Vietnam Ends Child Restriction Policy

JAKARTA - Vietnam ended its two-child policy, which aims to meet population challenges as the Southeast Asian country has experienced a decline in birth rates.

MPs of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly approved changes to the population law, according to the Hanoi Times daily report.

"The updated law empowers couples freely to decide their children's time, number and birth distance, taking into account age, health, education, work, income, and capacity to raise children - all based on the principle of equality," said Vietnam Health Minister Dao Hong Lan as reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Wednesday, June 4.

Lan said the reform aims to address the growing gap in birth rates across regions and social groups.

"And to prevent population decline below the replacement rate, a trend that threatens Vietnam's sustainable economic and social development, as well as its national security and defense in the long term," he continued.

Southeast Asian countries with a population of more than 100 million people, before that limited couples to having only one or two children.

The MPs met on Tuesday (3/6) for the 46th session of the Standing Committee when they approved amendments to Article 10 of the Population Organization which was first issued in 2003 and revised in 2008.

Birth rates have fallen sharply, from 1.96 in 2023 to 1.91 in 2024 -- the lowest level in the country's history.