Dialogue on addressing gender-biased sex selection
It requires a stronger multi-sectoral cooperation among all parties concerned to challenge gender norms and stereotypes so as to address the issue of gender-biased sex selection (GBSS) in Vietnam. Central to this in terms of policy and programmatic interventions is to promote gender equality, increase the value of the girl child, and re-cast men’s roles in social and family settings.
Under the framework of the Project: “Addressing Gender Biased Sex Selection and related harmful practices in Vietnam,” which is funded by the Government of Norway for the period 2020-2022, the Dialogue shared international and innovative approaches to change socio-cultural norms leading to GBSS in Vietnam. Men’s roles and participation in promotion for gender equality and to end GBSS, as well as the importance of strengthening the country’s coordination mechanisms for GBSS were also discussed.
Joining the discussion were senior officials from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Vietnam Farmers’ Union, mass/social organisations, and research institutions. Representatives from provincial authorities of Ben Tre, Quang Ninh, Nghe An, Hung Yen, Vung Tau and Bac Giang also joined the session virtually.
Addressing the Dialogue, Deputy Director General of the General Office of Population and Family Planning under the Ministry of Health, Pham Vu Hoang stressed that if sex imbalance at birth in Vietnam continued, it will unpredictably impact the country’s socio-economic development and even the political security as well as the country’s sustainable development.
"Over the past years, Vietnam has implemented many policies and programmes to address this issue as well as other issues relating to population and development," he said. These policies and strategies aim to gradually address the increase in imbalances of sex ratio at birth, thus reaching the “natural” sex ratio at birth.”
Speaking at the events, Norwegian Ambassador in Vietnam, Grete Løchen, said that the Government of Norway was proud to partner with UNFPA and support the Government of Vietnam to stop gender-biased sex selection and achieve gender equality.
"I am very pleased to work together with UNFPA and the government of Vietnam to address gender-biased sex selection in Vietnam," she noted.
UNFPA Representative for Vietnam, Naomi Kitahara said: “I want to appeal for more participation of men and boys in ending gender-biased sex selection. As we celebrate the International Women’s Day on 8 March, it is important to recognise that women are often under pressure from their families to conceive a son rather than a daughter."
Data from the 2019 Population and Housing Census estimates that among adults aged 15–49 years, there will be 1.5 million excess males by 2034, which can further increase to almost 2.5 million by 2059 (9.5 per cent of the corresponding male population) if the current sex imbalance at birth does not decline. Vietnam’s unbalanced sex ratio at birth reached 111.5 male births for 100 female births in 2019 while the biologically “natural” or “normal” sex ratio is between 105 – 106 boys per 100 girls.
Participants at the dialogue
These recommendations were among the conclusions of the Dialogue, which was held in Hanoi today by UNFPA in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to call for stronger actions. The GBSS is considered to result from son preference, fertility limitation, and the availability of reproductive technology.
Under the framework of the Project: “Addressing Gender Biased Sex Selection and related harmful practices in Vietnam,” which is funded by the Government of Norway for the period 2020-2022, the Dialogue shared international and innovative approaches to change socio-cultural norms leading to GBSS in Vietnam. Men’s roles and participation in promotion for gender equality and to end GBSS, as well as the importance of strengthening the country’s coordination mechanisms for GBSS were also discussed.
Joining the discussion were senior officials from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Vietnam Farmers’ Union, mass/social organisations, and research institutions. Representatives from provincial authorities of Ben Tre, Quang Ninh, Nghe An, Hung Yen, Vung Tau and Bac Giang also joined the session virtually.
Addressing the Dialogue, Deputy Director General of the General Office of Population and Family Planning under the Ministry of Health, Pham Vu Hoang stressed that if sex imbalance at birth in Vietnam continued, it will unpredictably impact the country’s socio-economic development and even the political security as well as the country’s sustainable development.
"Over the past years, Vietnam has implemented many policies and programmes to address this issue as well as other issues relating to population and development," he said. These policies and strategies aim to gradually address the increase in imbalances of sex ratio at birth, thus reaching the “natural” sex ratio at birth.”
Speaking at the events, Norwegian Ambassador in Vietnam, Grete Løchen, said that the Government of Norway was proud to partner with UNFPA and support the Government of Vietnam to stop gender-biased sex selection and achieve gender equality.
"I am very pleased to work together with UNFPA and the government of Vietnam to address gender-biased sex selection in Vietnam," she noted.
UNFPA Representative for Vietnam, Naomi Kitahara said: “I want to appeal for more participation of men and boys in ending gender-biased sex selection. As we celebrate the International Women’s Day on 8 March, it is important to recognise that women are often under pressure from their families to conceive a son rather than a daughter."
Data from the 2019 Population and Housing Census estimates that among adults aged 15–49 years, there will be 1.5 million excess males by 2034, which can further increase to almost 2.5 million by 2059 (9.5 per cent of the corresponding male population) if the current sex imbalance at birth does not decline. Vietnam’s unbalanced sex ratio at birth reached 111.5 male births for 100 female births in 2019 while the biologically “natural” or “normal” sex ratio is between 105 – 106 boys per 100 girls.
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