Proposal submitted to the National Assembly that women who give birth to two children should be given priority to buy social housing

The draft Population Law proposes to give priority to buying or renting social housing to women who have given birth to two children or men who have two children but are unmarried or have a deceased wife.

This morning, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan, authorized by the Prime Minister, submitted to the National Assembly the draft Population Law.

According to the report, in the period 2006-2021, our country has achieved and maintained the replacement fertility rate, maintained a suitable population growth rate, and the population size in 2024 will reach 101.1 million people. Vietnam is in the golden population period, creating great advantages for the socio -economic development process.

Population quality and human development index (HDI) are constantly increasing, and the average life expectancy of Vietnamese people is increasingly improved.

However, according to the drafting agency, some legal provisions on population are no longer suitable to reality and do not meet the requirements of population work in the new situation.

Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan presents a report. Photo: National Assembly

The population situation has given rise to issues that need to be promptly resolved, such as: The national birth rate is tending to fall below the replacement level, there is a gender imbalance, and the population quality does not meet requirements.

The reason is that some party committees and authorities have not yet fully and correctly understood population work. Communication and awareness raising activities are still limited, leading to many places still being heavily influenced by gender stereotypes.

Resources for population work have not met the requirements, and the investment budget is not commensurate. Late births, few or no births, along with economic pressure in giving birth and raising children, are also factors affecting the birth rate.

Presenting a summary report, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said that the draft law adds regulations to maintain replacement fertility: Increase maternity leave, provide financial support when giving birth, and add priority criteria for buying or renting social housing according to the provisions of the law on housing.

Specifically, increase maternity leave when giving birth to a second child (women get an additional month off, men get an additional 5 working days off when their wife gives birth). Provide financial support when giving birth for ethnic minority women; women who give birth to 2 children before the age of 35; women in localities with low birth rates.

The draft law also stipulates priority for purchasing or renting social housing in accordance with the housing law for women who have given birth to two children or men who have two biological children but are unmarried or have a deceased wife. The government will stipulate the content and minimum level of support.

Based on socio-economic conditions in each period and the ability to balance the budget, local authorities shall prescribe the subjects, content and level of support to ensure the level of support; supplement measures to maintain replacement fertility; and supplement subjects to whom alternative fertility maintenance measures are applied.

The Health Minister said the draft also has new regulations to reduce gender imbalance at birth and bring the sex ratio at birth back to its natural balance.

Specifically, prohibiting the selection of the sex of the fetus in any form except for the case of determining the sex for the purpose of diagnosing and treating genetic diseases related to gender. Encouraging the inclusion of the content of not favoring males over females and not choosing the sex at birth in the village covenants and conventions of the residential community. Suspending medical practitioners who announce, notify, or disclose information about the sex of the fetus to customers except for the case of determining the sex for the purpose of diagnosing and treating genetic diseases related to gender according to regulations of the Ministry of Health...

Presenting the review report, Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh said that the Committee proposed to add an article regulating the State's policy on population work in the general provisions chapter; showing the overall policy framework guiding population work (such as ensuring living conditions, housing, education, and health care).

Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Social Affairs Nguyen Dac Vinh presents the inspection report. Photo: National Assembly

Regarding maintaining the replacement fertility rate, the Committee proposed to study comprehensive, fundamental and comprehensive measures to achieve a sustainable replacement fertility rate; study regulations in the direction of financial support for women who give birth to two children, in which the group of women who give birth to two children before the age of 35 will receive higher support; and clarify the criteria for "localities with low fertility rates".

The Committee recommends continuing to review and amend the Housing Law to ensure the feasibility of regulations on giving priority to buying or renting social housing for certain groups of people.

In addition, the Committee also proposed to supplement the regulation that the Government periodically announces the birth rate status so that local authorities can develop and implement appropriate support and incentive policies; in case the birth rate of some localities drops to a very low level, the Government will report and propose to the National Assembly timely intervention measures.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/trinh-quoc-hoi-de-xuat-phu-nu-sinh-du-2-con-duoc-uu-tien-mua-nha-o-xa-hoi-2455535.html