Law on Youth No. 57/2020/QH14

LAW

YOUTH

On the basis of the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

The National Assembly enacts the Youth Law.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Youth

Youth are Vietnamese citizens aged from sixteen to thirty years old.

Article 2. Scope of Regulation

This Law stipulates the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of youth; state policies towards youth; the responsibilities of agencies, youth organizations, other organizations, educational institutions, families, and individuals towards youth; state management over youth affairs.

Article 3. Applicability

This Law applies to youth; agencies, organizations, educational institutions, families, and individuals.

Article 4. Role, Rights, and Obligations of Youth

1. Youth are a large social force, pioneers, creative, leading in the renewal process, building, and defending the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; they play an important role in the industrialization and modernization of the country, international integration, and the construction of socialism.

2. Youth have the rights and obligations of citizens as prescribed by the Constitution and laws.

Article 5. Principles for Ensuring the Implementation of Youth Rights and Obligations and State Policies Towards Youth

1. The rights and obligations of youth are recognized, respected, protected, and ensured to be implemented as prescribed by the Constitution and laws.

2. There shall be no discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, social stratum, belief, religion, cultural level, or profession in the implementation of youth rights and obligations.

3. The state, organizations, educational institutions, families, and individuals have the responsibility to create conditions for youth to exercise their rights and obligations as prescribed by the Constitution and laws.

4. State policies towards youth must ensure the goal of youth development; create conditions for youth to implement their rights, obligations, responsibilities, and to develop their capabilities; these policies must be established or integrated into sectoral, field-specific, and local policies.

5. The construction and implementation of state policies towards youth must ensure youth participation; respect and listen to the opinions and aspirations of youth.

6. Support and create conditions for Vietnamese youth abroad to participate in activities directed towards the homeland and to preserve and promote national cultural identity.

7. Timely and strictly handle agencies, organizations, and individuals who fail to fulfill or improperly fulfill their responsibilities as prescribed by this Law.

Article 6. Resources for Implementing State Policies Towards Youth

1. The state ensures resources for the establishment and implementation of policies towards youth as prescribed by law.

2. Financial resources for implementing policies towards youth include the state budget; donations, aid, sponsorships, and other lawful contributions from organizations, businesses, and individuals both domestically and internationally.

Article 7. National Committee for Youth Affairs of Vietnam

1. The National Committee for Youth Affairs of Vietnam is a cross-sectoral coordinating organization with the function of providing advisory assistance.

2. The tasks and powers of the National Committee for Youth Affairs of Vietnam are prescribed by the Government.

Article 8. International Cooperation on Youth Affairs

1. International cooperation on youth affairs must adhere to the principles of equality, respect for independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, be consistent with the laws of each country, international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a party, and international practices.

2. Contents of international cooperation on youth affairs include:

a) Participation in international organizations; signing and implementing international treaties, agreements on youth; international cooperation programs and projects on youth;

b) Exchange of information, management experience, and policies and laws on youth;

c) Interaction between Vietnamese youth and youth from other countries.

Article 9. Youth Month

1. Every year in March is Youth Month. Youth Month is organized to promote the spirit of initiative, voluntarism, and creativity among youth to participate in activities for the benefit of the community and society, and to encourage organizations and individuals to invest in and develop youth.

2. The Communist Youth Union Ho Chi Minh shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals to organize Youth Month activities.

3. The Government and local authorities at all levels shall be responsible for creating favorable conditions regarding mechanisms, policies, and resources to support the Communist Youth Union Ho Chi Minh at the same level in organizing Youth Month activities. The heads of agencies and organizations shall be responsible for creating favorable conditions and supporting youth participation in Youth Month activities.

Article 10. Dialogue with Youth

1. The Prime Minister and Chairpersons of People's Committees at all levels shall be responsible for dialoguing with youth at least once a year on issues related to youth; the heads of agencies, organizations, and units of the people's armed forces shall be responsible for dialoguing with youth according to the requirements of the youth organization stipulated in this Law.

