Nearly 80% of couples want to have 2 children, but need to overcome the worry of 'enough income to live on'

This was shared by Associate Professor Nguyen Duc Vinh (Director of the Institute of Sociology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences ) at the International Conference on Policy Consultation and Solutions to Prevent the Low Birth Rate Trend held in Hanoi on August 28.

Giving suggestions on how to prevent the low birth rate trend, Professor Nguyen Thien Nhan - a member of the 15th National Assembly - said that Vietnam still has time to increase the birth rate, due to Vietnamese family traditions. The majority of young people today still want to get married when they grow up and want to have 2 children.

"To increase the birth rate, each family can have 2 children, then the income of a family of 2 working people must be able to properly support 4 people (2 adults, 2 children).

There needs to be a policy to shift from minimum wage regulations to minimum living wage regulations for a family of four.

Workers' working hours must be short enough (8 hours/day, 40 hours/week) to allow them time to find a partner, take care of children, family and personal interests.

Support workers to rent or buy houses at acceptable prices.

At the same time, there should be leave policies for pregnancy and childbirth, and businesses should also encourage marriage and childbirth...", Professor Thien Nhan said.