Promoting gender equality, reducing gender imbalance

This is also an issue that the Nghe An Population Department is particularly concerned about, as the gender imbalance at birth in Nghe An is still very high and higher than the national average.

Raising awareness of gender equality

The celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child 2023 was recently held by the Provincial Department of Population and Family Planning in Quynh Luu district with many practical and meaningful activities. The most impressive part of the program was the presentation with many topics revolving around the issue of promoting gender equality, contributing to reducing gender imbalance at birth by students from Ho Xuan Huong Secondary School, Quynh Luong Secondary School and Quynh Chau Secondary School.

In the presentations, not only did the students' creativity and confidence in their expressions shine through, but they also got to hear their opinions, wishes, and dreams about the role of girls. Through these sharings, the Organizing Committee hopes that leaders at all levels, sectors, organizations, and relevant agencies will listen and pay more attention and investment to realize the potential of adolescent girls; promote gender equality, contribute to reducing the rate of gender imbalance at birth, allow the protection of their rights today and ensure a fair and prosperous future tomorrow.

The presentation by Nguyen Thuy Linh - a 7A student at Ho Xuan Huong Secondary School, Quynh Luu District with the topic "Be confident and shine as a girl" began with the image of women in the past in feudal society being stifled by harsh etiquette. Along with that, due to the emphasis on having sons, women were not respected and had no voice to protect themselves. "When this topic was brought up, I felt very excited, because this is an opportunity for us to talk about the role of girls and women in modern society" - student Nguyen Thuy Linh shared.

In today’s era, the concept of giving birth to girls has changed. Since we were in school, we have realized that girls must be confident to assert themselves; girls should not be limited to the kitchen or garden, but should always pursue their passion, not hesitate in the face of challenges…

Nguyen Thuy Linh - STUDENT of Ho Xuan Huong Secondary School

Efforts to reduce gender imbalance

Previously, in Quynh Chau commune (Quynh Luu), the provincial Department of Population and Family Planning also organized a program to communicate gender equality, raise awareness of the consequences of gender imbalance at birth and improve population quality. At the communication session, reporters provided information on the issue to raise people's awareness of the role of girls, limiting the selection of fetal gender.

At the same time, propagandize, mobilize, educate and persuade people to have a correct awareness of gender equality, thereby actively contributing to changing people's behavior towards implementing the Party and State's policies and guidelines on reducing gender imbalance at birth, gradually controlling the rate of increase in gender imbalance in the whole province.

Talking about these activities, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dinh - Vice Chairman of Quynh Luu District People's Committee said: "Compared to the whole province, the problem of gender imbalance at birth in Quynh Luu district is still quite high, in 2022 alone it was 116 boys/100 girls (the natural biological standard birth rate is 104 - 106 boys/100 girls).

From this reality, we have stepped up communication and propaganda work, thereby helping people see the serious consequences of gender imbalance at birth. In addition, in the coming time, the district will focus on further enhancing the role and responsibility of Party committees, authorities at all levels; departments, branches and organizations in implementing the Law on Gender Equality and activities for the advancement of women. In particular, strongly and effectively deploying activities to disseminate, educate the law, and communicate; promote gender equality and empower women and girls.

According to statistics, in 2022, when the national gender imbalance at birth fluctuated around 113.7 boys/100 girls, in Nghe An the gender ratio at birth increased from 113.3 boys/100 girls (in 2012) to 116.5 boys/100 girls. The gender imbalance at birth tends to continue to increase in all rural, urban and regional areas.

According to Mr. Nguyen Ba Tan - Head of the Provincial Department of Population and Family Planning, gender imbalance at birth has many causes, of which the underlying cause is that families want to have sons due to social and religious beliefs that require sons to take on the responsibility of ancestor worship and continuing the family line...

Worryingly, these notions are deeply ingrained in the subconscious of each individual, couple, family and clan. In addition, currently, the abuse of scientific and technological advances that help to identify the gender of the fetus early; legal regulations prohibiting the selection of the gender of the fetus are not strictly implemented... so solving the gender imbalance at birth in Vietnam still faces many difficulties.

Population workers have also researched and shown that,gender imbalance at birthwill negatively affect the future population structure of Vietnam, leading to a surplus of men in society. Without timely intervention, it is predicted that by 2050 Vietnam will be short of 2.3 to 4.3 million women. In addition, the imbalance in sex ratio at birth can cause serious consequences for the country's economic and social development and affect the lives of women, men, families and communities, causing long-term social and demographic consequences, such as increasing pressure on girls to marry early, increasing prostitution, HIV/AIDS, trafficking in women, children and other forms of domestic violence against women and girls, increasing gender inequality, divorce, social instability, overall health decline, reproductive health, etc.

“Talking about gender equality means talking about equality in status, opportunities and rights between women and men. Gender equality has become one of the important development goals of countries around the world, aiming towards a progressive, democratic and civilized society. This also means: we respect the basic rights of girls; let them enjoy a safe, healthy and well-educated life not only during these important years of growth, but also when they become women, in order to build and replicate the family model of “warmth, equality, progress, happiness and sustainable development".

Mr. Nguyen Ba Tan - Head of the Department of Population and Family Planning

To promote gender equality and contribute to reducing gender imbalance at birth, in the coming time, Nghe An will continue to strengthen propaganda and education with various appropriate contents and forms to create supportive public opinion and gradually eliminate the discrimination between boys and girls in the minds of many people.

In particular, focusing on gender bias, the preference for boys over girls, further promoting men's participation for gender equality. In addition, promoting communication and education about the current situation, causes and consequences of gender imbalance at birth. At the same time, focusing on implementing types of information provision, consulting models, health care services on gender imbalance at birth, gender equality... with priority given to remote, mountainous, coastal and offshore areas.