Pregnant schoolgirls in Russia’s Oryol region will receive nearly £1,000 as part of a controversial initiative by Governor Andrey Klychkov, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin. The cash handouts, aimed at boosting the country’s declining birth rates, will be given to underage girls who are at least 12 weeks pregnant, with no specified minimum age requirement. Each eligible recipient will be granted 100,000 Russian rubles, equivalent to around £920.
This move comes in response to Putin’s call to enhance family values and increase the average number of children per woman to 1.6 by 2030, as Russia’s current birth rate stands at 1.41 children per woman, falling short of the 2.1 replacement threshold. The government has launched a campaign discouraging abortions and promoting traditional family structures, including a change in the depiction of teen pregnancy on reality TV shows.
Despite the government’s intentions, the decision to offer financial incentives to pregnant schoolgirls has sparked criticism, with concerns raised about potential negative consequences. Some commentators have expressed worries about the impact on young girls and the implications for their partners under the legal framework.
Critics, including demographer Alexey Raksha and MP Nina Ostanina, have condemned the initiative as misguided and inappropriate, labeling it as an attempt to encourage children to start families prematurely. TV host Oskar Kuchera has also criticized the cash payments as impractical and illogical.
Governor Klychkov remains optimistic about the program’s success and anticipates support from other regions, expecting financial backing from the federal government. This controversial scheme is just one of several unconventional proposals put forward by Russian officials to meet Putin’s population growth targets, indicating the government’s determination to address demographic challenges through unconventional means.