Hanoi (VNA) - As dawn breaks over the highlands of Lai Chau, Ms. Hien, a 22-year-old H’Mong woman, arrives at the commune health station. She has traveled more than 15 kilometers to consult a health worker on her family planning options, so that she and her husband can decide together when to have children.
Hien’s story is at the heart of Vietnam’s national commitment to reproductive rights and universal access to family planning. Vietnam’s commitment to the Family Planning 2030 (FP2030) Commitment reflects the voices of women like Hien, ambitious to take charge of their future while contributing to the well-being of their families and communities.
Family planning is the right to decide whether, when and how many children to have, and with whom. It is about dignity—the right to safe, respectful care regardless of where one lives, our ethnicity, gender identity or economic condition. Above all, it is about personal choice, the cornerstone of reproductive rights and gender equality.
Today, many young, unmarried people, migrants, LGBTQI+ people and ethnic minorities in Vietnam still face significant barriers to accessing quality sexual and reproductive health services and information due to persistent stigma, lack of youth-friendly services, discrimination or services that are too far or not available at suitable times. By launching a commitment to FP2030, Vietnam is outlining a clear roadmap to:
● Expand access to modern, voluntary contraceptive methods
● Reduce unintended pregnancies among adolescents
● Improve the quality of family planning services
● Increase access to non-clinical contraceptive methods
● Strengthen the provision of clinical family planning services at the communal and provincial levels
● Promote public awareness and acceptance of family planning and contraceptive use
● Ensure sustainable resources for high-quality family planning services
With technical support from UNFPA, FP2030 and strong collaboration with partners, Vietnam is accelerating efforts to ensure that every pregnancy is by choice, not by chance. From national policy dialogues to grassroots community engagement in remote areas, Vietnam is building a people-centered health system grounded in rights and choices.
UNFPA estimates that for every dollar invested in family planning and maternal health in developing countries, the return on investment to families and societies is 8.40 USD — by reducing unintended pregnancies, supporting girls to stay in school, enabling workforce participation, and empowering individuals to plan their lives.
The value of family planning also ensures that no girl grows up fearing childbirth. That no boy grows up believing reproduction is solely a woman’s burden. That every family can plan their future with dignity and choice, not fear or compromise.
Over the past three decades, Vietnam has made impressive strides—lowering maternal mortality, increasing contraceptive use and embedding reproductive health in national development. Yet challenges remain, especially amid demographic transitions, climate risks, and rising inequality.
This is the path forward: a future where every individual has the right and the means to choose./.
