Child protection

Lao PDR has an estimated population of 7.4 million with around 49.6% of the population being children and young people below the age of 25 years; and 62% are age under 15. (LAOSIS, 2022).

Child protection issues affecting children and youths in Laos are largely associated with poverty as well as rapid-social economic changes. These changes have resulted in a spike in rural-urban migration, meaning that children are increasingly accompanying their migrant working parents or being left behind, cared for in temples, boarding schools or orphanages, or with extended family. 

Save the Children International in Laos is dedicated to Child Protection, with a specific emphasis on reducing harmful practices, including early marriage; protecting children from violence, including physical and humiliating punishment and sexual violence; protecting them from trafficking, and from harmful work. The program aims to build life skills, improve gender equity, and establish community-based child protection initiatives.

In the 2021 Global Childhood Report published by Save the Children, Laos was placed 143rd out of 186 nations on an index that measured each nation's average performance on eight different dimensions pertaining to child health, education, labour, marriage, childbirth, and violence.

According to the research, 23.2 percent of children in primary and secondary school ages were not in school in 2015–2019, and 28.2 percent of youngsters aged five to seventeen worked during same time.

Early marriage and child-bearing are also common in most rural areas of Laos, 43% of all rural women are married before age 18, compared with just 23% in urban areas.  10% of married women gave birth before age 18, 38% before the age of 15 (Girls Not Brides, 2022).

The commercial sexual exploitation of children remains a persistent yet sensitive issue in Laos with child prostitution and human trafficking being common place; poverty, and a low level of law enforcement have also led to an increase in Child Sex Tourism. 

Save the Children takes a holistic view of children considering all aspects of a child while making strategic choices and setting priorities. We work alongside children to increase their awareness and understanding of their rights, support them in having their voices heard, and encourage their involvement in programme and policy development.  Save the Children also works with families, other primary care givers and communities to protect and promote children’s rights.

The organization employs a multi-stakeholder approach to preventing and responding to Child Early Forced Marriage. The overarching goal is to strengthen community-based child protection, shielding children from violence, harmful practices, and early forced marriages.

 Save the Children International in Laos is currently implementing the Child Protection for Preventing Child Labour (CPPCL) project, which is designed to address the root causes of child labour in disadvantaged and ethnic minority communities in Luang Prabang Province. It takes a holistic approach by protecting children and adolescents who are at risk of or already engaged in child labour through tailored case management and support services. The programme promotes access to quality education, life skills, and technical and vocational training, providing meaningful alternatives and pathways to decent work. 

It also equips older children and youth with financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills to build sustainable livelihoods. By engaging families and communities through awareness-raising initiatives, the project fosters a deeper understanding of the risks of child labour and the importance of children’s rights to protection, education, and safe employment. In parallel, it strengthens the capacity of government agencies, civil society, service providers, media, and the private sector to effectively prevent and respond to child labour, while supporting national efforts to enhance legal and policy frameworks aimed at its elimination. 

Read more about CPPCL project here.

Save the Children conducts Safe Family training for all families intarget areas. This initiative emphasizes positive care for children, fostering understanding among parents and caregivers. The aim is to create protected and well-cared-for children for the benefit of families, communities, and society.

Save the Children has conducted Safe Family training for families in target areas, emphasizing positive childcare practices and strengthening understanding among parents and caregivers. This initiative aims to promote the wellbeing of children, ensuring they are protected and properly cared for, ultimately benefiting families, communities, and society as a whole.

Collaboration has been established with local authorities to promote child protection and gender equality through joint training activities. This community-centered approach identifies the root causes of gender inequality and child abuse, while proposing practical and actionable solutions. Save the Children has supported the establishment of model non-violent parenting families and facilitated the dissemination of laws related to child protection and the prevention of violence against women and children.

In parallel, Save the Children engages with government partners by organizing community campaigns that raise awareness about child rights and prevent violence. National-level campaigns addressing Child Early and Forced Marriage have been carried out in collaboration with NGOs and UN agencies. Partnerships with civil society organizations have also contributed to initiatives on women’s leadership, climate change, and STEM development.