A Financial Boost for Young Moms: Russian Region Pushes Student Maternity Allowance
Region in Russia financially rewards schoolgirls for becoming mothers
Get ready to pop, students of Oryol! This western Russian region is shaking things up by doling out a sweet state allowance of 100,000 rubles (that's around €1,050) to students who register a pregnancy, according to independent news portal "Meduza." And guess who's serving up this baby bonus? Governor Andrei Klychkov, that's who. This move is part of an overall effort by Russian officials to deal with the demographic crisis by dishing out incentives to young women.
Now, more than half of Russia's 80-plus regions arelling out similar maternity allowances, including to students. Klychkov signed off on this deal in December, so now not just regular students, but those in vocational schools are eligble too, and there's no age limit either. In Russia, kids usually start school between the ages of six and seven and stay in school for 11 years.
Russia's official population size is said to be 146 million, but independent experts have their doubts and estimate a lower number. The trend, though, is going downhill, despite President Vladimir Putin's long-standing efforts to counteract population decline and his push for families to aim for six or seven kiddos.
Recently, some high-level politicians have been pushing Russian women to start families early. Health Minister Mikhail Murashko has even urged women to have children as early as they can. Last fall, the State Duma (Russia's lower house of parliament) nixed any promotion of voluntary childlessness, making it a no-no to publicly push for not having kiddos unless you're a nun in the Russian Orthodox Church.
Sources: ntv.de, dpa
Backstory
Russia is facing a decline in population due to factors like economic volatility and the ongoing Ukrainian conflict. To tackle this issue, Russia has come up with an assortment of demographic policies aimed at encouraging young women and students:
- Bread for Preggos: Some regions hand out cold hard cash to schoolgirls if they get pregnant and give birth between 2025 and 2027. This policy aims to support young moms but has raised eyebrows over ethical implications and the possibility of minors being exploited.
- Maternity Capital: Russia already has a Maternity Capital program that piles on the cash for mothers, especially for families with more kids.
- Regional Perks: A bunch of regions dish out payments to students who become moms during their studies. Currently, at least 11 regions are on board with this mommy-loving policy.
The Big Picture
A national strategy for family and demographic development until 2036 is in the works, with a focus on raising the birth rate, boosting family health, and supporting parents.Support for large families includes social assistance, housing initiatives, and expanding childcare services.Reproductive health measures are being strengthened with plans to improve women's clinics, modernize perinatal centers, and enhance maternal and child health outcomes.
Despite these efforts, Russia still confronts challenges like ethical concerns, implementation difficulties, and declining numbers of women of reproductive age. Nonetheless, efforts persist to build a brighter future for the Russian populace.
Vocational training students in Oryol region may now receive a maternity allowance of 050,000 rubles, making them eligible for this incentive, following Governor Andrei Klychkov's policy. This policy is part of a broader community effort to address Russia's demographic crisis, similar to the policies implemented in more than half of Russia's regions. Despite the ongoing demographic challenges and ethical concerns, Russian officials continue to push for family growth and support, as outlined in the national strategy for family and demographic development until 2036.
