Putin Urges Higher Birth Rates
MOSCOW. In response to Russia’s escalating population crisis, President Vladimir Putin has renewed his push for higher birth rates, with the Kremlin’s top doctor suggesting that Russians should engage in a “sex-at-work” scheme to support the initiative.
Despite years of pro-birth policies, including cash incentives, tax breaks, and efforts to discourage abortions, Russia recorded its lowest birth rate in 25 years during the first half of 2024. This alarming statistic follows United Nations reports indicating troubling global population trends.
Addressing the issue at the Eurasian Women’s Forum on Wednesday, President Putin emphasized the importance of women balancing their careers with motherhood. He stated, “Proper conditions are being created for women to succeed professionally while remaining guardians of the hearth and lynchpins of large families with many children.” His remarks were reported by Newsweek.
Putin underscored that Russian women are capable of managing both family and professional life, adding that they “possess a secret that men are unable to fathom.”
In a controversial statement during the forum, Russia’s Health Minister Dr. Yevgeny Shestopalov advocated for the “sex-at-work” idea. When asked by a female reporter how women with long work hours are expected to manage family responsibilities, Shestopalov responded, “Being very busy at work is not a valid reason, but a lame excuse.” He suggested that procreation could happen during work breaks, noting, “Life flies by too quickly.”
Support for these pro-birth measures extended to Russian lawmakers, with politicians Anna Kuznetsova and Zhanna Ryabtseva encouraging women to start families as early as age 18 to maximize their childbearing years. In an even bolder move, Tatyana Butskaya, a Russian Member of Parliament, suggested that employers monitor the birth rates of their female employees, according to a report by Sky News Australia.
Additionally, women in Moscow aged 18 to 40 are being encouraged to undergo fertility testing as part of the government’s demographic efforts.
“This new push for more Russian babies is consistent with the Russian government’s previous initiatives to improve demographics and increase the size of the future workforce,” said Rebekah Koffler, a former DIA intelligence officer and author of Putin’s Playbook, in a statement to Fox News Digital.
While the Kremlin views the declining birth rate as a “disaster,” Koffler pointed out that Russia’s demographics are not far from those of most industrialized countries. The UN estimates that Russia’s current population of 140.8 million could drop by 10 million by 2054 if current trends continue.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Russia’s fertility rate is currently 1.5 children per woman, far below the 2.1 needed to maintain population stability, as noted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and reported by Newsweek.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
