US to provide Vietnam with US$8 million to reduce child labour The US Department of Labour (USDOL) will provide Vietnam with US$8 million to prevent and reduce child labour in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and An Giang province.   Vietnam has around 1.75 million children engaged in child labour (photo for illustration) The information was heard at a workshop in Hanoi on May 23 to introduce the technical support project on "Enhancing national capacity to prevent and reduce child labour in Vietnam" held by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The project has a total investment of US$9.2 million with US$8 million funded by the USDOL through the ILO and US$1.2 million funded by the Vietnamese government. The project will be implemented in the areas of garments, textiles and handicrafts in Ho Chi Minh City; in agriculture and fisheries in An Giang province; and in handicrafts in Hanoi. The project is expected to mobilise the involvement of relevant parties to prevent and reduce child labour in Vietnam, including raising awareness about dangers related to child labour, the settlement of child labour issues in accordance with international standards on labour and replicating models of prevention of child labour, among others. Under the project, about 5,000 Vietnamese children who are at high risk of entering child labour or are participating in child labour will be provided with educational services or improved working conditions for those under legal working age. In addition, 2,000 needy households whose children are engaged in child labour or are at high-risk of entering child labour will be supported to improve their livelihoods. Vietnam has around 1.75 million children engaged in child labour, according to a survey carried out in 2012 by the General Statistics Office, the MOLISA and ILO. Child labour creates negative impacts on the psychological and physical development of children, limits their opportunities to attend school, and affects their opportunities for stable jobs in the future. Dtinews