A long-standing cultural preference for male children in Vietnam has led to gender-selective practices, creating a significant gender imbalance at birth. If current trends continue, the country is projected to have an excess of 1.5 million men by 2034, rising to 2.5 million by 2059, according to the General Statistics Office.
Since 2006, Vietnam has seen a growing gender imbalance, with the sex ratio at birth reaching 112 boys for every 100 girls in 2023, compared to the natural ratio of 102-106 boys per 100 girls. This imbalance stems from deep-rooted gender biases and the availability of medical technologies enabling families to choose the sex of their children. Three provinces—Hung Yen, Hai Duong, and Bac Ninh—report ratios exceeding 125 boys per 100 girls, among the highest globally.
Experts warn that the imbalance could have severe social and economic consequences, including reduced opportunities for women, an increase in gender-based violence, and risks like human trafficking and forced marriages. The imbalance undermines women’s roles and status in society, perpetuating a cycle of inequality.
Efforts to address the issue include promoting gender equality, banning gender-selective practices, and elevating the status of women and girls. However, addressing the root cause—cultural biases favoring male children—remains a complex challenge.
“Societal beliefs that happiness requires both sons and daughters or prioritizing male children must change,” said Ha Thi Quynh Anh, a senior gender and human rights expert at UNFPA. “Real progress will come when all children, regardless of gender, are valued equally.”
Nguyen Van Anh, director of the CSAGA, emphasized that dismantling centuries-old gender norms requires sustained effort. “As women gain greater societal roles and traditional views of men as sole family providers evolve, the preference for sons will naturally diminish. True equality means recognizing the joy of parenting, regardless of a child’s gender.”
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Source: Vietnam Insider