"Cash Only for Families with Daughters"... 'This Country' Doesn't Give Subsidies to Sons

[Financial News]  The Vietnamese government has proposed a plan to provide cash or material support to families with only daughters as a solution to the low birthrate and gender imbalance issues.

According to local media such as VN Express on the 13th (local time), at the World Population Day ceremony held in Hanoi on the 11th, Dao Hong Lan, Minister of Health, stated, "We are preparing a new population policy to address population issues at the regional and national levels."

The policy announced by the Ministry of Health includes incentives for families with daughters, childcare allowances, support for pre- and post-natal health checkups, and housing assistance for families with children.

According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, Vietnam's total fertility rate last year was 1.91 children per woman, the lowest ever, falling short of the 2.1 needed to maintain the population. The deep-rooted son preference culture continues to cause birth gender imbalance. In 2024, there were 111.4 boys per 100 newborns, significantly exceeding the natural gender ratio (105:100). 

Concerns about aging are also growing. Although Vietnam's average life expectancy is increasing, the average age of healthy living was at a low level of 65.

y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yunkyung Reporter