Illustrative image (Photo: phunuvietnam.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – The InternationalDay of the Girl Child 2023 will focus on promoting gender equality toreduce sex imbalance at birth, thus raising public awareness of childprotection and care, according to the Ministry of Health’s General Office forPopulation and Family Planning.
In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly designatedOctober 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child. The purpose of this dayis to raise awareness about gender equality in various areas such as education,nutrition, health care, and to encourage communities to enforce policies thatsupport the role and status of women and girls in particular. This isparticularly important for families that only have girls.
InVietnam, 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 100girls. During the 2016-2022 period, efforts were made to control the increasein 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 askeddepartments and agencies to urge the public to change their mindsets, perceptions and actions regarding gender imbalance at birth while disseminating legalregulations on prohibiting gender selection during pregnancy.
Localhealth departments were assigned to hold communication campaigns regarding theissue through various public media channels, offer relevant counseling andhealth care services, and review the enforcement of laws and policies concernedat all levels./.
