‘Gender disparity in Vietnam is increasingly serious’

On January 9, Mr. Mai Xuan Phuong, former Deputy Director of Communications – Education (Department of Population), said the above, adding that this situation has existed for many years despite many warnings and intervention policies. . This threatens national and global population stability, experts emphasized.

According to the results of the 2024 mid-term Population and Housing Survey announced by the General Statistics Office on January 6, the sex ratio of Vietnam’s population is 99.2 men/100 women. This ratio in urban areas is 96.7 men/100 women, while in rural areas it is 100.7 men/100 women.

However, the sex ratio varies by age group. The 0-10 year old group has the highest rate (110.2 men/100 women), while the group aged 80 and over has the lowest rate (53.8 men/100 women). In the 40-49 year old group, the ratio is almost balanced (100.8 men/100 women), but begins to drop below 100 in the 50-59 year old group (97.3 men/100 women).

The main reason for the high sex ratio in the 0-10 year old group is due to long-term sex imbalance at birth. In 2024, the sex ratio at birth in Vietnam will reach 111.4 boys/100 girls, far exceeding the natural balance (about 106 boys/100 girls).

According to Mr. Phuong, many Vietnamese still have a preference for sons in the context of a sharp decline in fertility, currently only 1.91 children per woman while the ideal number is 2.1. Many families, when they only have one child, find every way to choose the sex of the fetus.

In addition, Confucian culture with the concept of needing sons to continue the family line and worship ancestors, along with the underestimation of women’s role in family and society, further increases the gender gap. Easy access to medical services to diagnose or select the sex of the fetus also leads to abortion for gender reasons.

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan, at the launching ceremony of the National Month of Action on Population in 2024, warned that Vietnam is facing a situation of “reducing births, an excess of boys and girls”. If the sex imbalance at birth continues to be high, by 2034, Vietnam will have an excess of 1.5 million men aged 15-49, this number will increase to 1.8 million by 2059.

Prenatal sex selection reflects profound gender inequality. In the coming decades, population structure will be heavily influenced, with a persistent male preponderance. According to social scientists, gender imbalance will have a major impact on family structure and the marriage system. Young men may have difficulty finding a partner, leading to delayed marriage or increased single living rates, negatively affecting future family systems.

To solve this problem, Vietnam aims to bring the sex ratio at birth to a natural balance, below 109 boys/100 girls by 2030. Experts emphasize the need to change awareness and behavior. behavior of the people, encouraging childbirth according to natural laws. At the same time, it is necessary to develop policies to support enhancing the role and position of women and girls in the family, community and society.

In addition, it is necessary to strictly enforce legal regulations on controlling gender imbalance at birth, and encourage having two children, especially girls, to balance the sex ratio.