There are now around 300 government-approved NGOs. All clergy must belong to the government-organized churches and must obtain permission to hold meetings or training seminars, operate religious schools, appoint clergy, and repair places of worship. In the central highlands, the government restricts the Protestant religious affairs of the ethnic Montagnards and has arrested clergy and worshippers. Authorities reportedly restrict exit permits for Muslims seeking to make the religious pilgrimage to Mecca. The law permits government intrusion into the privacy of individuals, families, or homes, but this rarely happens.
Citizens can travel freely within the country and abroad.
Under Sharia, Muslim women face some discrimination in divorce, inheritance, and child custody matters. There are occasional reports of physical abuse and ill treatment of female domestic servants and foreign workers. All unions must belong to the state-controlled Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, and all union leaders are VCP members. The 1994 Labor Code recognizes only a limited right to strike and allows the prime minister or the court to terminate strikes for the national good. Local authorities impose internal travel, education, and employment restrictions on ethnic minorities.