2. Those responsible for dialoguing with youth as specified in Clause 1 of this Article shall direct the preparation of dialogue plans and programs and publicly announce them on electronic information portals, websites, or post them at the offices of agencies, organizations, and units at least 30 days before the dialogue date; resolve within their authority or refer the youth's proposals to competent authorities for resolution through dialogue activities.

3. Within ten days from the date of dialogue, the conclusions of the dialogue must be publicly announced on electronic information portals, websites, or posted at the offices of agencies, organizations, and units and sent to relevant agencies, organizations, and units; in cases where the dialogue content is complex and involves multiple fields, this period is fifteen days.

4. The Government shall provide detailed regulations on this matter.

Article 11. Application of International Treaties on Children's Rights to Youth Aged 16 to Under 18

The State shall apply international treaties on children's rights to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a member for youth aged 16 to under 18 years old in accordance with Vietnam's conditions.

Chapter II

RESPONSIBILITIES OF YOUTH

Article 12. Responsibilities towards the Homeland

1. Promote the tradition of founding and defending the country; be proactive, creative, and leading in the renewal process, building, and defending the Socialist Fatherland of Vietnam.

2. Be ready to defend the homeland, safeguard national independence, maintain sovereignty, national security, unity, and territorial integrity; undertake difficult, arduous, and urgent tasks when required by the homeland.

3. Struggle against plots and activities that harm national interests and ethnic groups.

Article 13. Responsibilities towards the State and Society

1. Set an example in complying with policies, laws, and fulfilling civic duties.

2. Participate in maintaining social order, safety, national defense, and national security.

3. Proactively propose ideas and initiatives during the policy and law-making process; participate in state management and societal affairs.

4. Actively engage in promoting and mobilizing the people to implement the Constitution and laws.

5. Build production and business models to create employment; participate in environmental protection and activities for the benefit of the community and society.

6. Actively participate in activities caring for, educating, and protecting children.

Article 14. Responsibilities towards the family

1. Ensuring the happiness of the family; preserving and promoting the fine traditions of the Vietnamese family.

2. Respecting and being filial to grandparents, parents, and respecting other members of the family; caring for and educating children within the family.

3. Actively preventing and combating domestic violence, eliminating outdated customs and practices regarding marriage and the family.

Article 15. Responsibilities towards oneself

1. Cultivating morality, personality, cultural lifestyle, civilized behavior; having civic responsibility, awareness of law compliance; preventing and combating social evils, illegal and immoral behaviors.

2. Actively studying, improving knowledge and skills; accessing, researching, and applying science and technology in practice.

3. Proactively understanding the labor market; choosing suitable professions and jobs; cultivating responsibility, labor discipline, and professional demeanor; innovating and improving techniques to enhance labor productivity.

4. Cultivating, protecting, and enhancing health; developing physical and mental well-being; equipping with life skills, reproductive health care skills, sexual health care skills, disease prevention; not abusing alcohol; limiting tobacco use; not using drugs, addictive substances, and other stimulants prohibited by law; preventing harm from cyberspace.

5. Actively participating in healthy cultural, sports activities; protecting, maintaining, and promoting national cultural identity; absorbing the finest cultural achievements of humanity.

Chapter III

STATE POLICIES TOWARDS YOUTH

Article 16. Policies on education and scientific research

1. Ensuring equality in access to education and creating conditions for youth to participate in scientific research.

2. Issuing and ensuring implementation of programs to educate ethics, ideals, national traditions, cultural lifestyles, life skills, and awareness of law compliance for youth.

3. Implementing credit policies, scholarships, and tuition fee reductions for youth as prescribed by law.

4. Encouraging and supporting youth in studying, improving professional expertise; fostering creativity, research, and application of scientific and technological advancements.

5. Providing incentives and support for organizations and individuals investing in youth scientific research, innovation; participating in training life skills and other necessary skills for youth.

