English - CEDAW Southeast Asia

CEDAW and the Law:
reducing the rate of newborn babies weighing less than 2,500 grams to 7 percent by
2005 and 6 percent by 2010; and (b) eliminate the status of Vitamin A and iodine
deficiency and to reduce substantially the nutrition related anemia. Targets include
reducing the rate of iron deficiency anemia among pregnant women in all regions
where the program is executed to 30 percent by 2005 and 25 percent by 2010. There
are also several provisions on increasing the knowledge of mothers to ensure that
good nutrition of the families. Some major solutions and policies specific to women
in the ‘National Strategy on Nutrition’ are: (a) preventing and combating proteinenergy
malnutrition among mothers and children; and (b) improving infrastructure
and essential services for the care of mothers and children;
one of the VDGs is the improvement of maternal health. It aims to reduce maternal
mortality to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2010 with special attention to remote
and mountainous regions;
the CPGRS also aims to reduce the maternal mortality rate to 80 per 100,000 live
births by 2005 and to 70 per 100,000 live births in the whole country by 2010.
Indicators are the maternal mortality rate and skilled attendants at delivery;
the SEDP also seeks to reduce maternal mortality to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births
by 2010, paying special attention to difficult areas and improve mother’s postpartum
health;
There are also provisions on childbirth by scientific methods. The Decree No.
12/2003/ND-CP of February 12, 2003 on Childbirth by Scientific Methods (Decree on
Childbirth) provides that infertile couples and single women are entitled to give birth to children
by reproduction-supporting techniques on the prescription of specialized doctors. 598 Article 6 of
the Decree on Childbirth prohibits surrogacy. However, it provides no definition for it. Article 10
of the decree lays down the tasks of medical officials to: (a) consider the psychological states
of the sperm and ovum donors and recipients; (b) give full advice on risks that may occur in
the process of taking sperms or ova; (c) check the health of, and do all tests for, sperm donors
and recipients, ovum donors and recipients, as well as embryo donors and recipients; (d)
acknowledge all parameters on the quality of the donor’s sperms or ova; (e) strictly observe
the process of reproduction-supporting techniques, as provided by MOH; and (f) keep secret
all information on the names, ages, addresses and images of sperm as well as ovum donors
and recipients.
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GR 25 in Paragraph 12 requires equality between not only men and women, but also
among the various groups of women. In the field of maternal health care, there is a glaring
disparity that disadvantages women in rural areas and remote and mountainous regions, and
ethnic minority women. In particular, there is an urgent need to bridge the wide gap in access
to health-care services on pregnancy and maternity by women in rural areas and remote and
mountainous regions, and ethnic minority women. In this regard, a legal document that
specifies the health-care needs of these regions and women is important to provide the
necessary emphasis and guidance.
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Decree on Childbirth, Article 4
Review of key legal documents and compliance with CEDAW