Empowering young digital citizens

UNICEF and partners explore the opportunities and risks that Viet Nam’s digital evolution presents for children

Junior reporters participating in the UNICEF-supported workshop
© UNICEF Viet Nam/2012

As Viet Nam experiences rapid growth in access to mobile phones and the Internet, UNICEF and partners are focusing attention on the impact of this digital expansion on children in the country. According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Internet penetration in Viet Nam doubled between 2006 and 2011 while the number of mobile phone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants jumped from 22 to 143 during the same time period – and children and young people are at the forefront of this surge in use.

Protecting child victims of commercial sexual exploitation

Children are entering prostitution at a younger age than five years ago
This photo is for illustration purpose only!
© UN Viet Nam\shutterstock48041263\Jose AS Reyes

Linh* was born into a poor family in Chau Doc, a small town in the Mekong Delta region of Viet Nam. She did not enjoy school and dropped out without completing lower secondary level. Despite her parents’ concerns, Linh followed the path of many young people from her region and headed to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) to look for a job. She was only 16 years old and knew very little about Viet Nam’s biggest city.

Sea change: The "Making of" video

An instructional video capturing the process of making the participatory short film entitled "Sea Change" by a group of Vietnamese young reporters in May 2012.

"Sea Change" is part of a 3 country project with UNICEF Vietnam, the Democracy Center in Bolivia and UNICEF UK that combines young people's expressions and viewpoints on climate change in their own countries into one unified voice. The Viet Nam film workshop is funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy to Viet Nam and managed by UNICEF Viet Nam.

Julia’s field diary: children with disabilities in Da Nang

UNICEF intern Julia Hartelius at a day-care centre for children with disabilities
© UNICEF Viet Nam/2012/Hartelius

Julia Hartelius is a Swedish student who has been interning at UNICEF Viet Nam’s Child Protection section in Ha Noi since 6 August 2012. In this field diary, she shares her impressions and reflections during a trip to visit UNICEF’s work in support of children with disabilities in Viet Nam’s coastal city: Da Nang. Da Nang is one of the three hot spots of Agent Orange in Viet Nam; the dioxin contamination of its airport is one of the vestiges of the toxic chemicals stored and sprayed by the US military during the war in Viet Nam.

Lifting up voices from the ground to improve services for children

Giang Thi Cau’s family shared their feedback on a cash transfer scheme
© UNICEF Viet Nam/2012/Sandra Bisin

Eight year-old Giang Thi Cau is proud to perform a traditional dance for her peers at the end of the school day. She belongs to the Mong group, one of the main ethnic groups in Dien Bien province, in northern Viet Nam, which comprises a total of 19 ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language, culture and customs. Cau’s school is located in a scenic but remote valley of Dien Bien, surrounded by spectacular mountain peaks.