The Care of Children and Adolescents: A Case Study of Thai Nguyen Province, Vietnam (1960-1964)

Abstract

Children and adolescents have always been regarded as the nation's "young sprouts", requiring care and education to become productive citizens in adulthood. In the time of 1960- 1964, a period when South Vietnam was resisting the American War of Aggression and North Vietnam was executing the First Five-Year Plan, the Vietnamese Party and Government had a strong focus on children and adolescents' affairs. Directive No. 197-CT/TW (March 19, 1960) was a specialized document concerning the protection and care of children during the anti-American Resistance. The ThaiNguyên provincial government creatively applied this directive, establishing a system of child welfare that integrated education, healthcare, and culture. By using the archival analysis, historical, logical, and comparative analysis methods, this article clarifies the attention and direction from the local government. It thereby affirms the pivotal role of the provincial level in social governance and the development of future human resources, while also demonstrating early parallels with international standards on children's rights.