The Russian government has come out to “in principle” support proposed legislation to ban the promotion of childless lifestyles, in a move aimed at reversing demographic decline and reinforcing conservative values.
- The proposed law reflects Russia’s ongoing efforts to boost birth rates and push back against what it sees as Western liberal influences. It follows similar measures targeting LGBTQ+ “propaganda.”
Details: The bill would prohibit the “targeted dissemination of information to promote a lifestyle without family and children” in media, advertising, films, and online.
- Violators could face fines ranging from 400,000 rubles ($4,300) for individuals to 5 million rubles ($54,000) for businesses.
- Foreign citizens who break the law could be detained or deported.
Between the lines: The Russian government has backed the initiative “in principle” but called for refinements to protect those who don’t have children due to religious beliefs, medical conditions, or as victims of rape.
- Senior MP and member of the Duma’s education committee Elvira Aitkulova emphasized the bill targets propaganda, not personal choices: “It is not about the right of everyone to choose in such personal matters, but about the effort to convince others, especially minors, of the superiority of a childless lifestyle”
The big picture: Russia faces demographic challenges due to an aging population and low birth rate.
- Russia’s total fertility rate (TFR)—the number of births per woman—dropped from just below replacement level (2.1) in 1988 to 1.3 in 2004 in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union.
- While Russia’s pro-natal policies were able to boost the birth rate from 1.3 in 2007 to nearly 1.8 in 2015, it has stagnated in recent years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
This article originally appeared on the Justice Report and is republished by The Noticer with permission.
Header image credit: Justice Report
