Concerns that the support level of 1-3 million VND does not encourage 'families to have 2 children'

The birth promotion policy with financial support from 1 million to 3 million VND is not enough to encourage people to have 2 children - Illustration: NAM TRAN

According to experts, this support will not have much impact on couples' ability to have children.

21 provinces have low birth rates, which provinces have policies?

Previously, in 2020, the Prime Minister issued a decision approving the "Program to adjust birth rates to suit regions and subjects by 2030", which adjusts and perfects support and incentive policies in regions with low birth rates.

According to statistics, the low birth rate area includes 21 provinces and cities including Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Thap, Hau Giang, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Binh Duong, Khanh Hoa, Long An, Bac Lieu, Tay Ninh, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Dong Nai, Binh Thuan, Tien Giang, Can Tho, Vinh Long, An Giang, Ben Tre, Da Nang, Quang Ngai and Kien Giang.

These are 21 localities included in the low birth rate adjustment program.

Although the program was implemented in 2020, after nearly 5 years of implementation, only a few provinces such as Hau Giang, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Bac Lieu... have issued decrees on reward policies.

Most provinces and cities do not have policies to support increasing local birth rates.

Provinces and cities support an average of 1 million VND for couples who have two children before the age of 35. Hau Giang province alone also supports one-time prenatal and newborn screening costs according to medical service prices at public facilities; supports one-time hospital fees of 1.5 million VND...

However, the birth rate in provinces and cities with support policies has not increased. The birth rate in Hau Giang province from 2021 to 2023 remains at 1.83 children.

Recently, Ho Chi Minh City proposed that women who give birth to two children before the age of 35 will receive a support of 3 million VND. According to experts, this support policy does not affect couples' decision to have children.

No one gives birth to get 1-3 million VND in support.

Sharing with Tuoi Tre Online , Professor Giang Thanh Long, a senior expert on population and development at the National Economics University (Hanoi), affirmed that this support money is certainly not enough for couples to decide to have another child.

“It is clear that a couple's decision to have children is not only based on their wishes but also on many other factors such as the economic and social conditions where they live.

If every couple has access to housing, stable employment, a safe living environment, access to childcare services, schools, etc., the decision to have children will certainly be easier than relying on a small bonus while there are so many difficulties ahead.

Besides, encouraging childbearing cannot be done directly by urging couples to have children, but must be done indirectly through improving living conditions.

Policy synchronization is the most important thing, so there needs to be social security policies and support for education, healthcare, living conditions, etc. so that couples can raise children," Professor Giang shared.

Regarding the amount of support that localities are proposing, Professor Giang said that it is only a spiritual encouragement to show the locality's concern.

Agreeing with this view, a long-time expert in the population field also said that the policy of providing financial support when having two children will not encourage couples to have more children.

This expert believes that it is necessary to reduce tuition fees and support learning costs for preschool and primary school children, especially in industrial parks and export processing zones. At the same time, it is necessary to build a suitable community environment to create conditions for couples to have 2 children,...

“The declining birth rate is not only a problem in Vietnam but also a common situation in many countries around the world. However, Vietnamese women have a virtue of wanting to be mothers. Therefore, just creating the best conditions for them to give birth and raise children can improve the replacement birth rate,” said this expert.

According to Tuoi Tre Online , there has been no assessment of the effectiveness of the replacement fertility policy in localities with low fertility rates. The national program also clearly states that localities allocate budgets to improve fertility rates.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ban-khoan-muc-ho-tro-1-3-trieu-dong-khong-khuyen-khich-duoc-gia-dinh-sinh-du-2-con-20241210173542144.htm