In recent times, imbalance in gender ratio, especially among recent births in Vietnam has been widely covered by the mass media.

Mr Anh described the gender ratio as the number of males per 100 females in a population. A normal ratio ranges from 95 to 100. Wider ranging birth ratios fall between 97 and 108.  If the ratio goes over 110, it must be subject to control.

According to demographic studies, gender ratio is an indication of population structure. Therefore, gender ratio studies need to consider the ratios of a majority of people such as the population of a country, a region, a province or a city with a population scale of at least a million people. The results of studies will be inexact if they are conducted based on the population scale of a village or a district as the gender ratio at birth is less.

Thus, gender ratio studies should be based on statistics from the national population census.

According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), the gender ratio in Vietnam has been stable during the past fifty years (from 1943-1989), fluctuating between 94 and 96. Population census from 1979-1989 showed that the ratio at an average level of 94 increasing marginally during a period of 10 years. Meanwhile, the gender ratio in provinces and cities is below 100.

According to the statistics, the gender ratio of different age groups, especially in the newborn group remain at normal and safe levels in accordance with the regulations of demography.

Gender ratio of children at an acceptable level

Dr Nguyen Quoc Anh said the information centre of the National Committee for Population, Family and Children calculated the gender ratio of children from statistics gathered from free healthcare cards for children under six. With a population of more than 8 million children, it is hoped that this is a reliable data source. The preliminary calculation results from statistics of nine provinces and cities have shown that the gender ratio of the children has increased at an acceptable level.

However, we should not use the above data source to conclude the status of population structure classified by gender, but use other reliable data sources.

Regarding information on gender ratio imbalance, Dr Anh said leaders from the National Committee for Population, Family and Children have instructed concrete measures to be taken. For example, the committee has co-ordinated with the GSO to collect and analyse the gender ratio of newborns in the results from a national survey of population fluctuation on April 1, 2006. The preliminary statistics on the issue are expected to be announced by the end of September.

In October 2006, experts from GSO, the National Committee for Population, Family and Children will cooperate with experts from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to analyse statistics. The preliminary results of the survey are expected to be announced by November. This will be reliable enough to assess the gender ratio imbalance in Vietnam.

The Education Propaganda Department also plans to distribute more information on population structure classified by gender to raise people’s awareness about the issue.