Hanoi strengthens action to prevent sex selection, promote gender equality in 2026-2030
Hanoi is stepping up efforts to curb sex selection, promote gender equality and ensure a balanced population structure as part of its plan for the 2026–2030 period.
THE HANOI TIMES — Hanoi will take stronger actions against sex selection as the city works to promote gender equality, stabilize its population structure and ensure sustainable human resources development.
Local authorities will boost legal education and raise awareness among people of reproductive age, especially young people before marriage, about the value and role of women and girls in society.
Male and female students at the opening ceremony. Photo: Kinh te & Do thi Newspaper
The city also encourages residential communities, including villages, hamlets and neighborhoods, to incorporate gender balance control in their community conventions.
Schools are urged to integrate gender balance education into their curricula to help students form humanistic and equitable views about gender from an early age, creating a foundation for long-term social change.
The city government will strengthen inspections and monitoring of medical and service establishments. It will sign commitments with healthcare and cultural service providers to prevent all forms of prenatal sex selection.
These tasks are part of Hanoi’s recently issued plan to control gender imbalance at birth for the 2026–2030 period.
Under the plan, Hanoi aims to reduce the annual growth rate of the sex ratio at birth by 0.2 percentage points and lower the ratio to no more than 109 boys per 100 girls by 2030.
According to Hoang Thi Thom, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Population under the Ministry of Health, if the imbalance continues, Vietnam could have 1.5 million surplus males by 2034 and up to 2.5 million by 2059.
Vietnam began facing gender imbalance at birth in 2006, with a ratio of 109.8 boys per 100 girls. Although the growth rate has slowed, the ratio has stayed at 112 boys per 100 girls since 2013.
Experts warn that continued imbalance could cause serious social and economic consequences, such as distorted marriage patterns, human trafficking and prostitution, while further reducing women’s social status.
Ha Thi Quynh Anh, Senior Advisor on Gender and Human Rights at UNFPA, said gender bias and the preference for sons are the main causes.
In the past, many families had several children in hopes of having a son. With modern medical advances, many now try to choose the sex of their child to ensure at least one boy.
To solve the problem, Vietnam has promoted gender equality, improved the role and status of women and girls and banned all forms of prenatal sex selection. The country aims to build a fair, progressive and sustainable society.
Funding for Hanoi’s plan will come from the state budget, approved programs and projects and socialized sources from organizations, enterprises and individuals in accordance with the law.
