ICESI 2016 - The International Conference on Education and Social Integration
Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
August 11th, 2016
CHILD LABOR IN THE PROCESS OF INDUSTRIALIZATION AND
MODERNIZATION IN HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM
Nguyen Thi Phuong Linh
Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, Ton Duc Thang University, HCMC, Vietnam
Email: [email protected]
Do Thi Xuan Huong
Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ton Duc Thang University, HCMC, Vietnam
Email: [email protected]
Nguyen Thi Thu Trang
Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, Ton Duc Thang University, HCMC, Vietnam
Emai: [email protected]
Abstract. In recent years, changes in the socio-economic have created big influence on labor
movement in Vietnam. In particular, the problem of child labor in big cities is increasing and being
complex. The national investigation on child labor which was released in 2014 indicated that
approximately 1.75 million Vietnamese children are child labor. In Vietnam, it is legal for a child at a
certain age to be employed in appropriate economic work, without affecting their academic
performance, health and child development. In fact, a majority of children in Ho Chi Minh City are
being involved in hard and time-wasting work. This study is conducted using the quantitative and
qualitative research methodology and ethnographic observation. The report presents three issues: i)
Current situation of child labor in the process of industrialization and modernization in Ho Chi Minh
City. ii) Affects of early labor to children. iii) Management of municipal authority over child labor. iv)
Solution on aspect of government management to prevent illegal child employment and abuse of child
labor by employers.
The study’s result shows that majority of child labor in Ho Chi Minh City has been doing
inappropriate line of works, for example serving in restaurants, selling lotteries, panhandling,
assisting for masons, etc. They work over 42 hours per week for little or even no payment.
Keywords: Child labor, government management, Ho Chi Minh City, social – economic changes,
Vietnam.
1. The Current Situation of Child
Labor in Ho Chi Minh City
1,948 towns and hamlets. According to
census data on April 2009, the population
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) has a centre
of HCMC was 7,162,864 people with
location in many aspects of the country
1,334,385 households. Currently, based on
and the region, with an area of 2,095.01
a report from the Labor, War Invalids and
square kilometres. The city is organized
Social Welfare at the city’s districts, the
into 24 districts, 322 wards and communes,
number of children under 16 years old are
ICESI 2016 - The International Conference on Education and Social Integration
Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
August 11th, 2016
1,188,469 people (occupy 16.6 percent).
labor and diversify for all subjects, the
There are about 16,572 children with
number of children in immigrant families
special circumstances and 41,513 children
from other provinces to live in HCMC
be
special
have increased more and more. Besides,
circumstances. With this situation, the
due to the economic living standard of the
authors used data from the research
people in provinces remains difficulties,
resources of the Department of Labor,
children cannot go to school and they
Invalids and Social Affairs in Ho Chi Minh
move to the city for the purpose of earning
City to analysis the secondary data of the
more money to take care of their rural
problem has been encountered on child
family living or to imitate their friends.
labor in the integration period in Ho Chi
The evolution of market economy and the
Minh City.
limitation of cost to obtain high profit have
at
risk
of
falling
into
As being an economic hub that facilitate
the development of all sectors, all forms of
led to the increasing popularity of hiring
children or minor labor.
Table 1. Child Labor in Ho Chi Minh City (Period of 2009 – 2013)
Year
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Child labor
191
252
252
523
1.188
Under 15 age – Child labor
49
52
46
66
26
Source: Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Welfare database
 Work Type of Children
According to a study on child labor in
for 6.8 percent; employees such as sale,
2012 by HCMC Department of Labor, War
services, etc. accounted for 7.39 percent;
Invalids and Social Welfare, within the
the remains - 5 children, who followed
170 children were surveyed, the number of
vocational training, accounted for 6.8
children
percent.
working
in
manufacturing
However,
there
were
no
business, who were employed to do works
significant differences between ages and
for example cutting, assembling clothing,
type of work. Children between 13 – 16
sewing, was the largest – 154 children,
years old (87.23 percent) and 16 – 18 years
accounted for 77 percent; the number of
old (94.44 percent) were both engaged in
children employed in footwear accounted
wage labor at a similar rate.
