Quy Chau: 105 villages have no residents giving birth to a third child.

(Baonghean) - In 2006, the "No Third Child" Club in Chau Binh commune (Quy Chau district) was established. Initially, persuading people to join was extremely difficult, because according to their reasoning, "joining that club brings no benefit. It's just to 'bind' ourselves to not have many children."

In order to change people's perceptions, the women in the Club's Steering Committee persistently went to each house to campaign and found ways to innovate the Club's activities, such as: organizing cultural programs, performing comedic skits and plays; inviting health workers to visit and examine gynecological patients while simultaneously disseminating knowledge about reproductive health care/family planning...



Women members of Chau Binh commune participate in a community counseling class on reproductive health care.

Thanks to this, the clubs are attracting more and more people to participate, not only women of childbearing age but also elderly mothers and grandmothers who regularly attend. Ms. Vi Thi Tuyet, a population officer in Chau Binh commune, said: "Currently, Chau Binh has 13 clubs (8 clubs focusing on 'Adolescent Reproductive Health Care' and 5 clubs focusing on 'No Third Child'). Through the club model, policies and regulations on population, knowledge about reproductive health care, and sexual health are disseminated to the members. Gradually, people understand the need to practice family planning and 'stop at two children'... As a result, for the past five years, Chau Binh has been one of the two communes with no third births, and has been commended by the District People's Committee."

The "Adolescent Reproductive Health Care" club in Ta Lanh village (Chau Hanh commune) attracts 90% of young people of reproductive age. Monthly, the club holds activities focusing on topics such as: understanding sexuality, preventing sexually transmitted diseases, controlling unwanted pregnancies, and safe motherhood. Previously, adolescents often avoided discussing reproductive health, but after joining the club, they have become more confident in discussing, learning about, and seeking advice to better protect their reproductive health.

Recognizing that population communication is not solely the responsibility of the Population Department, Quy Chau district has issued numerous documents and signed inter-sectoral cooperation programs with various organizations on population work. In collaboration with the Women's Union, they have expanded the "Club for Not Having a Third Child" model; the Youth Union with the "Club for Adolescent Reproductive Health Care"; and the Farmers' Association with the "Club for Farmers and Population Work"... creating a combined force that is gradually transforming people's awareness and behavior regarding population and family planning. Currently, all 12 communes and towns have clubs for not having a third child, the entire district has established 16 "Clubs for Adolescent Reproductive Health Care," and several other integrated population club models are being piloted.

To ensure the effectiveness of population communication, the Center has developed monthly and quarterly activity plans, guiding communes and towns in their specific implementation. Particular emphasis is placed on propaganda, education, and persuasion linked to the adoption of contraceptive methods, with a focus on families having only one or two children. Communication efforts are diversified through various forms such as mobile outreach, public address systems, leaflet distribution, and integration into youth union and association meetings, village and hamlet meetings, and other community organizations.

In addition, the Center has intensified training to improve the professional skills, expertise, and communication skills of grassroots population collaborators, enabling them to disseminate information most effectively. Following the motto "Going to every street, knocking on every door, reaching every individual," with a focus on couples who have children of only one gender, the collaborators consistently stay close to residential areas to understand aspirations, learn about the reality, and visit each family of childbearing age, helping them raise awareness of population and family planning policies in relation to family economic development and reproductive health care.

Thanks to intensified communication efforts, 83.9% of couples of reproductive age use contraception; the rate of having a third child or more decreased from 7.7% (2006) to 5.4% (2011); the number of wards/communes with no third births increased from 1 commune (2006) to 3 communes (2011); the entire district has 105 villages with no third births.

Phuc Thanh