Article 17. Policies on labor and employment

1. Advising and guiding youth in career selection; providing labor market information; educating vocational skills and occupational ethics for youth; ensuring that youth are not subjected to forced labor exploitation.

2. Creating conditions for youth to have employment; generating local employment opportunities for youth in rural, mountainous, and island areas, appropriate to each region and stage of national development.

Article 18. Policies on entrepreneurship

1. Educating and training youth in entrepreneurial knowledge and skills.

2. Providing market information; offering legal, scientific, and technological support, investment promotion, human resource development; granting preferential loans from financial institutions as prescribed by law.

3. Encouraging and creating a favorable environment for youth to engage in innovative entrepreneurship utilizing science and technology.

4. Providing incentives and support for organizations and individuals participating in services supporting youth entrepreneurship; encouraging the establishment of youth entrepreneurship funds as prescribed by law.

Article 19. Policy on protection, care, and improvement of health

1. Counseling and support to enhance the health of young people; prevention and combating domestic violence, school violence, sexual abuse; prevention and combating drugs, HIV/AIDS; prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, other social diseases, and risks affecting the physical and mental health of young people.

2. Ensuring that young people have access to information and friendly services for reproductive health and sexual health protection and care; counseling and health examination before marriage.

3. Encouraging organizations and individuals to invest in providing medical services and health care for young people.

Article 20. Policy on culture, physical education, and sports

1. Encouraging and supporting young people's participation and creativity in cultural, physical education, and sports activities.

2. Creating conditions for young people to actively participate in preserving and promoting the value of national culture and absorbing the finest elements of world culture.

3. Propaganda, dissemination, and education to raise awareness and ensure the safety of young people in cyberspace.

4. Encouraging organizations and individuals to invest in building cultural and physical education and sports facilities for young people.

Article 21. Policy on national defense

1. Ensuring that young people receive national defense and security education, patriotic spirit, revolutionary heroism, and awareness of building and defending the country.

2. Ensuring that young people fulfill their military service obligations; their obligations to join the People's Public Security, Self-Defense Militia; participating in reserve forces and building a whole-nation defense and people's security foundation according to the provisions of the law.

3. Young people who complete their military service and obligations to join the People's Public Security shall enjoy vocational training support policies and other preferential policies as prescribed by law.

Article 22. Policy towards voluntary youth

1. Voluntary youth are a vanguard force of young people participating in implementing tasks for economic and social development, job creation, education, training, and discipline of young people, and urgent, difficult, and arduous tasks in building and defending the country.

2. The State promulgates policies for voluntary youth to perform the following tasks:

a) Participating in economic and social development projects assigned by the State;

b) Participating in disaster relief, epidemic control; environmental protection; maintaining public order, social safety, national defense, and security;

c) Participating in producing goods, providing services, transferring advanced technology to support production, vocational training linked with job creation for young people;

d) Urgent, difficult, and arduous tasks as prescribed by law.

3. The State ensures financial conditions, material bases, and necessary equipment for voluntary youth organizations when performing tasks assigned by the State.

4. Voluntary youth enjoy benefits and policies during and after completing their tasks.

5. The Government shall provide detailed regulations on this matter.

Article 23. Policy towards volunteer youth

1. Volunteer youth are young people voluntarily participating in activities for the benefit of the community and society in accordance with the provisions of the law.

2. The State promulgates policies for volunteer youth as follows:

a) Establishing information channels for young people to access and participate in volunteer activities;

b) Developing programs and projects to bring volunteer youth to work in areas with particularly difficult economic and social conditions, border areas, and islands;

c) Encouraging organizations and individuals to support young people's participation in volunteer activities for the benefit of the community and society.

3. The Government shall provide detailed regulations on this Article.

Article 24. Policy towards talented youth

1. The State shall have policies to discover, train, nurture, attract, utilize, and reward talented youth.

2. Heads of agencies and organizations shall be responsible for implementing policies towards talented youth in accordance with their functions, tasks, and authorities.

