Vietnam proposes cash rewards for 2-daughter families
Vietnam’s Health Ministry is considering offering cash and material support to families with two daughters in an effort to tackle its declining birth rate and deep-rooted gender imbalance at birth.
The proposal, put forward by the Ministry of Health, is part of a draft Population Law that aims to counter two growing challenges: falling birth rates and a persistent cultural bias favoring boys. While the rise in Vietnam’s male-to-female birth ratio has slowed, it still far exceeds natural levels and the consequences are becoming more urgent.
Health Minister Dao Hong Lan, speaking at a World Population Day event, said the country is facing a dual crisis of shrinking population and surplus men. She stressed the need to encourage families to have two children, especially girls, to restore long-term demographic balance. The ministry plans to submit the law to the government in December and present it to the National Assembly in 2026.
Recent government data shows Vietnam’s sex ratio at birth has hovered around 111 boys for every 100 girls since 2009, well above the natural ratio of 106. The imbalance is most extreme in the northern localities, particularly Bac Ninh and Vinh Phuc (118.5), Hanoi (118.1) and Hung Yen (116.7). Other localities such as Bac Giang, Son La, Lang Son and Phu Tho also report ratios above 113. In contrast, southern localities remain closer to the natural range, between 105 and 108.
If the trend continues, Vietnam could see a surplus of 1.5 million men aged 15 to 49 by 2034, rising to 1.8 million by 2059, according to projections by the General Statistics Office. Experts warn that this could lead to social instability, a rise in human trafficking and increased pressure on marriage markets.
Much of the imbalance is driven by long-standing son preference, especially as fertility rates decline. The national birth rate now stands at the historic low of 1.91 children per woman, below the replacement level of 2.1. With smaller families becoming the norm, many parents use prenatal technology to ensure their only child is a boy. Traditional expectations, such as sons carrying on the family line or performing ancestor worship, continue to reinforce gender bias. The availability of sex-selection services only accelerates the issue.
To counter this, the Ministry of Health is proposing direct incentives for families with two daughters. Support could come in the form of cash or household goods, tailored to local conditions. At the same time, the ministry is pushing for stricter penalties on illegal sex selection, including a proposed increase in the maximum fine from VND30 million to VND100 million ($4,000), arguing that current penalties are too weak to deter violations.
Officials also want more transparency. The ministry may start publishing lists of localities with the highest gender imbalance. It also plans to ramp up public education campaigns aimed at ending gender discrimination, elevating the status of girls and encouraging natural childbirth without gender bias.
By Le Nga – VnExpress.net – July 12, 2025,