Speaking at the event, deputy head of the General Office Vo Thanh Dong said that, based on the assessments of the achievements and shortcomings in the seven-year implementation of the National Strategy on Population and Reproductive Health for the 2011-2020 period, the general office completed a draft Vietnamese Population Strategy until 2030.
This workshop aimed to consult experts in ministries, sectors, localities and international organisations with regards to the draft strategy to soon complete a final version to be submitted to the Government for approval, Dong stated.
He also pointed to current challenges facing the population work that need to be addressed, including the difference in the fertility rate in regions, serious gender imbalance, unplanned migration, population aging, and limited population quality.
The new strategy needs to address the high urban population density, bring the sex ratio at birth to below 109 boys per 100 girls, take advantage of the golden population, include population-related issues in local socio-economic development strategies, and improve public health.
At the event, delegates reached a consensus on the necessity to promulgate a new strategy as the old one has yet to solve the relationship between population and development absolutely.
They made proposals for the new strategy, including improving the mechanisms, policies and laws involved in population, creating a consensus in awareness and action of the entire political system and people from all walks of life and reforming communication work.