ICESI 2016 - The International Conference on Education and Social Integration
Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
August 11th, 2016
Table 2. Work Type of Children Seperated by Sex and Age (N=170)
Type of Work
Male (N=94)
Female (N=76)
Footwear
2 (2.13%)
3 (3.95%)
Vocational training
3 (3.19%)
2(2.63%)
Sale, services
2 (2.13%)
4 (5.26%)
87 (92.55%)
67 (88.16%)
Garment
Type of work
< 13 years old (4)
14 – 16 years old (94)
> 16 years old (72)
Footwear
0
1(1.06%)
4 (5.56%)
Vocational training
0
5(5.32%)
0
Doing business
0
6(6.38%)
0
4 (100%)
82 (87.23%)
68 (94.44%)
Garment
Source: The result of survey about Child labor situation, Department of protecting, caring
children, 2012.
Since 2010, the children engaged in
parents. Due to the particularity of the city,
heavy labor in poisonous and hazardous
most of them come here to participate in
environment have existed only in garment
many areas, for instance garment (cutting,
processing, domestic goods market, small
assembling
businesses or households. Most of them
services, few of them work as an
have come from poor families that have
apprentice,
while
others
economic difficulties and the majority of
production
and
services
them come from other provinces. Most of
enterprises,
scale
the children engage in volunteer labor with
example catering service stores (canteen,
the purpose of earning extra income in
noodle, coffee, etc.) in market area or
order to take care for themselve and
downtown. Children working in these
support partially for their family.
households have assisted not only sales,
clothing,
sewing),
as
sales,
work
in
business
households,
for
The majority of working children come
serving at table, washing dishes, wiping
from many provinces have lower level of
clean and tidying up the store, processing
education. And none of them have trained
food but also stay with the host, then they
about career. Child labor usually has not
also do the housework such as going
got enough awareness of legal on labor.
shopping
Employment information has been found
babysitting, etc. These small business
through familiar relationship with their
enterprises with household economy are
at
the
market,
cook
or
ICESI 2016 - The International Conference on Education and Social Integration
Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
August 11th, 2016
growing fast, spreading in many areas, and
is mainly fall into the group that participate
definitely
labor.
both in manufacturing and doing business
Specifically, children are the target object
type, 26.6 percent of them work from 13 to
of these enterprises because using child
15 hours a day, whereas the remains has a
labor brings many benefits, for example
very low
they are paid a lower wage rate, they are
manufacturing group).
need
the
unskilled
nimble, dexterous, good health than adults,
docile,
easily carry out
the
orders,
uncontroversial, obedient, etc.
the
average
(2.9
percent
in
the
The working hours of children starts at
7:00 am which accounted for 85.7 percent
(14.32 percent of them start to work at
 Working Time (Days, Hours)
Actually,
rate
number
8:00 am), and ends at 21:00 pm or 22:00
of
pm per day. Children at a younger age (10
working days of children is 6.9 days per
– 13 years old) start to work later and end a
week. In particular, within the surveyed
working day earlier than older age children
children there are 36.5 percent of them
(16 – 18 years old). There are 33.3 percent
have to work 7 days a week, 62 percent of
of children between 10 and 14 years old
them work 6 days a week and only 1.5
start working after 7:00 am, while this
percent of them work 5 days a week. Boys
percentage in the age group of 15 – 18 is
have lower average number of working
higher – 41.3 percent. About the time of
days than girls (6.9 days versus 6.9 days).
ending a working day, there are 14.5
The average number of working hours
percent of children from 10 to 13 years old
of children is pretty higher than the
end before 18:00 pm, while this percentage
regulated rate with 9.9 hours per day
in the 16 – 18 age cohost group is only 1.9
particularly
percent.
the
average
number
of
The
percentage
of
children
working hours of girls are higher than of
between 10 and 13 years old end a working
the boys (11.1 hours versus 9.5 hours a
day in a range of 21:00 – 22:00 pm is 36
day). A bulk of children have to work from
percent and none of them work after 22:00
9 to 12 hours per day (67.7 percent), the
pm, whereas this percentage in the 16 – 18
number of children work from 13 to 15
age group is relatively 60.2 percent and 9
hours is also occupy a quite high
percent. Base on the type of work, the
percentage (10.5 percent). However, none
group of children work in catering services
of them have to work over 15 hours a day.
