4.3mn Vietnamese men may become ‘redundant’ by 2050 due to unbalanced gender ratio

Vietnam may have millions more men than women by 2034, and that figure may rise to over four million by 2050 if the country’s current sex imbalance at birth is not addressed, the Ministry of Health’s General Office for Population and Family Planning (GOPFP) warned.

The Southeast Asian country is facing a serious gender imbalance as the country’s sex ratio at birth sits at 112.1 boys to 100 girls, the GOPFP said, citing official statistics.

The country has faced an imbalance of its sex ratio at birth since 2006 when it had 109 male newborns for every 100 female newborns, exceeding the ‘natural’ ratio of 104-106 boys for every 100 girls.

While other Asian countries have been dealing with similar issues for quite a while, the issue in Vietnam seems to be worsening much faster, according to Dr. Pham Vu Hoang, GOPFP deputy director.

The sex imbalance at birth has hit all six socio-economic regions in Vietnam, particularly the Red River Delta in the northern part and many northern mountainous midland areas. 

Currently, there are 21 provinces and cities nationwide with a sex ratio at birth higher than the national average. 

Population experts have predicted that if the sex imbalance at birth is not controlled, Vietnam will have 1.5 million more men than women by 2034 and 4.3 million more men than women by 2050.

Experts also warned that the imbalance will force more men to either marry late or stay single.

The situation will have a direct and profound impact on the national population structure and lead to far-reaching, long-term social consequences, including increased inequalities related to women marrying young, divorce, women remarrying, gender-based violence, and human trafficking, Dr. Hoang said.

The main cause of men outnumbering women is the notion of 'valuing men above women,' a gender prejudice that has long been ingrained in the Vietnamese mindset.

Additionally, the abuse of scientific and technological advances that allow expecting parents to choose the sex of the fetus has contributed to worsening the sex imbalance at birth, according to Dr. Hoang.

Vietnam has set a target to pull down the at-birth gender imbalance to a natural ratio of below 109 boys to 100 girls by 2030, the GOPFP said, adding that it will be difficult as it requires a yearly reduction of 0.4 percent in the sex imbalance at birth ratio.

In the past eight years, the ratio has only decreased by 0.1 percent per year. 

To achieve the ambitious target, it is necessary to improve the public’s awareness of impacts of gender imbalance, continue fighting gender prejudice against women, and prevent the abuse of science and technology in prenatal sex selection, the GOPFP stated. 

Like us on Facebook or  follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!