What do insiders say about self-determination of the right to have children?

The newly changed Population Ordinance has given each couple and individual the right to decide when and how many children to have instead of some restrictions as before. Will this decision increase the birth rate as expected and what do insiders think about this change?

Mr. Truong Minh Tuan's family in Nguyen Dai Nang ward has just welcomed their third child.

Humane and appropriate

Mr. Truong Minh Tuan's family in Nguyen Dai Nang ward (formerly Hien Thanh ward, Kinh Mon town) has just welcomed their fifth member, a lovely baby girl. Although the family already has both boys and girls, and Mr. Tuan and his wife are nearly 40 years old, after careful consideration, they still decided to have a third child.

Mr. Tuan said that his wife and he had planned to have another child before the changes in population policy. Therefore, his family still had concerns and hesitations. However, before the third child was born, the regulation on the number of children helped Mr. Tuan relieve his mental pressure.

Mr. Tuan excitedly said: “The regulation that couples can decide on the time of giving birth, the number of children and the spacing between births is very humane and suitable for current reality. Currently, many families have the means but are still hesitant because of the policy as well as the two-child mindset that has been ingrained for many years.”

Population policy is changed promptly, in accordance with current reality.

The right to decide on the right to have children has partly relieved the burden of responsibility and policy implementation for those working in state agencies and units. Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong M. is a civil servant in a commune in the West Hai Phong area. Ms. M. and her husband have two daughters. Although they have agreed to stop at two children, they are often under pressure from both families. Ms. M.'s husband is an "only child", so his parents want her to have more children, whether a girl or a boy, so that the family will have more children and grandchildren. However, this makes Ms. M. feel awkward because she is a party member and is striving for advancement in her career, so she cannot violate the population policy.

Recently, the Population Ordinance was amended, the Politburo requested that no party members be disciplined for having a third child, which made Ms. M. breathe a sigh of relief. "Although the regulations have changed, my husband and I still have to consider carefully before deciding whether to have another child or not because having another child is a big issue nowadays," Ms. M. said.

Don't stop at rules

The country in general and Hai Phong City in particular are gradually passing through the golden population period. The burdens in population development are also gradually becoming apparent as the birth rate is decreasing. In 2024, the country recorded a birth rate of 1.91 children/woman, lower than the replacement birth rate (the replacement birth rate is 2.1 children/woman), the lowest in history and is forecast to continue to decrease in the following years. Population is an important pillar, the foundation for promoting socio -economic development. If population work is not focused and given due attention, the driving force will become pressure and create major consequences.

In addition to changes in the legal basis, attention should be paid to the conditions for child care and upbringing to encourage an increase in birth rates. Photo: THANH CHUNG

In recent times, population policies have undergone many changes to encourage increased birth rates, but this is only a necessary condition, not a sufficient one. For policies to be effective, they must be placed in binding relationships with related conditions and factors. Because under the pressure of work, economy, and finance, the number of children in the family has gradually shifted from natural to calculated.

Tran Thi Mai and her husband in Phu Thai commune (formerly Kim Xuyen commune, Kim Thanh district) have just had a baby boy. The baby is now over 4 years old, but the family has not yet considered having a new member. Mai said that because both husband and wife work for a foreign company, they do not have much time for their family. Moreover, both sets of grandparents live far away, so the couple rarely get to ask for help. The couple has to balance the task of picking up and taking care of the child.

“Many times, before the end of the working day, the children have finished school or when we have to work overtime, my husband and I do not know how to take care of them. Therefore, we have not yet considered having another child. I hope that education and health services will be better to meet the needs of caring for and raising children for busy couples. Only then will we feel secure enough to have another child,” said Ms. Mai.

Changes in population policy are expected to improve the population situation in the coming time. However, in addition to changes in the legal basis, it is necessary to promote and implement related conditions to meet the essential requirements for raising and educating children. Only then will population development be truly stable and sustainable.

On June 3, 2025, the National Assembly Standing Committee approved the amendment to the Population Ordinance. Accordingly, each couple and individual can decide for themselves the time of giving birth, the number of children and the interval between births in accordance with their age, health status, etc.

This year's World Population Day, July 11, has the theme "Reproductive autonomy in a changing world" emphasizing the role and rights of each couple and individual in deciding on having children, birth spacing and how to raise children according to their wishes, conditions and circumstances.

GENTLE DREAM

Source: https://baohaiphongplus.vn/nguoi-trong-cuoc-noi-gi-ve-viec-tu-quyet-quyen-sinh-con-416098.html