Article 25. Policy towards youth from ethnic minorities

1. Priority shall be given to youth from ethnic minorities in education, labor, employment, entrepreneurship, health care, physical exercise, and sports.

2. Support shall be provided to youth from ethnic minorities to preserve and promote their national cultural identity, build civilized lifestyles, and struggle against outdated customs and practices.

3. Priority shall be given to selecting training, nurturing, and planning for leadership and management positions for young cadres, civil servants, and public officials from ethnic minorities within state agencies, organizations, and units.

4. Enterprises and organizations shall be encouraged to give priority to recruiting youth from ethnic minorities.

Article 26. Policy towards youth aged 16 to under 18 years old

1. Ensuring completion of compulsory education as prescribed by law.

2. Prioritizing and creating conditions for participation in cultural activities, physical exercise, sports, recreation, and entertainment suitable to their abilities and age to promote comprehensive development.

3. Training and advising on career selection and employment suitable to their age.

4. Equipping knowledge and skills to protect themselves from risks affecting their physical and mental health; ensuring measures to support and intervene so that youth aged 16 to under 18 years old live safely and healthily.

5. Ensuring the implementation of criminal, administrative, and civil policies as prescribed by law.

6. Prioritizing prompt resolution of cases causing harm to the physical and mental health of youth aged 16 to under 18 years old.

7. Encouraging organizations and individuals to discover, train, and nurture talents among youth aged 16 to under 18 years old.

8. The Government shall stipulate mechanisms, policies, and measures to implement policies towards youth aged 16 to under 18 years old.

Chapter IV

RESPONSIBILITIES OF YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS

Article 27. Youth Organizations

1. Youth organizations include the Communist Youth Union Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnam Youth Federation, the Vietnam Student Association, and other youth organizations established, organized, and operated in accordance with the law.

2. Youth organizations play a role in uniting and mobilizing youth, representing their interests and legitimate rights, and promoting the role of youth in the cause of building and defending the country.

3. Youth organizations shall be responsible for researching the needs and aspirations of youth to make recommendations to competent authorities; coordinating with state management agencies on youth, related agencies in propaganda, education, and implementation of policies and laws concerning youth; organizing youth to participate in movements for the benefit of the community and society, and the cause of building and defending the country.

Article 28. Communist Youth Union Ho Chi Minh

2. The Communist Youth Union Ho Chi Minh shall be responsible for social supervision and criticism regarding youth policies and laws as prescribed by law; summarizing and reflecting the opinions and recommendations of youth to competent authorities.

3. The Communist Youth Union Ho Chi Minh shall be responsible for participating and coordinating with relevant state agencies in the process of drafting, propagating, and implementing policies and laws concerning youth.

4. The Communist Youth Union Ho Chi Minh shall carry out youth foreign affairs activities.

Article 29. The Vietnam Youth Union and the Vietnam Student Association

1. The Vietnam Youth Union is a broad social organization of Vietnamese youth and a youth organization aimed at uniting and mobilizing all strata of Vietnamese youth to strive for the cause of building and defending the country.

2. The Vietnam Student Association is a social organization of Vietnamese students aimed at uniting and mobilizing Vietnamese students to jointly strive in studying, training, and contributing to the nation.

3. The Vietnam Youth Union and the Vietnam Student Association have the responsibility to coordinate with the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to participate in monitoring and providing social feedback on policies and laws concerning youth as stipulated by law.

Article 30. State policy towards youth organizations

1. Creating conditions for youth organizations to participate in building and implementing policies and laws concerning youth.

2. Ensuring conditions for youth organizations to fulfill tasks assigned by the state.

3. Supporting and creating conditions for youth organizations to mobilize youth to implement economic and social development programs and other projects.

4. State agencies, organizations, and units have the responsibility to create conditions for the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to organize activities for monitoring and providing social feedback in the process of building and implementing policies and laws concerning youth.

