In response to the occasion, Điện Biên province has launched various activities aimed at strengthening communication and advocacy to improve understanding among all levels of government and the public about population issues, reproductive health, and family planning. Amid administrative consolidation and a streamlined two-tier government structure, the province is emphasizing awareness campaigns through banners, public media, social networks, and official portals, particularly those operated by the health sector.

Nguyễn Thị Cung, Acting Head of the Population and Child Division under the provincial Department of Health, shared: “In key locations, we’ve displayed banners with messages such as ‘Population is a vital pillar for national development and defense,’ ‘Healthy population - happy families - prosperous nation,’ and ‘Having children is a right - raising them well is a responsibility.’ These slogans aim to promote population quality, safeguard reproductive rights, and contribute to sustainable development. The campaign runs from July 1 to July 25, with peak efforts on July 11.”

This effort aligns with the revised Ordinance on Population, specifically the amendment to Article 10, passed by the National Assembly Standing Committee and effective from June 3. It clearly affirms that each couple or individual has the right to decide on the timing, number, and spacing of their children based on age, health, education, employment, income, and parenting capacity. This provision seeks to address regional fertility disparities and prevent fertility rates from falling below replacement level, which could negatively impact future socioeconomic development, national defense, and security.

In light of this policy, couples like Trần Việt Hà and her husband from Thanh An Commune have decided to plan for a third child. Hà, a self-employed businesswoman, and her husband, who serves in the armed forces, already have two children in preschool and primary school. With stable incomes, good health, and family support, the couple feels well-prepared to welcome another child. “Initially, we hesitated because raising children is no small task. But with encouragement from both sides of the family and thorough planning, financial, emotional, and physical, we’re ready and committed to caring for and nurturing our growing family,” shared Hà.

The phrase “Having children is a right - raising them well is a responsibility” emphasizes that every child deserves to be welcomed with love and adequate preparation. Yet in Điện Biên, population challenges persist, especially in remote areas where early marriage, consanguineous marriages, and large families are common, despite difficult living conditions and limited parental knowledge or resources.

Despite these challenges, the province has consistently prioritized population and family planning. In the first half of 2025 alone, significant progress has been made in combating sex-selective practices. Communications campaigns targeting the harms of gender-biased sex selection were conducted in 64 out of 129 localities. Additionally, campaigns were launched to provide integrated family planning services. As a result, nearly 1,000 intrauterine devices were distributed, over 1,300 women received oral contraceptives, and more than 20,000 individuals accessed modern birth control methods.

Over the years, Điện Biên has maintained its replacement-level fertility rate, with a crude birth rate of 13.32‰. The World Population Day serves as an important opportunity for both national and local governments to reflect on population efforts and accelerate concrete, sustainable actions that improve quality of life today and safeguard the future for generations to come.

With this mission in mind, Điện Biên is embracing the message of World Population Day, upholding reproductive rights, maintaining replacement fertility, and striving to improve population quality across the board.