Ha Noi, 24 March 2015 – UNFPA and the National Assembly’s Parliamentary Committee for Social Affairs (PCSA) held a discussion on Population and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) polices on 24 March in Quang Ninh province. This event provided a platform for elected officials to discuss the latest emerging population issues, including fertility rates and the persistent unmet needs for SRH care, particularly among vulnerable groups, such as unmarried adolescents, migrant workers and ethnic minority people.
The success of Viet Nam’s National Programme on Population and Family Planning over the past decades is reflected in national population surveys, which show that fertility has consistently declined to below replacement levels since 2005. Now, the country has a significant demographic window of opportunity to reap the socio-economic benefits of this investment in population and sustainable development. Furthermore, the country also faces a rapidly ageing population. "Given this demographic trend and based on the experiences of other countries, there is no need for Viet Nam to continue with the policy on fertility reduction or birth control. Instead of a “control approach”, it is better for Viet Nam to apply a “free-of-coercion” principle to meet unmet needs for SRH, including contraceptives, of population groups and areas that have high fertility rates,” Ms. Ritsu Nacken, UNFPA Representative a.i. in Viet Nam, said at the event.
During the discussion, there were presentations from Government representatives on the implementation of population and family planning policies and the 2014 Inter-census Population and Housing Survey as well as from national researchers on fertility and SRH. Young people now make up approximately 40 per cent of Viet Nam’s total population, the highest ever proportion in the country's history. Investing in their access to quality social services, including SRH, education, vocational training and job opportunities can reap benefits for sustainable development in Viet Nam.
"UNFPA stands ready to support the Government by providing evidence from international experiences in relation to population policies. By doing so, we hope to help policy-makers make the right decisions for Vietnamese people, to enable all Vietnamese to enjoy their human rights, including sexual and reproductive rights and a right for reproductive choice," said Ms. Nacken.
