Efforts to eliminate outdated customs among the Hmong people.

Many years ago, in the highland villages of Cao Minh commune, outdated customs persisted, making life difficult for the people, with women bearing the brunt of the burden. However, in recent years, thanks to the efforts of various levels of government and local authorities in raising awareness and mobilizing support, women here have actively fought to eliminate these customs. A prime example is Khuoi Tra village, where Mong ethnic women are no longer passively accepting their fate; they are gradually changing their own lives and the lives of their community.

Men in Khuoi Tra are now planting rice – a job that was previously done primarily by women.

Khuoi Tra currently has 99 households, of which 77 are Mong ethnic people living scattered on the high mountain slopes. Just over a decade ago, Mong women in the area often had to bear the pressure of outdated customs such as child marriage, consanguineous marriage, arranged marriage, male chauvinism, or the belief that women did not need a higher education.

Many young girls, having only completed the ninth grade, are forced to abandon their dreams to get married, while older women are bound by strict traditional customs, leading to consequences such as poverty, illness, lack of access to basic services, and recreational activities.

Aware of the injustices faced by women, the village Party branch, women's association, and other mass organizations have actively propagated and mobilized the Mong ethnic people to abandon outdated customs.

Accordingly, activities to raise awareness about gender equality, combat child marriage, and support women's entrepreneurship have been intensified.

Through community meetings, village gatherings, public address systems, or direct visits to households, people have been informed, explained, and analyzed about the consequences of these outdated customs, thereby gradually contributing to changing the awareness of the ethnic minority people in this area.

Mr. Ma Van Hong proactively shares the responsibility of caring for his young child.

Like many other young women, Duong Thi Chi, a Hmong girl, was advised by her family to marry early and settle down.

However, thanks to the awareness campaigns conducted by local associations and organizations, Ms. Duong Thi Chi gained useful knowledge and understood the negative consequences of early marriage. Therefore, she decided not to get married before the age of 18.

Ms. Duong Thi Chi said: "Previously, according to custom, many Hmong people married early, but I was educated and understood that getting married early would bring hardship, and I wouldn't know how to earn money for my children's education, so I didn't get married early. I got married at 20, and now my family's finances are stable and we no longer face difficulties."

Mr. Nong Sam Thanh, Secretary of the Party Branch of Khuoi Tra village, said: The Party Branch unanimously assigned all Party members to educate the people about the consequences of child marriage and consanguineous marriage. Therefore, along with many other activities, in recent years there have been no cases of consanguineous marriage in Khuoi Tra, with only one case of child marriage remaining.

Along with raising awareness among the people, organizations and associations in Khuoi Tra village also intensified propaganda and mobilization efforts to encourage men to join hands in eliminating outdated customs, building a civilized lifestyle, and helping women more with housework and farming.

Thanks to these positive efforts, the incidence of child marriage and consanguineous marriage in this highland village has decreased significantly. While previously the locality recorded dozens of child marriage cases each year, by 2024 this number had dropped to only two cases, and from the beginning of 2025 to the present, there has been only one case of child marriage in the village.

Thanks to marrying at the right age, Hmong couples here have more mature thinking, especially the men.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202512/no-luc-xoa-bo-hu-tuc-trong-dong-bao-mong-6b04abc/