Consequences of having fewer children
In recent years, Vietnam has entered a phase of population aging at a faster rate than predicted. Tay Ninh is no exception to this trend, with the proportion of elderly people increasing year by year, while the birth rate in many localities tends to fall below the replacement level.
Media campaigns are raising public awareness about the role of two-child families in the context of new developments.
According to Huynh Kim Tuan, head of the Provincial Population and Family Planning Department: “The declining birth rate brings many challenges, especially a shortage of young labor in the future, pressure on social security, and the risk of imbalance between the workforce and the dependent group. If we do not act promptly, we will face an aging population when our infrastructure and finances are not strong enough.”
The rapidly aging population increases the pressure on healthcare for the elderly – a group with frequent medical check-ups and significantly higher treatment costs compared to younger people. This forces the primary healthcare system to expand its services, while the supply of young healthcare professionals tends to decrease, creating a vicious cycle of overcrowding, shortages, and difficulty in ensuring quality.
Furthermore, the social impact of low birth rates is also reflected in family structure. A family with only one child will lack sibling interaction, affecting the child's social skills development, adaptability, and psychological well-being.
As children grow older, the burden of "one young person caring for many elderly people" becomes a major pressure, increasing the risk of stress, reducing quality of life, and limiting opportunities for personal development.
Population, Family, and Child welfare collaborators regularly visit individual households to disseminate information and explain the benefits of having two children.
In reality, many young couples in urban areas and developed economies are hesitant to have children due to work pressure, rising child-rearing costs, a desire to invest in themselves, or concerns about the impact on their careers.
In Tay Ninh, if the low birth rate persists, the young workforce will significantly decrease, causing labor shortages in industrial zones and clusters and putting great pressure on the social service system. This is particularly worrying given that the province is orienting its development towards science, technology, and high-quality human resources.
With the increasing scarcity of young workers, businesses are struggling to recruit suitable personnel, forcing labor costs to rise, thereby reducing the attractiveness of the investment environment. In the long run, this situation could hinder the goal of attracting high-tech businesses – a key sector that the province is prioritizing for development.
This reality shows that having two children is not only beneficial for each family but also a pressing requirement for the overall development of the community.
Encourage each couple to have two children.
Given the current situation of uneven and declining birth rates in some areas, the province has implemented numerous communication programs and support policies to encourage couples to have two children, as recommended by the population sector. These activities are carried out extensively from the provincial level to the grassroots, with the motto of delivering the right, relevant, and flexible message to each population group.
Mr. Huynh Kim Tuan emphasized: "Having two children is an important solution to ensure a reasonable population structure and prepare a sustainable workforce for socio-economic development. Therefore, the population sector is promoting communication, direct counseling, leveraging the role of population, family and child welfare collaborators, and applying technology in disseminating information and encouraging each couple to have two children."
Ms. Nguyen Thi Yen Phuong's family has two children and always prioritizes caring for and raising them for holistic development.
In many communes and wards, collaborators regularly visit individual households to disseminate information and explain the benefits of having two children, while also providing guidance on reproductive health care and prenatal/neonatal screening to improve the quality of the population.
Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, a community health worker in Tan An ward, shared: “Many young couples are hesitant to have a second child due to concerns about costs and work. We try to advise them to understand that having two children is suitable for their reproductive health and brings balance to the family and the children's future.”
Not only professionals, but also the general public are gradually becoming aware of the benefits of maintaining a reasonable family size. Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Trang (residing in Long Cang commune) said: “Previously, my husband and I hadn't considered having more children because of our busy work schedules. After receiving advice, we understand that having two children is also a way to create bonding and stability for the family. Children with siblings will develop better psychologically and socially.”
Ms. Nguyen Thi Yen Phuong (residing in Tan Ninh ward) expressed: “Having two children was a decision my husband and I carefully considered. Although we were initially worried about the financial pressure and work, with preparation, shared responsibilities within the family, and advice from family planning collaborators, we feel more at ease. The two children can rely on and support each other, and the parents have more motivation to strive, work, and take care of their children's future.”
According to Ms. Phuong, the important thing is not just having the right number of children, but raising them scientifically, dedicating time to them, and creating a loving and stable family environment. When families proactively take care of their health and learn appropriate parenting methods, having two children will no longer be a burden but become a shared joy and responsibility.
Alongside media campaigns, the province is actively implementing models to support young families, improving knowledge of scientific parenting, and encouraging agencies and businesses to create a friendly working environment for employees with young children. This is an important foundation to help couples feel secure in having two children.
To achieve the goal of maintaining replacement fertility levels, the province has identified the overarching task as raising community awareness, helping people understand the true role of two-child families in the new development context. Regular communication campaigns are organized in schools, residential areas, and industrial zones; the content is updated to be more relatable, easily accessible, and appropriate for each age group.
The Social Security sector is also promoting the application of information technology in management and communication: providing electronic documents and short promotional videos to spread messages more quickly and effectively.
According to information from the Provincial Population and Family Planning Department, the campaign to encourage having two children does not aim to increase birth rates at all costs, but rather to promote appropriate family sizes, build a safe environment for raising children, improve the quality of the population, and ensure a balance between economic development and social welfare.
When each family takes the initiative, the province will have an abundant, stable, and competitive workforce in the integration process.
Mr. Huynh Kim Tuan affirmed: "Having two children is a strategic choice for each family and the entire province. This is also an important step to help the province maintain the replacement fertility rate, limit the rate of population aging, and move towards long-term sustainable development."
Thuy Minh
Source: https://baolongan.vn/sinh-du-2-con-vi-su-phat-trien-ben-vung-a209381.html
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