type start to work early (18.3 percent of
Base on the work type, the number of
children work at 5:00 am) and end the day
children have to work from 13 to 15 hours
at late night for the most (17.2 percent of
ICESI 2016 - The International Conference on Education and Social Integration
Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
August 11th, 2016
children end a working day after 22:00
Social Welfare (2012) showed that most of
pm). This is the group of children assist in
children do not have any serious health
food and beverages stores, then they have
problems caused by works. When asking
to wake up early and work until late to
children about the health problems they
prepare and sell the food.
would have by impact of working, the
2. Affects of Child Labor
 Health and Safe of Children
majority of them said that they do not have
any health problems (84 percent). A few of
The current jobs seem to have no bad
them reported that they usually feel dizzy
affects to the health of children. Most of
and tired due to work (15.63 percent); be
children do not encounter any health
injured (external wounds cause bleeding,
problems during work. The proportion of
scratch,
children be injured or get sick while
percent) or have respiratory problems
working is very low. The percentage of
(dyspnea, cough, respiratory infections,
children require medical care service due
etc) (9.38 percent); the problems of
to injury, illness/sickness is also very low.
eye/vision (9.38 percent); other injuries to
The result of a survey about child labor by
health due to work are negligible.
bruises,
burns,
etc.)
(56.25
the Department of Labor, War Invalids and
“Every day, I get up at 6:00 am to serve breakfast, wash dishes, sweep the house, then I
start sewing until 11:30 and have lunch. In the afternoon, at about 14:00 pm I start working
to 18:00 pm, then I rest, take a shower, wash clothes, clean and mop the house, have dinner,
at 19:00 pm I continue working to 22:00 pm, then I go to sleep, sometime there are rush
orders that I have to work up to 12:00 a.m. My salary per month is VND 2 million.”
(Extracted from a female in-depth interview, born in 1998 at Hai Duong province)
ICESI 2016 - The International Conference on Education and Social Integration
Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
August 11th, 2016
Children that participate in early labor are
percentage at the next academic year 2013 –
vulnerable to the risks, for example the
2014 was 0.14 percent. Also in this ages, the
exploitation labor or sexual abuse due to the
proportion of children between 6 and 10
working condition of them in informal
years old were only occupied a very little
sectors,
manufacturing
rate from 0.01 to 0.04 percent, dropped out
facilities, garment factory, child labor in
children were mainly between 11 and 14
service sectors such as restaurant, catering
years old, and the highest number of
service stores, child helper at households
dropped out children were in junior high
and homeless children that living on the
school level. The majority of these children
street, etc. Therefore, they are vulnerable to
dropped out of school due to the indulgence
physical and mental health. Finding the
in playing or they were not able to follow
solutions for child labor exploitation cases
the knowledge, then it led to depression and
are
administrative
they dropped out of school. Dropped out
sanctions, very few cases of criminal penalty
children that participate in early labor are
when
the
mainly from immigrant families to HCMC.
government also faces the embarrassment if
Migrant workers tend to bring their children
they handle the violated facilities or
to the new habitat more and more, ranging
employers, children will lose their jobs.
from 80 to 90 percent, and these children
Hence, it is usually regulated
usually participate in labor to support for
illegal/unlicensed
mainly
limited
employers
at
violate.
Besides,
family
economy.
Families
bring
their
clearly all commitments between children
children to developed urban areas with the
and the employers to binding both sides to
hope that children can receive more
avoid punishments.
opportunities to enjoy a better education.
