Almost a dozen regions in Russia Russian media reports that they want to offer cash payments to young women who give birth, but there is a pretty big catch.
According to the Moscow Times monetary birth incentives will be offered in at least 11 Russian regions and will come into force on January 1, 2025. If a young woman successfully gives birth to the child, she receives 100,000 rubles, or about 1,300 Canadian dollars.
The bonuses announced for the first time in a few regions in the summer are linked to strict criteria. Although it varies by region, all expectant mothers are required to be full-time students at a local college or university. In addition, they must be under 25 years old at birth.
The entitlement also expires if the mother does not deliver the child, meaning that the woman would be excluded from receiving the payment in the event of a stillbirth.
Last month, the lower house of the Russian parliament voted unanimously to ban the authorities’ claim dangerous propaganda for a child-free lifestylein hopes of boosting the declining birth rate, Reuters reports.
The official data published in September shows that of Russia Birth rate at lowest level in a quarter of a century while mortality rates have increased Moscow’s war in Ukraine rages on and a wartime exodus results in citizens moving abroad. The Kremlin called the numbers “catastrophic for the future of the nation.”
President Vladimir Putin has said three-child families should be the norm in Russia to secure the country’s future.
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The Ban on child-free propaganda This includes any content deemed to promote “non-traditional lifestyles” such as same-sex relationships or gender fluidity, as well as divergent portrayals of the conflict in Ukraine. Violators can face high fines.
“We are talking about protecting citizens, especially the younger generation, from information that is spread in the media space and has a negative impact on the formation of people’s personalities,” Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the lower house of parliament and a senior Putin ally, said in November after that Ban was announced.
“Everything must be done to ensure that the new generations of our citizens grow up centered traditional family values.”
Over the last month, Russian lawmakers have made sweeping and panicked changes to health policy and offered new cash incentives to course-correct low birth rates.
The government has proposed using public money to fund hotel stays for newlyweds and encouraging women to use their work breaks to have sex with the intention of becoming pregnant.
A regional health minister, Yevgeny Shestopalov, said on Russian television in September that women should “pursue reproduction during breaks.”
Per Newsweek, he added: “Being very busy at work is not a valid reason, but a lame excuse.” You can dedicate themselves to reproduction during breaksBecause life goes by too quickly.”
And last year, Newsweek reports, a member of Russia’s lower house suggested this female prisoners are released to reproducewith the hopes of increasing the country’s birth rate and removing their penalties if they manage to have a child.
The country’s health authority also announced this Expansion to fertility testingSome women in Moscow reported receiving unsolicited referrals to testing clinics.
Russia is not the only country struggling with low birth rates. According to a Statistics Canada report released in September, Canada’s fertility rate was 1.26 children per woman in 2023 lowest recorded level since the agency began collecting data.
A StatCan report released in January said Canada, like other countries, is experiencing the “rollercoaster of the fertility pandemic” and more families are postponing having children.
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