Title: The impact of low child legal age on children's rights: the case of Vietnam

Authors: Giao Cong Vu; Lai Thi Cam; Quyen Thu Thi Vu; Cu Thanh Vu

Addresses: Constitutional and Administrative Law Department, School of Law, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, E1, 144 Xuan Thuy, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam ' Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, 135 Nguyen Phong Sac, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam ' Academy of Journalism and Communication, 36 Xuan Thuy, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam ' School of Law, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, E1, 144 Xuan Thuy, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam

Abstract: Vietnam is one of the few countries in the world that still sets the legal age of children (those are under 16 years old) lower than the age of children specified in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, which is under the age of 18). This regulation is causing difficulties for Vietnam in ensuring the rights of children. This paper analyses the impact of the low child legal age regulation on children's rights in Vietnam, focusing on its impact on the children's right to education and the children's right to protection from being exploited for the labour of children group from full 16 to under 18 years old in Vietnam. On that basis, the authors recommend that Vietnam amend the current Law on Children (adopted in 2016) to raise the legal age of children from under 16 to under 18 according to CRC.

Keywords: child legal age; children's rights; education for children; child labour; Vietnam.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRCS.2023.129997

International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, 2023 Vol.10 No.2, pp.124 - 136

Received: 13 Feb 2022
Accepted: 16 Feb 2022
Published online: 04 Apr 2023 *

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