A Vietnamese National Assembly delegate recently proposed a solution for fostering a sustainable population, a thriving nation, and happy families: reducing workers’ hours to allow them more time to find partners, care for their children, attend to family needs, and pursue personal interests.

Nguyen Thien Nhan, a member of the 15th National Assembly and former secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, made the suggestion at a conference in Hanoi on Tuesday. 

The event was meant to contribute ideas and refine policies related to the Population Law and demographic transition in Asia-Pacific economies.

According to Nhan, the current replacement fertility rate, the total fertility rate at which a population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next, is not sustainable. 

The average number of children per woman of childbearing age is 1.96, the lowest on record, and is expected to continue declining.

Statistics from the Department of Population under the Ministry of Health show that urban women, who previously had more than 1.7 children on average, have seen their fertility rate drop below 1.7 in the past two years. 

In rural areas, the fertility rate this year is projected to fall below the replacement rate, down from 2.4 a few years ago.

Currently, 22 provinces and cities have fertility rates below the replacement level, with the southeast region at 1.47 and the Mekong Delta region at 1.61 in 2023.

According to Nhan, for a typical family with two children, the combined income of the two primary earners should be sufficient to adequately support two adults and two children.

To achieve this, Nhan emphasized the need for a unified approach between the government, businesses, and workers. 

This requires transitioning from minimum individual wage regulations to minimum living wage standards for a family of four.

Nhan also suggested that workers’ hours be limited to eight hours per day and 40 hours per week to allow time for increased family time, including finding a partner, caring for children, and pursuing personal interests.

A competitive housing market with state support and oversight is crucial to ensuring affordable housing options.

Working conditions, maternity and paternity leave, salary, and promotion policies should support marriage and childbirth without creating conflicts between work and family responsibilities.

Nhan advocated for universal preschool for children aged three months to five years to support working parents and ensure they can continue to develop professionally after having kids. 

He also called for the development of both public and private education systems to provide universal elementary, middle, and vocational education.

Furthermore, Nhan highlighted the need for shared household responsibilities between spouses, true gender equality, and incorporating lessons on family happiness into high school and vocational education. 

He proposed that education at all levels include subjects on Vietnamese happiness and that the state offer practical support for infertile couples.

The Ministry of Health is currently drafting the Population Law and is soliciting public feedback, with the proposal expected to be submitted to the government in December.

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