Creating a shift in population awareness

According to the agenda of the 10th session, on December 10, the National Assembly will vote to pass the Population Law project. This is a law that attracts great attention from society because it regulates many issues that directly affect people's rights. On this issue, SGGP reporter had an interview with Mr. Nguyen Hoang Mai, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society.

* REPORTER: Sir, the Population Law project is considered to mark a major shift in awareness of population work in the new situation. Could you briefly describe this "shift"?

* Mr. NGUYEN HOANG MAI: Vietnam's population work is facing huge challenges. The birth rate is tending to fall below the replacement rate. Society is aging at a very fast rate, gender imbalance and population quality also have many problems. These are the reasons showing the urgent need to build and promulgate the Population Law in the direction of shifting the focus from family planning to population and development.

Nguyen Hoang Mai, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly 's Committee on Culture and Social Affairs.

* What do you think is the biggest challenge to maintaining replacement fertility?

* To be more precise, the draft law aims to "adjust" to increase the birth rate in low areas and decrease it in high areas, maintaining population size stability through measures such as one-time cash support for women giving birth to a second child. Couples who have two children and commit not to have more children will be considered for social housing support, tuition exemption for their children, and priority loans; increased investment in the system of public nurseries and kindergartens to reduce the burden of childcare for families...

* The draft law even has some new, rather “strange” policies such as: men with 2 children whose wives have passed away will be considered for buying social housing. However, people will only feel secure in having children when they see a safe living environment, with medical and educational costs under control... Do you think the policies in the draft law are encouraging enough?

* I think that the policies mentioned in the draft law are an effort in the current socio -economic development conditions of our country. However, these policies are still short-term and are not the main factor that makes people decide to have more children, especially urban couples, which we really want to encourage.

During the process of giving comments on the draft law, National Assembly Representative Nguyen Thien Nhan (HCMC) made a valid comment that: "Ensuring a minimum wage so that a working person can support himself and a child is the most important direct condition to maintain the replacement birth rate". In fact, policies to improve population quality, such as: building more public schools, children's hospitals, improving the living environment... are the most sustainable and effective birth promotion measures. However, the greatest value of this law is to aim at changing social awareness, from all levels of government to all people, helping them to be more clearly aware of their own responsibilities as well as the responsibilities of organizations in ensuring the sustainable development of the nation.

Newborn care at Tu Du Hospital (HCMC). Photo: THANH SON

* It is not only about encouraging the maintenance of replacement fertility, but we also need to overcome gender discrimination. In many places, the desire to have a son to preserve family traditions and worship ancestors is still very strong, leading to gender discrimination and gender imbalance?

* Changing these perceptions takes a long time and many different methods, and is the responsibility of the whole society, including the press and media. But it should also be made clear that the Population Law is not the only legal document regulating population work, but needs to be placed within the relevant legal system.

Regarding birth promotion policies, I think that the policies mentioned above are still mainly short-term. Long-term policies for human development, the nature of population development is human development, depends a lot on other related laws, such as: gender equality, social security, education, employment, medical examination and treatment, housing, etc.

* As you said, the Population Law is not the only legal document regulating population work and needs to be placed within the relevant legal system. At this session, what other issues related to population will the National Assembly decide?

* At the 10th session, the National Assembly will also consider and approve the Disease Prevention Law project. This bill also has many contents closely related to the Population Law project, such as prenatal screening, preventive intervention activities, etc. In addition, the National Assembly will also consider and approve the national target program on public health care and a number of other related issues. In short, to have physically and mentally healthy citizens, it takes a whole process, from deciding to have children to pregnancy, childbirth, nurturing and care.

* One of the controversial issues in this draft law is abortion and sex selection. What does the draft stipulate and what is your view as a member of the review body?

* The contents related to abortion and fetal sex selection are really controversial issues, not only in Vietnam. The draft law still maintains the regulation prohibiting fetal sex selection in any form, including all acts, such as: disclosing information, using technical measures, abortion for gender... Abortion is not prohibited, the law only prohibits abortion for the purpose of gender selection. I think such regulation is appropriate.

* Also related to the population issue is reproductive support and surrogacy?

* This law does not directly regulate reproductive support and surrogacy. That issue will be considered in specific programs and projects later. However, during the process of building and perfecting the draft law, there were many opinions suggesting using a part of the budget to intervene and support cases facing difficulties in reproduction.

Performed by ANH THU

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tao-buoc-chuyen-nhan-thuc-ve-dan-so-post823815.html