The country’s population quality has alsobeen improved, stated Head of NA Committee for Social Affairs TruongThi Mai at a conference held in Hanoi on June 4 to discuss the roleof NA deputies in building laws and policies regarding population anddevelopment.
Mai, however, pointed out thatpopulation strategies in Vietnam are facing a number of problems,including low birth rate in some localities, gender imbalance, agingpopulation and the migration from rural areas to cities and industrialparks.
Statistics from some censuses show that thecountry’s birth rate has been decreased continuously, remaining belowthe fertility rate since 2000, she noted, adding that Vietnam hasexperienced an aging population since 2011 as a result of reduction inboth birth and death rates as well as an increase in longevity.
Vietnam has also become a country with a rapid aging speed asthe ratio of elderly people reached 10.5 percent in 2013, she noted.
Meanwhile, Ritsu Nacken, Acting Representative of the United NationPopulation Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam, said it’s high time for Vietnamto build a socio-economic population strategy for the future.
The UNFPA is ready to assist Vietnam through providing technicalsupport and international experience regarding population policies, shesaid.
At the conference, participants discussed thelatest research announcements on emerging population problems, includingbirth and aging rates. The discussion outcomes are expected to provideNA deputies with references to support their policy drafts.-VNA