Increase in child count approved by Lvova-Belova
AsRussia braces for the future, a shift in family dynamics may be on the horizon. Maria Lvova-Belova, the presidential commissioner for children's rights, hinted at this change during "Future Forum 2050." By 2050, a family could be considered large not just with three, but with four or five children, as she asserted.
In her vision for the future, Lvova-Belova emphasized the need to raise the bar when it comes to large families. She highlighted tax breaks as a crucial support measure to strengthen the financial position of such families.
RBC Group reported that Lvova-Belova proposes to abolish the criteria of neediness to halve the number of orphans. Speaking of which, the incomes of large families impact the provision of local preferences in just 40 subjects. However, in the remaining regions, this requirement persists, leading to inequality among residents of different subjects, says Sergey Mironov, head of the faction at the forum.
Currently, President Vladimir Putin's decree, issued on January 23, 2024, defines a large family as one having three or more children, both biological and adopted. Such families can avail of state benefits, labor support, and early insurance pension appointments for women.
According to the latest government data, Russia boasts 2.4 million large families, serving as homes to 7.7 million children in 2023.
Demographic Challenges and Policy Responses
Russia, like many nations, grapples with daunting demographic challenges. These include a dwindling population and an aging workforce. Such challenges could pave the way for more family-friendly policies to prop up fertility rates.
To address these demographic issues, tax breaks, prolonged parental leave, and public childcare systems might be implemented as incentives for families to have more children, aiming to strike a balance between work and family obligations.
To support families, particularly those with orphaned children, future policies might prioritize increased state benefits and initiatives for caregivers and foster families. This effort could be part of a broader strategy to lessen the impact of a dwindling population and ensure that vulnerable members of society are cared for.
In light of demographic challenges facing Russia, such as a dwindling population and an aging workforce, policy-and-legislation discussions may focus on family-friendly policies to boost fertility rates. For instance, Maria Lvova-Belova, the presidential commissioner for children's rights, advocates for raising the bar for support of large families by proposing tax breaks, a potential change in the definition of a large family from three to four or five children, and abolishing the criteria of neediness to halve the number of orphans. This shift in policy could be integral to politics and general news concerning family dynamics in Russia.
