Dear Mr Do Xuan Tuyen, Permanent Vice Minister of Health

Dear Director-General Le Thanh Dung, Director-General of the Viet Nam Population Authority

Representatives of line ministries, agencies and partners,

Colleagues and friends,

Xin chào Quý vị,

It is an honour to join you all today for this milestone moment as Viet Nam officially launches its national commitment to Family Planning 2030. This commitment sends a powerful message—one that affirms that reproductive health and choice are central to Viet Nam’s vision for an equitable, inclusive, and sustainable future.

At UNFPA, we are proud to stand alongside the Government of Viet Nam, our partners, and communities across the country in advancing a shared mission: ensuring that every person—regardless of income, location, age, gender identity, or background—has access to the information and services they need to make informed decisions about their lives and bodies.

We highly appreciate the recent approval by the National Assembly of the Amendment to the Population Ordinance. This significant legislative change removes the previous limit on the number of children per family, instead promoting individual decision-making regarding family size and birth spacing. 

This marks a truly positive signal and an important step forward in placing people, particularly women and girls, at the center of development policies in Viet Nam. 

Furthermore, it powerfully reflects Viet Nam’s strong commitment to the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD PoA) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda, which together strive to ensure that all individual reproductive decisions are made voluntarily and based on informed choice.

Access to voluntary, quality family planning is a fundamental human right. International evidence shows that at global level, if there were no unmet need for family planning unintended pregnancies would reduce by 71%, and the number of induced abortions would decline by 70%.  Overall, maternal deaths would drop by 70% if FP and maternal health services were fully implemented. 

Family Planning is central to achieving gender equality, reducing poverty and ensuring sustainable development. Today’s commitment reaffirms Viet Nam’s role as a leader in putting people, especially youth, at the heart of national progress—with the goal of significantly reducing maternal mortality and the unmet need for family planning by 2030.

Let’s reflect on where we are today:

Nationally, 59.8% of women currently married or in a union use modern contraceptive methods. However, unmet need remains at 10.1%. This represents women and girls whose lives are shaped by barriers beyond their control. Among ethnic minorities in remote areas, the unmet need rises to 17.7%. Among unmarried women, it reaches a staggering 40.7%.

This means that we are still falling short in meeting needs.

That’s why Viet Nam’s FP2030 commitment is so important. It is a roadmap to: 

• Improve access to modern contraceptive services
• Reduce unwanted pregnancy among adolescents and youths
• Strengthen the quality of family planning services 
• Strengthen the provision of clinical and non-clinical contraceptives at Primary Health Care
• Strengthen Information Education and Communication activities to mobilize people to accept and use family planning services and contraception 
• Ensure sufficient resources for the provision of quality family planning services

Family planning is not only about preventing pregnancies—it’s about unlocking potential.

It helps girls stay in school, supports women in joining the workforce, reduces maternal deaths, and gives families greater control over their futures. It is also one of the smartest economic investments a country can make—with every dollar spent returning more than 8.40 times its value in development gains.

At UNFPA, we are proud to contribute technical support in shaping and delivering this commitment. From strengthening supply chains and expanding method choices, to introducing mobile platforms and innovative outreach in underserved communities—we will continue to walk side by side with the Government, the Viet Nam Population Authority, and all our partners.

Let me end by reaffirming UNFPA’s commitment to leave no one behind.

We will continue working to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person can reach their full potential.

This commitment to FP2030 is not only a national pledge—it is a message to every woman in the highlands of Viet Nam, who travels miles and miles to seek information about their future. It says: we see you, we hear you, and we are here to support your choice.

Xin trân trọng cảm ơn và chúc sự kiện thành công tốt đẹp!