Suoi Coc Village (Cam Hiep Commune): Working together to combat child marriage.

Over the years, the team of respected individuals and the committees, departments, and organizations of Suoi Coc village (Cam Hiep commune) have played a pivotal role in disseminating information and mobilizing the people to implement the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws, especially in preventing and combating child marriage and consanguineous marriage. As a result, consanguineous marriage has been eradicated, child marriage has significantly decreased, and the cultural life in the residential area has improved positively.

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Suoi Coc village currently has 135 households with approximately 470 inhabitants, mainly from the Raglai ethnic group. Previously, due to difficult economic conditions and uneven levels of education, child marriage and consanguineous marriage still occurred. However, from 2023 to the present, the entire village has only recorded 2 cases of child marriage, and there have been no cases of consanguineous marriage. This achievement is largely thanks to the contributions of the village's respected community leaders.

According to Mr. Mau Thien (Suoi Coc village), when elected as a respected community leader, he always prioritized the task of disseminating information and encouraging people to comply with the Party's guidelines, the State's policies and laws, especially the legal regulations on marriage and family. Based on this, he actively participated in disseminating information at village meetings and community solidarity events, while also coordinating with village and commune officials to visit each household to gather information on marriage registration. Cases of underage marriages were addressed through awareness campaigns, reminders, and reports to the local authorities for timely intervention.

Initially, Mr. Mau Thien's outreach work faced many difficulties. Many people were unfamiliar with, or even indifferent to, the idea of ​​abandoning old customs. However, with the motto "persistent effort pays off," Mr. Mau Thien did not lose heart. He chose the most approachable method: "going from street to street, knocking on every door," talking directly in the language and customs of his people. His perseverance, sincerity, and exemplary behavior gradually built trust, making people listen and think. "We spread the message anytime, anywhere, from community gatherings to simple conversations over tea or in the fields. In these conversations, I often collected very ordinary stories such as: the difficulties of having children before reaching the legal age, the weak and sickly children born due to consanguineous marriages, or the poverty that plagues those who marry too early... helping people to easily understand and accept the message," Mr. Mau Thien shared.

Village heads and various committees, departments, and organizations are disseminating information to the people about preventing child marriage and consanguineous marriage.

...to collective strength

Along with Mr. Mau Thien, Suoi Coc village has also effectively promoted the role of the village's committees and organizations, the elderly, and influential community members in combating child marriage. These are forces trusted and respected by the people, so when they speak out, policies and guidelines become more accessible and easier to accept. For families intending to marry off their daughters before they reach the legal age, they persistently visit their homes, analyzing the pros and cons, discussing legal matters while also connecting it to the family's own life experiences. This gentle yet persuasive approach has helped many parents change their minds, deciding to let their children continue their studies and work until they are of legal age before marrying.

Mr. Mang Tam, head of Suoi Coc village, shared: “We have always clearly understood that eliminating child marriage and consanguineous marriage is a long-term process and cannot be done as a temporary campaign. Therefore, staying close to the people and the local area, and identifying high-risk cases early on, is always our top priority.” In particular, the content of the propaganda goes beyond simply saying “don’t marry child” or “don’t marry consanguineously,” and also connects it to practical benefits such as healthcare, family economic development, ensuring children attend school, and gradually escaping poverty. As a result, people's awareness has significantly improved, and many outdated customs are gradually being pushed back. From 2020 to the present, 18 households in Suoi Coc village have escaped poverty, and the material and spiritual lives of the people have gradually improved. Notably, there is no longer any consanguineous marriage in the village – a remarkable achievement for a village inhabited by ethnic minorities. Regarding child marriage, only one case was recorded in 2023 and one case in 2025.

These results did not come from rigid measures, but were built on understanding, perseverance, and responsibility towards the community. Currently, Mr. Mau Thien and the village committees and organizations are still quietly contributing to changing the awareness and behavior of the people, thereby creating a foundation for the sustainable socio-economic development of Suoi Coc village.

KHANH HA

Ms. Ho Thi Thuy - Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Department of Cam Hiep Commune: In the past, the committees and organizations of Suoi Coc village have closely coordinated with influential people, the elderly, and individuals with a voice in the community to implement propaganda and mobilization work to prevent and combat child marriage and consanguineous marriage. Thanks to a close, persistent approach that is suitable to the local reality, people's awareness has gradually been raised, and many outdated customs have been gradually eliminated. In the coming time, Cam Hiep commune will continue to create conditions for this group to play a core role in building cultural life in residential areas, while promoting propaganda and raising people's awareness of legal regulations on marriage and family.

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/xa-hoi/202512/thon-suoi-coc-xa-cam-hiep-chung-tay-day-lui-tao-hon-d9e5cca/