China Sets Family Planning Targets for 2020

In a recent document titled National Family Planning for the 13th Five-Year Plan Period, the National Health and Family Planning Commission puts forward the goals of reaching a total population of about 1.42 billion and an average annual natural growth rate of 6% by 2020.

The 13th Five-year Plan period (2016-2020) is a critical one for the countrywide implementation of the two-child policy and in fostering transitions and development in family planning work. The document suggests that related laws, regulations and rules should be improved while there should be reasonable allocation of resources in providing maternal and child healthcare; babysitting services; pre-school, primary and secondary school education; and social security. The document also calls for co-ordination in formulating socio-economic policies that encourage family planning in accordance with prevailing policies. Meanwhile, the implementation of such employment benefits as maternity leave and spouse paternity leave will be promoted. The document also supports women returning to work after giving birth and encourages enterprises in adopting measures favourable for work-family balance for employees.

As regards raising service standards in maternal and child healthcare and in family planning, the document suggests establishing more institutions that provide such services and to strengthen capabilities in treating critical and serious medical conditions in pregnant and lying-in women as well as new-born babies. The document also promises enhancing services in providing assisted reproductive technology (for people who previously underwent birth control procedures) and encourages the setting up of clinics to help women get pregnant again or women with high-risk pregnancy in areas with a high concentration of target groups for the two-child policy. There are also plans to gradually offer urban and rural residents free services in the prevention and treatment of birth defects at the pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and newborn stages.

For details of the document in Chinese, please see:

www.nhfpc.gov.cn/ewebeditor/uploadfile/2017/02/20170206110703906.pdf