Int’l Day of Girl Child 2023: Promoting gender equality to reduce sex imbalance at birth

In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly designated October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness about gender equality in various areas such as education, nutrition, health care, and to encourage communities to enforce policies that support the role and status of women and girls in particular. This is particularly important for families that only have girls.

In Vietnam, gender imbalance at birth has been a demographic challenge since 2006. In 2015, the sex ratio at birth was very high at 112.8 boys per 100 girls. During the 2016-2022 period, efforts were made to control the increase in the birth sex ratio, however, it remains unstable and higher than the natural balance (112 boys per 100 girls in 2022).

To practical respond to the International Day of the Girl Child 2023, the office asked departments and agencies to urge the public to change their mindsets, perceptions and actions regarding gender imbalance at birth while disseminating legal regulations on prohibiting gender selection during pregnancy.

Local health departments were assigned to hold communication campaigns regarding the issue through various public media channels, offer relevant counseling and health care services, and review the enforcement of laws and policies concerned at all levels./.