Chapter V

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE VIETNAMESE FRONT FOR UNITY, SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS, ECONOMIC ORGANIZATIONS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND FAMILY

Article 31. Responsibilities of the Vietnamese Front for Unity

1. Building plans and programs for unified actions of the Vietnamese Front for Unity regarding work to unite, consolidate, and mobilize youth forces.

2. Coordinating with the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and other member organizations of the Vietnamese Front for Unity to implement programs for monitoring and providing social feedback on policies and laws concerning youth and youth work.

3. Mobilizing members of the Vietnamese Front for Unity to care for and protect the legitimate rights and interests of youth.

Article 32. Responsibilities of social organizations

1. Mobilizing members to create conditions for youth to study, work, participate in cultural, sports activities, develop physical and intellectual abilities; cultivate morals, national traditions, civic awareness; lead in creative labor and national defense efforts.

2. Coordinating with state management agencies concerning youth in building and implementing policies and laws concerning youth.

3. Coordinating with youth organizations to care for and protect the legitimate rights and interests of youth.

4. Providing resources in accordance with the law and regulations of social organizations to promote youth development.

Article 33. Responsibilities of economic organizations

1. Ensuring safe working environments and conditions; providing adequate knowledge and information about occupational safety and health to young workers.

2. Paying attention to and caring for the living standards of young workers; supporting young workers to study and participate in cultural, sports activities; caring for and protecting their health.

3. Creating conditions for the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Vietnam Youth Union to establish and operate.

4. Encouraging and supporting young people to start businesses; vocational training, professional skills, life skills; investing in building cultural, sports facilities for youth.

Article 34. Responsibilities of educational institutions

1. Educate young people on tradition, morality, and healthy lifestyles.

2. Create a safe, friendly, and healthy educational environment; implement measures to prevent and combat school violence and sexual abuse among young people.

3. Encourage creativity in learning and scientific research; enhance self-study abilities and practical skills; provide career counseling for young people.

4. Provide psychological counseling on social issues and school psychology; educate life skills, knowledge on health care, reproductive health, sexual health, gender, and prevention of school diseases and social evils for young people.

5. Create conditions for young people to participate in cultural, sports, recreational, and extracurricular activities.

6. Create conditions for the Communist Youth Union of Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnam Student Association to establish and operate.

Article 35. Responsibilities of families

1. Respect and listen to the opinions and wishes of young people; pay attention, educate, encourage, and create conditions for young people to fulfill their rights, obligations, and responsibilities as prescribed by law.

2. Respect the rights of young people in marriage and family; educate on gender, gender equality, and necessary knowledge about marriage and family.

3. Care for and educate young people to develop physically, mentally, intellectually, morally, and in character; have a healthy cultural lifestyle, become filial children of the family, and useful citizens for society.

4. Train life skills for young people; educate work discipline; respect and create conditions for young people to choose careers and seek employment.

5. Guide and create conditions for young people to access safe information sources and protect young people in cyberspace.

Chapter VI

STATE MANAGEMENT OF YOUTH

Article 36. Contents of state management of youth

1. Enact or submit to competent state agencies for enactment and implementation of legal normative documents on youth; prescribe measures to implement policies towards youth.

2. Develop and implement strategies, policies, programs, and plans for youth development.

3. Conduct statistics, information, and reporting on youth situations and the implementation of policies and laws towards youth.

4. Build a cadre of civil servants for state management of youth.

5. Promote, disseminate, and educate on policies and laws concerning youth.

6. Inspect, investigate, handle violations, resolve complaints, petitions, suggestions; conduct mid-term and final reviews, competitions, and commendations in the implementation of policies and laws towards youth.

7. International cooperation on youth.

8. Enact support policies to encourage organizations and individuals to participate in implementing policies towards youth.

Article 37. Responsibilities of the Government

The Government shall uniformly manage state affairs concerning youth and shall be responsible for the following:

1. Ensuring the effectiveness of the implementation of state management contents concerning youth.

2. Ensuring mechanisms and methods of coordination between ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government agencies, local authorities, and related agencies in formulating and implementing policies and laws concerning youth.

