Russia isn’t exempt from the challenge that plagues many nations around the world. Its population is also aging while birth rates are declining. The situation is even more serious due to the ongoing war, which exacerbates these issues.
In light of these challenges, countries are proposing extreme solutions. For instance, Japanese officials recently suggested banning women over 25 from getting married. Meanwhile, Russia has responded by passing a controversial new law.
Some context. Russia’s State Duma has unanimously approved a law that prohibits what it calls “child-free propaganda,” aiming to address the falling birth rate. The decision follows official statistics indicating the lowest birth rates in 25 years. The Kremlin has labeled the situation as “catastrophic” for the nation’s future, particularly in light of the war in Ukraine that has led to increased death rates.
Values. President Vladimir Putin, who promotes traditional values as opposed to what he perceives as Western decadence, has urged women to have at least three children to ensure the continuity of the Russian population.
Despite offering financial incentives and encouragement policies, the Russian government feels compelled to limit messages that it believes discourage childbearing. In essence, the law prohibits women from expressing, whether publicly or privately, a desire to remain childless.
The new law. The law, which has garnered considerable support from the Kremlin, criminalizes any form of “propaganda” that promotes the decision not to have children as appealing. This applies to media, the Internet, films, and advertising.
Fines for non-compliance can reach up to $4,000 for individuals and up to $50,000 for legal entities. The recent law adds to a series of other restrictions in Russia, including bans on promoting “non-traditional” lifestyles and content that’s critical of the conflict in Ukraine.
Concerns. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov, demography is a significant challenge for Russia, and it’s essential to take all possible measures to increase the birth rate. Since 2016, deaths in Russia have outnumbered births. While migration has helped stabilize the population, the number of immigrants has declined due to stricter policies toward migrant workers and falling wages.
Additionally, the pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine have further worsened the situation, with an estimated 150,000 Russian soldiers killed so far.
Figures and outlook. In the first half of 2024, Russia recorded 599,600 births, which is 16,000 fewer than during the same period in 2023 and marks the lowest figure since 1999. In addition, the number of deaths increased by 49,000, although immigration rose by 20%. According to CIA estimates, Russia is among the 40 countries with the lowest birth rates in 2023.
Many Russian women question whether restricting “child-free propaganda” is the solution to the declining birth rate. Some argue that issues such as financial resources and economic insecurity are the real reasons behind people’s decisions to forgo having children. Alina Rzhanova from Yaroslavl, a city northwest of Moscow, told Reuters, “People want children, but there’s no money.” Similarly, Yana, a woman in Moscow who has chosen not to have children, argues that ensuring decent and affordable living conditions would be more effective than imposing bans.
A breeding ground. The New York Times reports that it’s quite possible that Russia will use this law, at least in part, to assert its ideological stance against the West. State Duma chairman Vyacheslav Volodin recently said that “the West’s policy toward children has been ruinous” and emphasized the need to raise new generations with traditional family values.
However, experts question the effectiveness of this measure in increasing the birth rate. Demographer Alexey Raksha pointed out that this ban won’t influence Russia’s birth rate, suggesting it’s more of a political decision than a demographic one. According to surveys from 2022, only 2.4% of Russian women and 3.5% of men expressed a desire not to have children. Political analyst Ilya Grashchenkov argues that the government is using these laws to reinforce its commitment to traditional values by contrasting them with those of the West.
Overall, it’s clear that the new law reflects the government’s insistence on reinforcing traditional family values as a cornerstone of Russian identity. However, as seen in many other countries facing a birth rate crisis, the real demographic impetus may lie elsewhere, such as improving women’s living conditions, rather than censoring alternative lifestyles and imposing sanctions that look like something straight out of a sci-fi movie.
Image | Michael Parulava
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