 Access to the Education for Child
Actually, the children that participate in
early
Labor
In recent two years, the percentage of
labor
usually
encounter
more
difficulties in accessing education.
children dropped out of school in the city
First of all is in terms of health. The
decreased significantly. If in the school year
children participate in early labor in HCMC
of 2012 – 2013, the percentage of children
usually do works such as selling lottery
between 6 and 14 years olds dropped out of
tickets, shining shoes, selling confectionery,
school
etc. on the street or in food stores. The
was
0.27
percent,
then
this
ICESI 2016 - The International Conference on Education and Social Integration
Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
August 11th, 2016
average working time of them is 6.9 days
Although in the past few years, the
per week and 9.9 hours per day, this made
Government
them hardly to have time to learn. Besides,
decisions in order to increase the access to
the working time is too much then
education for this children group, however,
influencing children’s healthy. They usually
the legal barriers to migrant children labor in
feel tired caused not having rest time,
the field of education still exists. Regarding
difficult to focus on learning leads to poor
to the legal aspect, it is still needed to have
learning, self-depressed, etc. This makes
“hộ khẩu” – which means inhabitation
children feel dispirited, afraid of learning
number or birth certificates for enrollment in
and gradually they do not want to learn
school and therefore this partially denied the
anymore.
access to education for migrant children
Secondly, child labor follow their family
migrant
into
HCMC
usually
have
has
released
policies
or
labor due to not having relevant papers.
a
Thus, migrant children labor will be difficult
precarious living and do freedom work.
to have the opportunity to study in public
Therefore, they do not have personal
schools. Wheares the private schools have a
identification documents. According to the
high cost compared to the income of
Census of Population and Housing in
immigrant families and migrant children
Vietnam in 2009, the changing of living
labor.
place has relatively strong influence on the
Educational support in the form of fee
frequency of going to school of children
exemptions or textbook allowances for child
between 7 and 18 years old. Comparing with
labor is still weak. According to data from
the
the study "Access to social security of
non-migrant
children
group,
the
probability of going to school of migrant
migrant
labor
children group is significantly lower. This
conducted by the
indicates that the children group cannot go
Organization, in Go Vap district of HCMC,
to school partially due to the migration for a
there are only 14.3 percent of unofficial
living and working. Migrant children labor
migrant
have to face with many multidimensional
residence - absent statement book or
problems and challenges in the enjoyment of
inhabitation number from KT3 to older) that
the rights to access to education or access to
receive educational assistance for children.
social security programs in education.
This shows that migrant families with
labor
in
some
urban
areas"
ActionAid Vietnam
(without
the
temporary
ICESI 2016 - The International Conference on Education and Social Integration
Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
August 11th, 2016
children, especially children participate in
accounted for 90.72 percent; the percentage
early labor, are hardly to access the social
of
welfare policies on education in their
dangerous conditions that were supported
immigrant
children
stability in family life and in the community
participate in early labor from migrant
reached 1,644/1,897 children, accounted for
families have to face by themselves all
86.66 percent. In the period from 2006 to
difficulties because they cannot rely on the
2009, the proportion of children work in
support policy of the government. It can be
hazardous conditions accounted for 15
said this is a very important factor and a
percent in the total number of child labor.
major impact on the access to education of
Since 2009, this rate was reduced to 3.6
children participate in early labor.
percent.
3.
place.
Thus,
Management
of
the
Municipal
Authority over Child Labor in HCMC
children
work
in
hazardous
and
To ensure an end to child labor have to
engage
in
harmful
and
dangerous
Child labor is an issue that the city’s
environment, annually, the Inspectorate of
authority paid special attention. The city was
Department of Labor, War Invalids and
soon implemented effectively the Decision
Social Welfare, Branch of Social Evils
No. 19/2004/QĐ-TTg released on April 12,
Prevention, and the People's Committees
2004 by the Prime Minister on preventing
combine with communes, wards and towns
and tackling the problem of street children,
police office regularly inspect and review
child sexual abuse and children work in
the homeless children seduction statement,
hazardous
conditions.
begging for money, child labor abuse,
Especially was the Scheme No. 4 about
mistreatment, violence, sexual abuse in the
"Preventing and tackling the problem of
city area to promptly have interventions,
street children, child sexual abuse and
remind or sanctions for violations, and give
children work in hazardous and dangerous
psychological and health support, or other
conditions".The implementation of Decision
needs such as education, vocational training
No.
and psychological counseling for them.
and
dangerous
19/2004/QĐ-TTg
achieved
many
encouraging results, the percentage of
Although
the
city
government
has
children work in hazardous and dangerous
strengthened the inspection and supervision
conditions that were taken out from the
on the use of child labor, however, the
current job reached 1,721/1,897 children,
management still faces difficulties because
ICESI 2016 - The International Conference on Education and Social Integration
Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
August 11th, 2016
the majority of manufacturing facilities
too difficult, they need to go to work to earn
using child labor are the small ones, or
money to support their families and do not
households same located in a residential
want to return home.
