The Vietnamese Ministry of Health has proposed a new population law that would allow couples and individuals to decide the timing, number, and spacing of their children, replacing the current policy that limits each couple or individual to one or two children, with exceptions determined by the government.
The Ministry held a workshop in Hanoi on August 6 to gather feedback on the proposed law, which aims to replace the existing population ordinance in Vietnam.
The proposal comes amid concerns about Vietnam's declining birth rate. The replacement fertility rate is not yet sustainable, with the average number of children per woman at 1.96 and a population growth rate of 0.84% in 2023. Additionally, there remains a high gender imbalance at birth, with a sex ratio of 111.8 boys for every 100 girls in 2023.
The health ministry said that allowing couples and individuals to decide their family size aligns with the 2013 Constitution regarding human rights and citizen rights. The proposed change also reflects Vietnam's political commitments at international forums and is expected to have a positive impact on international public opinion.
Mr. Le Thanh Dung, director of the Population Department at the Ministry, stated that while Vietnam's fertility rate is declining, it is not yet at a critical level. However, he warned that the issue could become significant without timely intervention.
He also noted that penalties for families having a third child under the current population ordinance are "no longer appropriate."
(Suc Khoe Doi Song [1], VOA Vietnamese [2], PLO [3], PLO 1 [4])