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| An awareness-raising session on the harmful effects of child marriage at Mai Sao lower secondary school in Nhan Ly commune, Lang Son province __Photo: dantocphattrien.vietnamnet.vn |
From school awareness sessions to village meetings, Nhan Ly commune in Lang Son province is bringing marriage and family laws closer to students and local residents, strengthening efforts to prevent child marriage and marriage between close relatives.
Raising awareness among students
Facing socio-economic challenges and disparities in educational attainment, the mountainous commune of Nhan Ly has made preventing child marriage and marriage between close relatives an ongoing priority, integrating these efforts with legal education and child protection.
Schools are among the key places where the commune seeks to raise awareness among young people.
Chu Thi Thanh, Deputy Head of the commune’s Culture and Social Affairs Office, said the office had worked with Mai Sao lower secondary school to hold awareness-raising activities for pupils. The activities were part of Subproject 2 of Project 9 on “Reducing child marriage and marriage between close relatives in ethnic minority and mountainous areas” under the National Target Programme for Socio-economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2025 period.
According to Thanh, the meetings were designed to be accessible and interactive, encouraging pupils to participate in discussions and ask questions about marriage, family life, reproductive health and the legal age for marriage. These activities helped them better understand how early marriage could affect their education, health and future.
Lang Thu Phuong, a ninth-grade pupil, said: “The meetings helped me understand that we should not marry before reaching the legal age. Early marriage can affect our health, education and future lives. What we have learnt also helps us protect ourselves and take better care of our health.”
Duong Ngoc Hung, principal of Mai Sao lower secondary school, said the meetings had brought noticeable improvements in pupils’ awareness. They had gained a better understanding of the legal age for marriage, as well as the health risks and long-term consequences of child marriage and marriage between close relatives.
“What matters is that students not only know the law but also understand why they should not marry early. This encourages them to protect themselves and share what they have learnt with friends and family,” Hung said.
Extending awareness efforts to local communities
Alongside school-based activities, Nhan Ly is bringing child marriage prevention messages to villages, encouraging families and communities to play a more active role.
Lang Canh Ky, Party Secretary of Hop Nhat village, said residents were regularly informed about the legal age for marriage and the harmful consequences of child marriage and marriage between close relatives at village meetings. These discussions had encouraged parents to take a more proactive approach to guiding their children.
“Whenever we hold a village meeting, we remind residents, especially families with growing children, that young people should not marry before reaching the legal age. We explain that marrying too early can affect their education and health and make life more difficult in the future,” Ky said.
According to Ky, these regular efforts have helped change residents’ attitudes. Hop Nhat village no longer records cases of child marriage or marriage between close relatives.
Under Subproject 2 of Project 9 under the National Target Programme for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2025 period, with funding carried over into 2026, Nhan Ly has organised three awareness-raising meetings for pupils at local lower secondary schools. Information panels and leaflets have also been used to reach residents.
The project’s total budget is VND 138 million, all of which has been disbursed as planned.
Loc Van Thanh, Vice Chairman of the Nhan Ly Commune People’s Committee, said efforts to prevent child marriage and marriage between close relatives were being carried out across schools and communities.
The activities focus on marriage laws and harmful consequences of these practices, helping pupils, adolescents and residents better understand the risks and take preventive action.
By bringing awareness campaigns into schools and villages, Nhan Ly is making prevention efforts more relevant to everyday life, targeting vulnerable groups, and strengthening the responsibilities of families and communities.
These practical activities are helping translate funding from the National Target Programme into greater public awareness and gradual reductions in child marriage and marriage between close relatives across the commune.- (VLLF)
