Vietnam Offers Cash for Daughters, Threatens License Revocation to Combat Gender Imbalance

The Vietnamese government has launched a major overhaul of its population policy to address a severe gender imbalance. With son preference still deeply rooted in society and birth sex ratios far exceeding natural levels, the state has stepped in directly to encourage female births and regulate sex selection.

According to local media including VN Express, the Vietnamese government announced a "Health and Population Program" worth approximately 125 trillion dong (6.97 trillion won, or $4.9 billion). The policy's core objective is to reduce the sex ratio at birth (number of males per 100 females) to below 109 by 2030 and below 107 by 2035.

Vietnam's birth sex ratio last year stood at 111.4, significantly above the natural ratio of 104-106. The imbalance is particularly pronounced in northern regions, with the capital Hanoi recording a ratio of 118.1. Some areas in Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, and Thai Nguyen provinces exceeded 120. According to UN Population Division data, Vietnam ranked as the fourth most gender-imbalanced country among 217 nations worldwide last year.

The root cause of this phenomenon lies in son preference based on Confucian culture. While Vietnam is considered a country with active female participation in society, the notion that "sons carry on the family line" remains firmly entrenched within households.

"If this trend continues, by 2034 there will be more than 1.5 million more men than women aged 15-49," warned Hoang Thi Thom, Deputy Director of the Population Department at the Ministry of Health.

In response, the government has introduced incentives to encourage female births. In July, the Ministry of Health proposed providing cash or household supplies to "families with two daughters," primarily targeting rural areas and vulnerable groups. Several localities including Hai Phong, Hau Giang, and Bac Lieu have already implemented cash rewards for two-daughter families, with positive results reported.

Regulations to prevent illegal sex selection are also being strengthened. The government is considering license revocation for medical professionals who reveal fetal sex. Administrative penalties for sex-selection procedures are also under discussion, with proposals to raise the maximum fine from the current 30 million dong (1.7 million won, or $1,200) to 100 million dong (5.58 million won, or $3,900).