Vietnam Gov’t to Consider New Population Law for Better Gender Balance in Dec
To tackle issues related to supporting families in having two children, particularly daughters, for better gender balance in Vietnam, the Health Ministry would submit a new Population Law to the government in December, expected to reach the National Assembly in 2025, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan announced.
Minister Lan's announced the information following proposals from voters in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre, who urged more decisive policies to encourage families to have two children, especially girls, to address gender imbalance amid concerns over Vietnam's rapid aging population, declining birth rates, and high gender imbalance.
The government’s Resolution 21 aims is to maintain a replacement fertility rate nationwide through 2023, promoting higher birth rates in areas with low fertility while reducing them in regions with higher rates, Minister Lan added, noting that authorities aim to adjust the sex ratio at birth to a more natural balance, targeting fewer than 109 boys for every 100 girls born by 2030.
Vietnam has experienced demographic aging since 2011, with individuals over 65 making up 7% of the population, increasing to 8.3% in the last decade. Projections indicate this figure could rise to 16.8 million by 2039.
The country’s total fertility rate was recorded at 1.96 children per woman in 2023, marking the lowest rate in history and continuing a downward trend. The ideal replacement rate is 2.1 children per woman.
Gender imbalance at birth remains a pressing issue, with a current ratio of 112 boys for every 100 girls, significantly higher than the natural ratio of approximately 105 boys for every 100 girls.