Reducing early marriage and incestuous marriage in ethnic minority areas

Over the past years, the province has implemented many synchronous solutions to push back and eventually eliminate child marriage and incestuous marriage. Thereby contributing to improving the quality of the population and building a progressive and civilized cultural life.

The Provincial Ethnic Committee organized a workshop on propaganda and mobilization skills among youth to raise awareness about reducing early marriage and incestuous marriage, April 2023.

Quang Ninh has a large ethnic minority population, accounting for more than 12% of the population, mainly concentrated in mountainous and border areas. Some ethnic groups still have some bad customs, including early marriage. This situation has serious consequences for population quality, race health, affects the comprehensive development of adolescents, and hinders the socio -economic development of ethnic minority areas.

Identifying propaganda and awareness raising as key solutions, over the past time, all levels and sectors in the province have actively participated in many practical forms. The Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions (formerly the Provincial Ethnic Minorities Committee) coordinated with the Department of Justice, Department of Health, Department of Education and Training, Provincial Youth Union, Provincial Women's Union, religious organizations, prestigious people in the community, etc. to widely deploy communication activities, legal education , and dissemination of knowledge about reproductive health, the consequences of early marriage and consanguineous marriage.

To support communes in propaganda work, the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions organizes training courses, fosters legal knowledge and communication skills, advocacy, legal advice, seminars, discussions, exchanges, visits, experience exchanges, and capacity building for commune, village, and hamlet officials. From the beginning of 2025 up to now, the Department has organized 4 in-depth conferences on training, fostering legal knowledge, improving propaganda and advocacy skills, and skills in handling situations in resolving cases related to early marriage and consanguineous marriage for 480 judicial officers, women, and youth of communes; village and hamlet officials; clan leaders, clan leaders, prestigious people, members of the Law Club... in communes of ethnic minority areas.

Ms. Trieu Kim Thanh, Deputy Head of the Community Communication Team in Na Bap Village (Ba Che Commune), said: The team visits each household in the village to propagate the consequences of early marriage and incestuous marriage; disseminate legal regulations related to marriage and family. At the same time, they grasp the situation of cases with the possibility of early marriage to mobilize, explain and remind.

Mong Cai City Medical Center coordinated with Bac Son Primary and Secondary School to organize consultation and communication on preventing early marriage and incestuous marriage, November 2024.

The Department of Justice printed and distributed thousands of legal handbooks on marriage and family for ethnic minorities. The Department of Education and Training organized forums on "Ethnic minority students say no to early marriage and incestuous marriage" to equip students with knowledge and raise awareness.

The health sector maintains the activities of 79 "Prevention of early marriage and consanguineous marriage" clubs with 3,950 members. The clubs have organized counseling sessions and pre-marital health check-ups for minors, ethnic minority youth, and disadvantaged areas; conducted group communication and behavior change communication for hard-to-reach subjects; held discussions and exchanges to learn about the law on marriage and family, early marriage and consanguineous marriage, etc.

The Department of Education and Training organized a forum for Ethnic Minority Students to Say No to Early Marriage and Incestuous Marriage in September 2023. Photo: Chu Linh

Thanks to synchronous solutions, up to now, the province has no more cases of consanguineous marriage; the situation of child marriage has gradually decreased over the years (in early 2021, there were 118 cases of child marriage, in 2024, it decreased to 21 people). People's awareness of child marriage and consanguineous marriage is increasingly raised. These positive results contribute to improving population quality, ensuring children's rights, women's rights and sustainable development of ethnic minority areas in the province.

Yen Vy

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/giam-thieu-tao-hon-hon-nhan-can-huyet-thong-vung-dtts-3366771.html