On the afternoon of June 3, continuing the 46th session, the National Assembly Standing Committee passed the Ordinance amending Article 10 of the Population Ordinance No. 06/2003/PL-UBTVQH11, which was amended and supplemented by Ordinance No. 08/2008/PL-UBTVQH12.
Presenting the report, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said that the Government submitted to the National Assembly Standing Committee to amend Clause 1, Article 1 of Population Ordinance No. 08/2008/PLUBTVQH12 amending Article 10 of the 2003 Population Ordinance:
"Deciding on the time and distance of giving birth" becomes "Deciding on the time of giving birth, the number of children and the distance between births appropriate to the age, health status, learning conditions, work, income and raising children of individuals and couples on the basis of equality".
At the same time, Clause 2: "Born one or two children, except in special cases as prescribed by the Government" is abolished.
Article 10 of the 2003 Population Ordinance, amended in 2008, stipulates:
The rights and obligations of each couple and individual in implementing population mobilization and family planning, reproductive health care:
1. Deciding on the time and distance of giving birth;
2. Having one or two children, except in special cases as prescribed by the Government;
3. Protect health, take measures to prevent reproductive tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS and perform other obligations related to reproductive health.
This amendment aims to overcome the difference in birth rate between regions and subjects, avoiding the reduction of birth rate being too low, not reaching replacement birth rate - which can negatively affect sustainable development of the economy, society, security and national defense in the future.
The amendment of legal documents regulating the number of children is one of the contents to maintain replacement fertility, avoiding further decline in fertility in the coming time.
The Government's report also said that according to some current studies, the desire to have two children is still popular in society, but not every couple can realize that desire. Other factors in life greatly influence people's decision to have children.
Therefore, after amending this regulation, the birth rate may increase in a short period of time, but the increase is not significant.
The draft Ordinance does not have any content affecting national defense and security issues.
Agreeing with the amendment of the Population Ordinance, Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh said that this amendment is only an immediate solution.
In order to solve the overall population issues, to fulfill the goals and tasks of population, Mr. Nguyen Dac Vinh proposed the agency to preside over the drafting urgently to complete the dossier of the Population and Population Law fully institutionalize the Party's views and guidelines; ensure the quality and progress of the Law on Population and Population and submit them to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly and the National Assembly in accordance with the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents.
At the meeting, with 100% of members present in agreement, the National Assembly Standing Committee approved the Ordinance amending Article 10 of the Population Ordinance No. 06/2003/PL-UBTVQH11, which has been amended and supplemented by Ordinance No. 08/2008/PL-UBTVQH12.
Thus, this Ordinance takes effect from the date the National Assembly Standing Committee approves (3.6).
