Statistics show that between the age of 30 to 43, 1% of the population is man and 6% is woman. That is the reason why the number of single women is higher than single men. Single women can be considered a group who suffer because of the aftermath of war, as they have no chance to enjoy family happiness like other women. The burden is much heavier, because nobody helps them and shares the burden with them when they are old. That obsession makes many parents worry when their daughters get married late. In some communities in Vietnam, parents force their daughters to get married even earlier than the marriage age.

In recent years, the number of HIV infections has been increasing rapidly in Vietnam. But most men have not realised the necessity to use a condom for the prevention of STDs and HIV/AIDS for every including single women. A quantitative survey conducted in 3 provinces of Vietnam found that the men did not like using condom while they had sex with partners because they said that their partners weren't prostitutes.

Actually, the sexual relations of unmarried women is a social problem, not only today but also or the future. This problem should be resolved because it is related to social life and reproductive health particularly in regard to unmarried women.

A study on the reproductive health of single women has a significant social meaning in Vietnam. So far in Vietnam, there have not been any studies on the reproductive health of single women. A policy to support them economically as well as with health care services should be taken into consideration to ensure equality in a civilised society.

In order to improve their reproductive health status as well as to resolve the social problems of single women, RaFH conducted a study on the factors related to single women and the attitude of people in community of Socson district, Hanoi province.

The objectives of this study were to identify the health status of single women. It focused on sexual and reproductive health and it identified their reproductive health needs.

150 unmarried women between 30 to 49 years old who are not legally married and have not married licence and 50 people from different levels in society in three communes in Soc Son district (rural areas in Hanoi) were interviewed with a semi-structured question, a structured question and a guide for deep interview.

The major findings of this study show that unmarried women aged between 30 to 49 account for 5% of women aged 30 to 49 in 3 communes, in which 29% of unmarried women have children. Why they have children is so that they can have some one to take care of them when they are old.

All of the unmarried women said that they wanted to have a child for their happiness in life and for their old age. Some of them have had 3 children with different men. They said that they had to hide the name of their children's father, even if the father of their children lived nearby. They need to have sexual relations but they're shy to speak out. Some of them are afraid of public opinion which does not support single women to have sexual relations.

Single women are very poor. They work very hard but the income of more than half of the women interviewed was lower than 100.000 VND per month and they want to be independent financially. Others are dependent their families and another one fifth are not independent. One woman said "I live with my parents, so they manage everything I earn. I want to marry and live separately even if my family could only give me a small cottage". But they are not able to get married.

There are a lot of reasons for not getting married, that unmarried women as well as community people spoke about in focus group discussions and in deep interviews. The opinion of single women is very different from community people's opinion in general. They considered that they have not married because of "their destiny", "family constraints", "over the age to marry" in Vietnam it is difficult for women over 30 years old to get married, "no chance", "bad health" "do not dare to get married". One woman said "I have seen other families, where the husband likes gambling and beating his wife. I am scared off it". Community people used to say that the reasons for not getting married is "older than marriage age", "bad health" or "charmless", " not good looking" and "family constraints". There is one more reason which is that village men did not want to get married with women who left home for a job and then came back. These included those women who joined the army or youth pioneer troops.

Unmarried women have many difficulties. They have suffered from gynaecological diseases such as RTIs, pelvic inflammation and menstrual disorder. But they haven't gone to the health center to have a check up. Only a few of them went to a clinic when the disease became so serious. Single women have suffered for a loss and pressure, including psychological pressure. So far, in Vietnam, it is unacceptable for unmarried women to have sexual relations. Therefore, unmarried women do not dare to have a partner, or they try to hide their relationship while they're single women though they considered that sexual relation is a human need. However, many women had sexual relations with their partners and of course they did not dare to be opened on their relationships. They tried to hide it and they felt "sneaky" while having sexual relations. They were ashamed and they were afraid that people in the village would know. Some of them have got gonorrhoea but they treat it privately by themselves. They knew very little about STDs and HIV/AIDS prevention, and they considered that these diseases can not affect to them. They also know very little about using condom and other contraceptive methods because they thought that if they used contraceptive methods, it would mean that they have sexual relations with variety of men, and that is considered to be a bad thing. That's why most of the unmarried women didn't use contraceptive methods.

The main point is that they did not have safe sex. So when they got pregnant or had STDs, they did not dare to go to the clinic for treatment. The above complex strongly affects their health status, particularly their reproductive health. Even though they are not married, they still have sexual relations, because that is physiological need. They want to have children as a measure of consolation as well as a support for them in their old age. They want to have their own children, but they do not know what should they do.

The health clinic at the commune level were not concerned for the group of single women and the family planning service system is only for a married couple but not for single women.

The community people considered that issue of unmarried women is a family issue but not a social issue. One farmer said that family behaviour is very important towards some young girls because parents wanted to close the door when a boy came. It is one of reasons to make them not get married. Over half the respondents thought that it is a social issue. A young man said: "Every unmarried woman has their own story, but generally they are miserable and unlucky", and other men said that unmarried women have been considered miserable women, parents never want their daughters to be in that circumstance. But the best solution is not to force them to get married too early. One member of people's committee said: "Rural women get married at the age of 18 to 20. When they are over 23 year old it is quite difficult to find husband because most men in rural areas get married at the age 22 or 23, the rest goes to cities for their job and they do not want to get married with a village girl".

Most unmarried women have no sympathy from their family, which make them feel inferior and makes them lose self esteem. A chairman of the people's committee said: "Family plays an important role for single women, without parents support single women can not have a child". A single woman said that " I do not think that I can have a boy friend, because I am living with my parents, if someone wants to come to me, he hesitate.

The backward feudal system still exists Vietnam. "One son has a meaning, ten daughters have no meaning". It is not easy to change that old way of thinking that the land would be kept for the son but not for the daughter as she has to get married . A member of the Women's union said there were women, who didn't have the opportunity to enjoy a love, they were very poor, they didn't know what they could do, they were at pains to find the way out . Those women having children tried their best for the children, but those women having no children felt tired of living, they were in very difficult circumstances and they could not find the way for them.

Conclusion:

Single women in Vietnam is a group of disadvantaged women. They faced many difficulties on their life especially in family finance as well as sexual reproductive health.

Up to now, Vietnamese society have not still accepted and supported for single women having sexual relations.

The health and family planning is not concerned to single women health. The enquiry for single women in society Vietnam should be solved

Recommendations: Based on the findings of the study we have a short-term and long-term plan of action to help unmarried women.

Set up a plan of action, which involve the participation of authorities and organisations at all level through meetings, discussion about the topic "How can we help unmarried women to have more sharing and support from the family and society".

Organise training courses on reproductive health focused on family planning, STDs and HIV/ AIDS for unmarried women and organise free of charge examinations and treatment for women in difficult conditions and set up a counselling network on safe sex and family planning, STDs and HIV/ AIDS prevention in project's communes.

Encourage community people to help unmarried women to reduce their difficulties, complexes and sharing. They should have family support equal to boys. They should be provided with land and family assets at the same level as other members in family.

Encourage community people to share their difficulties and to make them understand correctly the situation of single women, and to make them understand that sexual relations is a human need. That concept should be accepted by community people. However, unmarried women should have counselling and be educated on safe sex. They should understand that they have sex with any man, they can be at risk of getting an infection.

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