Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, Director, National Statistics Office, Ministry of Finance
Colleagues from line ministries and agencies,
Colleagues from Vital Strategies, UN agencies and development partners,
Distinguished guests,
I am delighted to be here today to celebrate the results of a highly effective partnership between UNFPA, Vital Strategies and the Government of Viet Nam—represented by the National Statistics Office and the Ministry of Justice—under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health initiative to strengthen the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system in Viet Nam.
This dissemination workshop on the Viet Nam National Vital Statistics Report marks a major milestone in our joint efforts to ensure that every individual is counted and that their life events are accurately recorded and recognized.
A statistic is more than a number – it tells a human story. It speaks about people’s health and well-being, prospects and socio-economic circumstances. When collected and analyzed, statistics tell us where policies have worked, where people have benefited from local services and who is at risks of being left behind.
Accurate data and accessible data enable evidence-based decision-making. This empowers governments and local authorities to allocate resources effectively, reach vulnerable populations and design services that truly respond to people’s needs.
Reliable and timely vital statistics—particularly data on births, deaths, causes of death, marriages and divorces—form the foundation of public health planning, social policy and inclusive development. They are also essential for monitoring progress towards national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to maternal health, maternal mortality reduction, gender equality and universal health coverage.
I commend the Government of Viet Nam—especially the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice—under the coordination of the National Statistics Office and the Department of Administrative Justice, for the outstanding progress reflected in this report. This achievement demonstrates increased inter-sectoral collaboration, improved data sharing and enhanced technical capacity in producing vital statistics.
I would also like to extend special thanks to our colleagues at Vital Strategies, who have been working closely with us since 2021 to strengthen the CRVS system, ensuring that every birth, death, marriage and other vital event is accurately and promptly recorded.
For the first time, a comprehensive report on vital statistics provides a holistic overview of national progress in civil registration:
● On-time birth registration completeness rates (within 60 days of birth events) rose from 74.4% in 2021 to 84.9% in 2024.
● On-time death registration completeness rates (within 15 days of death events) improved from 66.4% in 2021 to 69.3% in 2024.
These achievements position Viet Nam as a champion in recognizing legal identity and facilitating access to basic social services.
I’m particularly pleased to see how the report disaggregates data including indicators such as the sex ratio at birth—an essential metric for informing resource prioritization and targeted action.
The report helpfully highlights a number of challenges to address to ensure that no one is left behind.
These include increasing civil registration in remote and ethnic minority communities, especially birth registration which not only brings benefits to accessing basic services such as schooling for children but also provides official legal identity. Another important area is improving the collection of cause-of-death information to provide accurate data for public health planning.
Addressing these gaps is essential to building a CRVS system that is truly universal, inclusive and responsive. It is also important to strengthen inter-agency coordination, to sustain investments in infrastructure and training and to promote community awareness on the importance of civil registration.
I hope the report catalyzes strengthened public communication and cross-sector dialogue for consensus-building and informed policymaking. UNFPA remains a committed partner in this journey. We will continue to work with Vital Strategies alongside the Government to ensure that every person counts and every life matters.
I also reiterate the importance of using this report as a tool for people-centred advocacy and action. Let it guide us toward inclusive policies, targeted interventions and greater accountability for the health and rights of all people in Viet Nam.
Thank you and I wish you a productive workshop. Xin cảm ơn./
