Workshop on Promoting Roles of Religious Dignitaries in Implementing Population and Family Planning Policies

On 16^th April 2009 in Nghe An province, the Viet Nam Fathers Front, incollaboration with the General Office for Poopulation and Family Planning held a workshop on Promoting Roles of Religious Dignitaries  in Implementing Population and Family Planning Policies.

Attending in the workshop are religious leaders from provincies of Thai Binh, Hung Yen, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Binh, and Thua Thien-Hue and representatives from these  provincial Fathers Front Offices.

At the workshop, major population issues have been presented by GOPFP specialist with more focus on imbalanced sex ratio at birth in Viet Nam - a problem that seems to be much linked with gender inequality, and lessons and experiences to solve the issue from Korea, India and China.

Religous dignitaries shared their points of view and support to the government’s population and family planning policies and confirmed their important roles and contribution in advocating and communicating population policies. Participants also took this opportunity to exchange helpful experiences from religious practices. It is agreed that communication and advocacy forms should be appropriate with each religion as to raise people’s awareness on gender equality.

Apart from simililaries, differentials between the government’s policy and religious rules have also been discussed. Participants believe in order to solve the issues, government organizations should provide close collaboration with religions to change believers’ behaviour and revise legislative documents. Specific and harmonized measures are recommended in promoting roles and responsibility of religious dignitaries. Population and family planning communication should be integrated into the movement “All people unite to build a well-off life”.

Source: e.gopfp.gov.vn