| THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ----- | SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM Independence - Freedom – Happiness ------- |
| No: 06/2003/PL-UBTVQH11 | Hanoi , January 9, 2003 |
POPULATION ORDINANCE
Population constitutes one of the factors decisive to the sustainable development of the country;
In order to raise the responsibilities of citizens, the State and society in the population work; to protect the rights and legitimate interests of citizens; to enhance and unify the State management over population;
Pursuant to the 1992 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, which was amended and supplemented under Resolution No. 51/2001/QH10 of December 25, 2001 of the Xth National Assembly at its 10th session;
Pursuant to Resolution No. 12/2002/QH11 of December 16, 2002 of the XIth National Assembly, its second session, on the Law- and Ordinance-Making Programs of the XIth National Assembly throughout its tenure (2002-2007) and for 2003;
This Ordinance provides for population.
In order to raise the responsibilities of citizens, the State and society in the population work; to protect the rights and legitimate interests of citizens; to enhance and unify the State management over population;
Pursuant to the 1992 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, which was amended and supplemented under Resolution No. 51/2001/QH10 of December 25, 2001 of the Xth National Assembly at its 10th session;
Pursuant to Resolution No. 12/2002/QH11 of December 16, 2002 of the XIth National Assembly, its second session, on the Law- and Ordinance-Making Programs of the XIth National Assembly throughout its tenure (2002-2007) and for 2003;
This Ordinance provides for population.
Chapter I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 1.- Scope of regulation and subjects of application
1. This Ordinance provides for the population size, population structure, population distribution, population quality, and measures to perform the population work and the State management over population.
2. This Ordinance shall apply to State agencies, political organizations, socio-political organizations, social organizations, socio-professional organizations, economic organizations, people’s armed force units and all Vietnamese citizens (hereinafter referred collectively to as agencies, organizations and individuals); foreign organizations operating in the territory of Vietnam and foreigners permanently residing in the territory of Vietnam, unless otherwise prescribed by the international agreements which Vietnam has signed or acceded to.
Article 2.- Principles of the population work
1. To protect the legitimate rights and interests of agencies, organizations and individuals in the population field in conformity with socio-economic development, the quality of life of individuals, families and the entire society.
2. To guarantee the initiative, voluntariness and equality of each individual and family in birth control, reproductive health care, selection of residential places, and application of measures to raise the population quality.
3. To harmonize the rights and interests of individuals and families with the interests of communities and the whole society; to build families with few children, which are prosperous, equal, progressive, happy and sustainable.
Article 3.- Interpretation of terms
In this Ordinance, the following words and phrases are construed as follows:
1. Population means an aggregation of people living in a country, a region, a geo-economic area or an administrative unit.
2. Population size means the number of people living in a country, a region, a geo-economic area or an administrative unit at a certain time.
3. Population structure means the total population classified by gender, age, ethnicity, educational level, profession, marital status and other characteristics.
4. Aged population structure means a population where the aged represent a high proportion.
5. Population distribution means the distribution of the total population by region, geo-economic area or administrative unit.
6. Population quality means the reflection of physical, intellectual and spiritual characteristics of the entire population.
7. Migration means the movement of population from one country to another for residence, from one administrative unit to another for residence.
8. Reproductive health means the demonstration of physical, spiritual and social states related to the reproductive activity and function of each person.
9. Family planning means the State’s and society’s efforts to enable every individual and couple to actively and voluntarily decide on the number of children, the time to have babies and the duration between child births in order to protect their health and raise their children with a sense of responsibility and in conformity with social standards and families’ living conditions.
10. Population work means the management and organization of implementation of activities affecting the population size, population structure, population distribution and raising the population quality.
11. Human development indexes are general data used for evaluating the level of human development, determined through average life expectancy, educational level and average per capita income.
