Vietnam seeks to reduce gender imbalance at birth

"No gender discrimination, no prenatal gender selection " is the main message of a get-together in Hanoi this morning.

This is part of the campaign to reduce gender imbalance at birth implemented by the General Department of Population and Family Planning and the United Nations Population Fund in Vietnam. 

According to the Ministry of Health, sex ratios at birth in 55 out of 66 cities and provinces have exceeded 108 males per 100 females.

The main reason is the prevalent prenatal gender selection. The surplus of males of marriageable age may lead to the disintegration of family structures as a significant proportion of men will have to marry late and many cannot get married at all.  Other social consequences include human trafficking and domestic violence.