Listen and act to combat child marriage.

Child marriage is not only a sad story for individual families but also leaves long-lasting consequences, affecting the development of the entire community. This reality persists in remote areas, especially among ethnic minority communities. Listening to the voices of young people and taking practical action is becoming a crucial approach to combating this problem.

Representatives of the students participating in the forum. Photo: NGOC LY

The consequences cannot be taken lightly.

Currently, child marriage still persists in many areas, especially in the ethnic minority communities of the three mountainous districts of Song Hinh, Son Hoa, and Dong Xuan.

This situation not only poses immediate challenges but also raises concerns about the long-term consequences of child marriage, especially for the holistic development of the younger generation. Beyond just reproductive health and physical development, child marriage deprives children of opportunities for education and career development, creating a vicious cycle of poverty and backwardness. At the age of 14-17, when their bodies and minds are not yet fully developed, entering marriage too early exposes them to immense economic pressure and responsibility. This easily leads to conflict and marital breakdown, leaving lasting negative consequences for future generations.

The causes of this situation are diverse, stemming from outdated customs and traditions, a lack of understanding among parents, and limitations in the awareness of the children themselves. Preventing child marriage is becoming an urgent task, requiring the joint efforts of families, schools, communities, and local authorities.

Say no to child marriage.

To provide an opportunity for teenagers to share their opinions and voice their concerns about child marriage, the Provincial Women's Union and the Song Hinh District Women's Union recently collaborated to organize a forum titled "Listening to Teenagers Speak," focusing on preventing and combating child marriage in ethnic minority communities. The forum attracted representatives from various departments and organizations, as well as 70 students from the Leaders of Change Clubs in the three mountainous districts of Song Hinh, Son Hoa, and Dong Xuan.

At this forum, Ban Thi Uyen Nhi, a 9th-grade student from Song Hinh District Ethnic Boarding School, shared: "Near my house, there are two people who got married when the girl was only 16 and the boy was only 17. Because they were so young, didn't have stable jobs, hadn't finished high school, and were still dependent on their parents, their lives were filled with hardship and constant conflict. From what I've seen and heard, I realize that only when young people are truly mature, have stable jobs, and are capable of independence should they think about marriage to build a stable and happy family." Uyen Nhi also expressed her wish that parents should be closer to and understand their children more, listening to their aspirations instead of imposing or forcing them, so as not to "push" their children into a life full of difficulties.

Child marriage is not only a sad story for individual families but also leaves long-lasting consequences for the community. Therefore, in addition to raising awareness among students themselves, the joint efforts of families, schools, the community, and local authorities are essential in preventing and eliminating this situation.

Vice President of the Provincial Women's Union Tran Thi Binh

Sharing Uyen Nhi's sentiment, Tran Khanh An, a student at Chu Van An Secondary and High School (Xuan Lanh commune, Dong Xuan district), said: "My school regularly organizes extracurricular activities for students to raise awareness about the Marriage and Family Law, helping students understand the harmful effects of early marriage. At the same time, the school also cooperates with the youth union to visit families and disseminate knowledge about reproductive health and adolescent psychology to both students and parents."

Meanwhile, Phan Trieu Minh Anh, a student at the Song Hinh District Ethnic Boarding School, and many of her classmates hope that youth organizations will continue to build models of "Youth Saying No to Child Marriage," creating forums where young people can express their thoughts, support each other in changing perceptions, and contribute to building a civilized and progressive community.

Sharing her thoughts on the significance of this forum, Ms. Tran Thi Binh, Vice President of the Provincial Women's Union, said: "We organized this forum to listen to the voices of adolescent students from three mountainous districts of the province. The forum is an opportunity for them to express their thoughts and aspirations, affirm their role and responsibility in raising awareness, changing community perceptions, and working together to prevent, combat, and eliminate child marriage in their localities. Through this, relevant women's unions and departments can develop appropriate and effective programs and solutions to prevent and combat child marriage, eliminating outdated customs that are no longer compatible with traditional customs and modern social norms."

"Child marriage is not only a sad story for individual families but also leaves long-lasting consequences for the community. Therefore, in addition to raising awareness among students themselves, it is essential to have the joint efforts of families, schools, the community, and local authorities in preventing and eliminating this situation," said Tran Thi Binh, Vice President of the Provincial Women's Union.

Source: https://baophuyen.vn/xa-hoi/202505/lang-nghe-vahanh-dong-deday-lui-nan-tao-hon-17a4974/