3. Ensuring the formulation and implementation of youth development targets and indicators within long-term, medium-term, and annual socio-economic development strategies, programs, and plans at national, sectoral, and field levels.

4. Report on the implementation of policies and laws concerning youth as required by the National Assembly.

Article 38. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Home Affairs

The Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible before the Government for state management of youth and has the following responsibilities:

1. Issuing policies and laws on youth, strategies, programs, and plans for youth development within its authority or submitting to competent state agencies for issuance;

2. Proposing the integration of policies, targets, and indicators for youth development when drafting economic and social development policies, strategies, programs, and plans for sectors and fields; guiding ministries and sectors to integrate statistical indicators on Vietnamese youth into their systems;

3. Guiding ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and provincial People's Committees in performing state management tasks related to youth; organizing training and capacity building for cadres and civil servants involved in state management of youth;

4. Leading and coordinating with relevant agencies in managing, exploiting, and publishing data and indices on youth development;

5. Leading and coordinating with ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government agencies, and the Central Committee of the Communist Youth Union Ho Chi Minh in formulating and implementing policies and laws for youth;

6. Inspecting, investigating, handling complaints, accusations, and proposals; summarizing, concluding, promoting, rewarding; and handling violations according to its authority or recommending competent authorities to handle violations in the implementation of policies and laws for youth;

7. Annually reporting to the Government on the results of policy and law implementation for youth and state management tasks related to youth;

8. Leading and coordinating with relevant agencies in managing international cooperation activities related to youth as prescribed by law.

Article 39. Responsibilities of Ministries and Ministerial-Level Agencies

Within their respective duties and powers, ministries and ministerial-level agencies shall coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs in state management of youth and have the following responsibilities:

1. Issuing policies and mechanisms to create conditions for youth to participate in sectoral and field development programs;

2. Integrating policies, targets, and indicators for youth development when drafting economic and social development policies, strategies, programs, and plans for sectors and fields; integrating statistical indicators on Vietnamese youth into their systems;

3. Guiding provincial People's Committees in implementing policies and laws for youth under their state management duties and powers;

4. Annually reporting on the implementation of policies and laws for youth in their respective sectors and fields to the Ministry of Home Affairs for consolidation and reporting to the Government.

Article 40. Responsibilities of Provincial People's Councils and People's Committees

1. Provincial People's Councils, within their respective duties and powers, have the following responsibilities:

a) Issuing resolutions on youth development at the local level to implement national policies and laws for youth;

b) Deciding on targets and indicators for youth development in annual and phased economic and social development resolutions of the locality;

c) Allocating budget estimates to organize the implementation of policies, laws, strategies, programs, and plans for youth development at the local level;

d) Supervising the implementation of policies and laws for youth at the local level;

đ) Deciding on the staffing of agencies tasked with state management of youth;

2. Provincial People's Committees, within their respective duties and powers, perform state management of youth and have the following responsibilities:

a) Organizing the implementation of policies, laws, strategies, programs, and plans for youth development at the local level;

b) Integrating targets and indicators for youth development when drafting annual and phased economic and social development programs and plans for the locality;

c) Building a cadre of officials engaged in state management of youth;

d) Ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of youth in investment and development of educational, health, health counseling, cultural, and sports facilities;

đ) Managing, exploiting, and publishing statistical data and indices on youth development at the local level;

e) Conducting statistics and information work, annually reporting on the results of policy and law implementation for youth to the Ministry of Home Affairs for consolidation and reporting to the Government;

g) Inspecting, investigating, handling violations, and resolving complaints and accusations regarding youth;

h) Directing and guiding lower-level People's Committees in performing state management tasks related to youth.

Chapter VII

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 41. Effective Date

1. This Law takes effect from January 1, 2021.

2. Law on Youth No. 53/2005/QH11 ceases to be effective from the date this Law takes effect.

This Law was passed by the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the 14th term, the 9th session, on June 16, 2020.