area, hence it is difficult to detect. Base on
4. Solutions to Manage Child Labor
the Labor Law released on June 18, 2012,
-Organizing communication activities to
the employer must report the use of persons
change the perception and behavior of
under 15 years old to the Department of
community
Labor, War Invalids and Social Welfare, in
children that were, are or tend to participate
reality, very few of small enterprises,
in early labor.
specifically the individual manufacturing
-Organizing the vocational training for
facility
regulation.
children in need of going to work. Focusing
Through observation shows that, some
on line of works that appropriate to the
households facilities that produce leather
strength and the age of children group that
shoes, food stores, or garment, etc. use a lot
participate in early labor.
of workers between 8 and 13 years old, they
-Promoting training, dissemination of legal
have to work in such dusty, small and dirty
knowledge for employers to create their
environment, with low wages but still works
awareness and avoid using child labor
from day to day. The manufacturing
illegally.
comply
with
this
groups
and
families
have
facilities are afraid of observation from
strangers and do not let them go inside the
base. The fact that local authorities know the
status of these illegal employment of
manufacturing households, but they still let
it happens because this work partially brings
income for them to cover their living. If
government intervenes in, these children
will lose their jobs and inadvertently this
push them out of society, they will be
vulnerable to fall into bad people seduction
and drugs addiction. In addition, many
children due to their family circumstances is
-Some working titles are difficult to test
because the working conditions are not
allowed to describe specifically, for example
the title No. 73 (work in radio, broadcasting,
etc. that affected by electromagnetic fields
exceeding the allowable limit); No. 75 (the
work that have exposure of organic solvents
such as spreading emulsion on photo paper,
printing on thin film ...); No. 78 (Direct
contact includes manufacturing, packaging,
blending, spraying, sterilization), etc. For
this line of works, when taking a survey for
ICESI 2016 - The International Conference on Education and Social Integration
Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
August 11th, 2016
the
employee
and
employer,
the
three main issues: health, legal identification
investigators only based on organoleptic
documents, social welfare polices to support
estimation (no instruments to measure all the
education. Addressing solutions of public
factors of the working environment above)
communication,
to assess and conclude.
services, we hope to contribute to improving
-Strengthening the field inspection and
the social integration of this group in
testing to ensure that employers still strictly
process of industrialization - modernization
enforce the contents related to child labor
in Vietnam and especially in Ho Chi Minh
laws. This is also a support form for children
City.
to guarantee for them the regimes on wages,
working hours, rest time, etc. in accordance
access
to
educational
References
HCMC Department of Labor, War Invalids
with the law.
and Social Welfare, 2014, Report about
-Continue to collaborate with the education
the implementation of policies and laws
sector to create support for children to have
on the use of child labor, HCMC.
a chance to join in supplementary education
Lan, Pham Thi Phuong, 2014, Preventing
or vocational training; Coordinate with the
child labor abuse and contributing to
public health sector to support and give
improve the implementation of children’s
treatment for children that unfortunately
rights in Vietnam, Scientific Magazine of
have occupational accidents.
National
-Enhancing the community communication
Jurisprudence, Hanoi.
with more measures to find consensus, to
encourage people to discover and report the
case of using illegally child labor and
University
of
Hanoi:
National investigation about child labor in
2012.
Vietnam ActionAid Organization, 2012,
juvenile labor.
Brief of the policy: Access to the Social
5. Conclusion
Security of migrant labor, The Publisher
Currently, the child labor issue is always
received the attention from the Government
of Labor and Social, Hanoi.
Blue
Dragon
Children’s
Foundation,
and society. There have been many solutions
Document
sharing
for
fundamental
and policies are proposed to support this
officers:
Prevention
group. However, access to the education for
trafficking for the purpose of children
child labor still is difficulties. They are in
exploitation, Hanoi.
of
children
ICESI 2016 - The International Conference on Education and Social Integration
Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
August 11th, 2016