The dilemma of gender imbalance at birth

Increasing in many localities

Nearly 20 years working as a population collaborator, Ms. Nguyen Thi Nghia - collaboratorpopulationHamlet 10 (Nghi Phu, Vinh City) said: “My hamlet has 300 households, but currently more than 50% of households have a third child or more. In the past, we have increased propaganda work, but in many cases people do not cooperate. What is more difficult is that currently, the trend of well-off families wanting to have more children is increasing, so propaganda work is even more difficult.”

Departments and branches in Hung Loc commune (Vinh city) signed a commitment to well implement population policy. Photo: MH

Up to this point, according to statistics in Nghi Phu commune, the birth rate of a third child has increased by 4% compared to the previous year. This also has consequences because most families who have more children want to have a son to "continue the family line" and that is also the cause of gender imbalance at birth. Currently, the gender imbalance ratio of Nghi Phu commune is 118 boys/100 girls (4 children higher than last year) and the risk will continue to increase in the coming years.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong - a population official of Nghi Phu commune said: "For nearly two years now, due to the "relaxation" of policies on handling population violations, many families have had more children.third childor more. In addition, in Nghi Phu area, people are self-employed, so they often have the mentality of having many children to prevent risks. We are also concerned that when the rate of third child birth increases, it will lead to a situation wheregender imbalance at birthbecause more than 50% of cases of third or more children are boys.

Vinh City is also one of the localities with a high gender imbalance rate at birth, with a ratio of 121 boys/100 girls. Notably, 17 communes and wards have a very high gender imbalance rate, such as Ben Thuy ward with 136.6 boys/100 girls, Dong Vinh with 120 boys/100 girls, and Ha Huy Tap with 121.6 boys/100 girls.

“There has never been a year when population activities at the grassroots level have been as difficult as this year, especially after the merger of population centers at the district, city and town levels. Currently, in addition to the district (city and town) level, population work at communes and wards is facing difficulties and many regular communication activities have been temporarily interrupted due to lack of funding or lack of coordination with departments and branches. This is also one of the reasons why the number of third children is increasing, leading to gender imbalance at birth.”

Ms. Phung Thi Thanh - Head of Population - Family Planning Department - Vinh City Medical Center

The gender imbalance at birth also occurs in Yen Thanh district and is increasing compared to the previous year. In particular, if in 2019, the whole district had only 110 males/100 females, by October 2020, this ratio was 120 males/100 females. Besides, some localities have quite high ratios such as in the town with 30 males/16 females, Thinh Thanh with 64 males/32 females, Lien Thanh with 44 males/25 females...

Providing free consultation and contraceptives to people in Yen Thanh district. Photo: PV

Mr. Phan Quoc Tuan - Head of the Population - Family Planning Department - Yen Thanh District Health Center said: "Yen Thanh is a purely agricultural district, so for a long time, the majority of people still have a strong ideology of "preferring males over females", hoping to have a son to "continue the family line". In addition, recently, giving birth to a son has been quite convenient due to the support of modern medical diagnostic tools such as ultrasound, fetal sex selection... so many families have had the convenience of giving birth to a son as desired, leading to an increase in the sex at birth".

Converting forms and media objects

Compared to the whole country, Nghe An is one of the provinces with a high rate of gender imbalance at birth, with an average of 114 boys/100 girls. This year alone, up to this point, according to the synthesis of the Provincial Department of Population and Family Planning, the rate of gender imbalance at birth is higher than previous years, with a sex ratio at birth of 114.48 boys/100 girls.

According to the survey, the current sex ratio at birth in Vietnam has a large difference, in which for every 111.5 boys born, there are 100 girls. Meanwhile, 11 years ago, this number was 110.6 boys / 100 girls and normally fluctuated at 104 - 106 boys / 100 girls. In some localities, this number is even exceeding 115 boys / 100 girls and higher. With this difference, the United Nations Population Fund is calculating that each year Vietnam is short of 40,800 girls.

Previously, for many years, Nghe An has continuously implemented the project of Intervention to reduce gender imbalance at birth in 21 districts, cities and towns across the province.

Through this project, in 2020, the Department of Population and Family Planning organized 14 communication sessions on "Reducing gender imbalance at birth" for more than 4,200 subjects in Nghi Loc, Anh Son and Thanh Chuong districts. At the same time, hundreds of propaganda sessions were organized on the radio system at commune, ward and town levels; and thematic talks in the community for cadres and people in the areas implementing the project.

Communication on prenatal screening in Vinh Thanh commune (Yen Thanh). Photo: PV.

The implementation process shows that although propaganda about gender imbalance at birth is carried out regularly and continuously, changing thinking, viewpoints and habits is really difficult.

Mr. Phan Van Hue - Deputy Head of the Department of Population and Family Planning said: "There are two main groups of causes leading to the imbalance of gender at birth. In which, the supporting cause is due to the pressure to reduce births and couples only have 1-2 children, but want one of them to have a son.

Second, due to the need to develop the family economy and heavy work, agricultural-forestry-fishery work, seafaring, etc. all require the physical labor of men. Therefore, the son is both the spiritual pillar and the economic pillar for the whole family.

Another reason is that the social security system for the elderly is not yet developed and the majority of the elderly are worried about the future and feel insecure when they get old if they do not have a son, especially when the rate of elderly people without pensions in urban areas is 64.4% and in rural areas is 78.1%. The direct group of causes is the abuse of scientific and technological advances to carry out gender selection before birth or when pregnant...

The consequences of this problem will cause a situation of “surplus men, shortage of women” of marriageable age in the coming years. This will lead to the breakdown of family structures, the number of men who are unable to marry increases. In addition, it can increase gender inequality, many women may have to marry earlier, the divorce and remarriage rates of women will increase, gender violence, trafficking of women...”.

Consulting on the use of contraceptives for people in Quy Hop district. Photo: MH

To overcome this limitation, in the coming time, Nghe An will also innovate the form of propaganda and mobilization. In particular, in addition to the subjects of childbearing age, propaganda will be expanded to community representatives, religions, family elders, and parents because these are people who have great influence or put pressure on couples. In addition, continue to raise awareness of the masses about the benefits of reducing gender imbalance at birth for each individual, family and the whole society. At the same time, promote the role of all types of media to mobilize and persuade people of all walks of life to support, accept and voluntarily implement the Party's policies and the State's policies on reducing gender imbalance at birth.