthening inspection, monitoring, and handling violations related to child marriage.

Initial achievements have been made, but continued effort and coordination between government authorities, social organisations, families, and communities is needed to ensure mountainous children have conditions for comprehensive development.