Low birth rates are the biggest challenge facing population control efforts today.

According to the Ministry of Health, late marriages, late childbirths, having few children, or not wanting to have children at all are becoming increasingly common, especially in urban areas and regions with low birth rates.

Despite the achievements, low birth rates continue to be the biggest challenge in current population work. The report shows that the total fertility rate in 2025 will only reach 1.93 children per woman, lower than the replacement level and trending downwards in the future.

This information was released by the Ministry of Health at the celebration of Vietnam's Population Day (December 26) in 2025, held on December 17 in Hanoi, with the participation of representatives from central ministries, departments and agencies, leaders of provincial and city health departments, and international organizations.

According to the Ministry of Health , late marriages, late childbirths, having few children, or not wanting to have children at all are becoming increasingly common, especially in urban areas and regions with low birth rates. Policies supporting and encouraging two-child births in many localities are limited, mostly in the development or pilot phase, and not strong enough to create significant and sustainable change.

Therefore, Vietnam's population work is facing many major challenges such as a declining birth rate below replacement level, rapid population aging, and a persistently high gender imbalance at birth. The Ministry of Health will improve the institutional framework, ensure resources, and implement comprehensive solutions to improve the quality of the population.

According to Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen, in 2025, population work will continue to receive special attention from the Party and the State. The Politburo has issued Conclusion No. 149-KL/TW dated April 10, 2025, on promoting the implementation of Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW on population work in the new situation.

The National Assembly passed the Law on Population and the National Target Program on Healthcare, Population and Development for the period 2026-2035. Along with this, Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW of the Politburo on strengthening the protection, care and improvement of people's health has also created an important political and legal basis for population work in the next phase.

Despite the achievements, population work still faces many challenges. Birth rates in many localities have fallen below replacement levels; the population is aging rapidly; and the sex ratio at birth remains high, especially in some remote areas. Child marriage, consanguineous marriage, and disparities in access to healthcare and education between rural and urban areas continue to be pressing issues.

To meet the requirements of the new situation, the Ministry of Health leadership requested Party committees and authorities at all levels to continue to effectively implement the Population Law, Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW, and Conclusion No. 149-KL/TW; and to ensure resources for population work in the context of a two-tiered local government structure.

The Ministry of Health also requested localities to strengthen organizational structures and improve the capacity of population officials from the provincial to the grassroots level; and at the same time hoped that international organizations would continue to cooperate and provide resources to help address population challenges, aiming for sustainable development and improving the quality of life for the people.

Ms. Nguyen Hoang Anh, Deputy Head of the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, stated that in response to this year's Vietnam Population Day, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and political and social organizations have identified several key tasks to focus on. These include: strengthening propaganda, education, and mobilization efforts among members and the public to understand the importance of investing in population work; effectively implementing population policies, contributing to addressing low birth rates, improving reproductive health care, and building prosperous, progressive, and happy families…/.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/muc-sinh-thap-la-thach-thuc-lon-nhat-cua-cong-tac-dan-so-hien-nay-post1083588.vnp