Russia Implements Policies to boost Birth Rates, Faces Criticism
Teh Kremlin is implementing a series of measures aimed at increasing Russia’s birth rate, sparking debate and criticism from within the country. These policies include expanded financial support for pregnant schoolgirls in some regions, a ban on “propaganda” promoting a childless lifestyle, and efforts to discourage abortions.
The government has introduced financial incentives, but critics argue these are insufficient and fail to address underlying economic concerns. According to a Moscow demographic expert, a more effective approach woudl be “large financial stimuli for second and third children,” noting Russia’s current budget for children is only 1.4% of GDP, compared to 3.5% in France.
A new law prohibits the promotion of a “childless lifestyle” across television, films, textbooks, advertising, social networking, and websites, carrying a fine of up to 400,000 rubles for violations. Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the Duma, stated the ban is “vital to protect people, especially the young generation, from the ideology of childlessness, which is forced on the Internet, in the media, in movies and in advertising.”
Concurrently, the Ministry of Health in 2023 issued instructions advising doctors on how to discourage women from seeking abortions, despite Russia maintaining some of the most liberal abortion laws globally.
However, the policies are facing resistance. Tatur Dima of St. Petersburg commented, “Patriotism does not help people to start a large family if they cannot afford it…most educated people understand that this is only a rapid financial assistance that will not help them in the long term with a large family.” Julie, a twenty-five-year-old from Siberia, explained that women are increasingly prioritizing careers over early motherhood, a shift from the pressures faced by older generations in the Soviet era.
Experts suggest the Kremlin’s policies are hampered by conflicting priorities. Jenny Mathers, an associate professor of international policy at aberystwyth University in Wales, points out the war has created a labor shortage, necessitating women’s participation in the workforce.