Vietnam Abandons Two-Child Policy to Address Declining Birth Rates
On [date], Vietnam’s National Assembly has officially ended its long-standing two-child policy, which was implemented in 1993 to control overpopulation. The decision comes amid a sharp decline in birth rates and a significant gender imbalance. The government has cited the need to rejuvenate the population, as the birth rate fell to 1.91 children per woman in 2024.
The two-child policy, initially introduced in the 1960s in northern Vietnam to prevent overpopulation, was later extended to the entire country after reunification in 1975. Despite its initial success, the policy has failed to reverse the declining fertility rate, with families in urban centers like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City choosing to have fewer children due to high living costs and economic pressures.
According to state media, the policy has been abandoned to address an aging demographic and a shrinking birth rate. The National Assembly passed an amendment to remove the two-child limit, aiming to encourage more births. However, experts caution that such a reversal may not be sufficient to counter long-term demographic challenges, including a growing gender imbalance, where 111 boys are born for every 100 girls in 2024.
The government has also proposed increasing the fine for gender-selective practices from 30 million to 100 million Vietnamese dong (around $1,150 to $4,000) to combat the gender ratio imbalance. This indicates that the country is exploring multiple strategies to address the structural issues within its demographic composition.
The issue of declining birth rates is not unique to Vietnam, as countries such as China have also faced similar challenges. China, which implemented a one-child policy in 1979, has recently eased the restrictions to allow up to three children, but has seen only modest improvements in birth rates. This suggests that the global trend of declining fertility rates may have broader implications for various countries, prompting governments to reconsider existing family planning policies.
The shift in Vietnam’s approach reflects a broader global trend of re-evaluating family planning policies in response to demographic challenges. As countries grapple with aging populations and declining birth rates, the long-term effects of such policy changes remain uncertain, underscoring the need for comprehensive strategies to address these complex demographic shifts.