Application of “polygamy” is strictly banned in Vietnam from February 15, 2015

Issued together with Decree No. 126/2014/ND-CP of Vietnam’s Government is the List of backward marriage and family practices which must be banned from application. This includes:

1. Polygamy.

2. Marriage between people of the same direct line of descent, between relatives within three generations.

3. The customs of catching wives in order to coerce women into marriage.

4. Asking for high wedding presents of commercial nature (asking for silver, cash, dowries, buffaloes, cows, gongs... as wedding offerings).

5. The levirate marriage customs: When the husband dies, the widow is forced to marry his elder or younger brother-in-law; when the wife dies, the widower is forced to marry her elder or younger sister-in-law.

6. Forcing the widow or widower, who remarries, to repay the wedding money to the family of her ex-husband or his ex-wife.

7. Reclaiming property and imposing fines when the wife or husband divorces her husband or his wife.

Besides, Decree No. 126/2014/ND-CP also stipulates that related ministries and sectors and People’s Committees at all levels shall coordinate with the Vietnam Fatherland Front in working out and implementing the following policies and measures:

- To create conditions for the people to implement the law on marriage and family; to uphold fine traditions and practices which show the identity of each ethnic group, to eliminate backward marriage and family practices;

- To increase public information on the law on marriage and family; to mobilize the people to uphold fine traditions and practices and eliminate backward marriage and family practices;

- To educate young generations about preserving and developing the language and script, and promote the cultural values of fine practices, of each ethnic group.

View more details at Decree No. 126/2014/ND-CP of Vietnam’s Government, effective from February 15, 2015.

Le Hai

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