Putin Calls for More Children, Promotes Traditional Values
Dan Zeller
Posted On September 20, 2024
Putin Calls for More Children, Promotes Traditional Values
Russian President Vladimir Putin has emphasized the government’s commitment to policies that empower women to balance professional success with the role of a mother. He believes that Russian women possess the capacity to achieve both while maintaining their beauty and charm.
Russia’s Declining Birth Rate
Russia’s fertility rate, which measures the average number of children born to a woman over her lifetime, currently stands at 1.4, below the rate of 2.1 required for population replacement. Kremlin officials have described the situation as “catastrophic,” particularly in light of the higher mortality rates among young Russian men due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Push to Procreate
To encourage childbearing, the government has introduced financial incentives for students who become new mothers in some regions. Moscow has expanded free access to fertility testing and treatments.
Conservative Values and Family Planning
Putin’s push for a higher birth rate is part of a broader agenda to promote traditional conservative values. A new course for students from grades 5 to 9 aims to instill positive attitudes towards large families. Some women find this approach intrusive and disrespectful of their autonomy.
Access to Fertility Testing
Moscow has initiated a program offering free fertility testing to women aged 18 to 40. The test measures the level of anti-Mullerian hormone in the blood, which indicates the number of healthy eggs in a woman’s reproductive system. Women with a low ovarian reserve are offered follow-up treatments, including egg freezing.
Political Agenda Behind Family Values
While Russia’s fertility rate remains higher than many Western countries, Putin has emphasized the importance of women having at least two children for the country’s ethnic survival. He has expressed a preference for even larger families. The government has implemented policies to honor families with seven or more children, and has reinstated a Soviet-era award for women with 10 or more children.
Questionable Strategy
Despite efforts to increase the birth rate, demographers believe the government’s campaign is unlikely to succeed. They attribute the low birth rate to factors such as the declining number of women of childbearing age, a trend that dates back to the 1990s.
