Vietnam will try its best to implement commitments on population, family and children and millennium development goals to build a progressive and prosperous society, and together with the international community, to realise equality, progress and sustainable development.
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung made the pledge at a meeting in Hanoi on December 26 to mark the 45th anniversary of Vietnam’s Population Day.
Mr Hung thanked foreign countries and international organisations, particularly the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), for their effective assistance to Vietnam in reducing the birth rate and increasing the quality of population. He also praised the population, family and children sector for its achievements in the past years and asked it to draw lessons and overcome pending weaknesses.
Reports delivered at the meeting showed that over the past 45 years, Vietnam has made great strides in population work. The birth rate among women at the reproductive age dropped significantly from 6.4 children in 1960s to 2.1 in 2005 – a level close to the replacement-level fertility rate. The natural population growth rate also decreased from more than 3 percent in 1960s to 1.2 percent in 2006. Population quality and several maternal and child healthcare indexes were gradually improved.
In his address, Vietnam UNFPA chief representative Ian Howie said Vietnam has made great progress in population work over the past four decades thanks to special care from the Party and State of Vietnam. Notably, he said, Vietnam’s general fertility rate dropped significantly and has been maintained over the past 10 years. He quoted a recent survey as saying the decreased general fertility rate showed that Vietnam is on the right track to achieve the replacement-level fertility rate.
However, he reminded Vietnam of several challenges ahead, including disparity between rural and urban people in accessing reproductive health services and a sharp increase in the number of people under 25 years old in the next decade which will affect reproductive health services.
In its report, the Committee for Population, Family and Children drew six lessons from the implementation of population policies. The Committee stressed the need to enhance population work to meet people’s aspiration and interests, promote close and effective coordination between sectors and localities, strengthen the capacity of population agencies, socialise population, family and children work, enhance communications and provide family planning services.
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