The Russian federation has been suffering from people leaving the country, thus experiencing incessant population decline and drastic fall in birth rates. The fertility rate has dropped from 2.1 children per woman to around 1.5 children. Russia made a rather sensitive decision in trying to combat this challenge by advising citizens to take work breaks for sex to boost birth rates.
Health Minister Dr. Yevgeny Shestopalov suggested that office workers consummate their relations at lunch breaks and at coffee breaks at the office. Office workers should consume the relations at lunch breaks and at coffee breaks Shestopalov said to solve the problem of Russia’s declining population. Shestopalov said the matter has aggravated as the war between Ukraine resulted in flight from the country of young Russians, “End. He urged the citizens to take time off to develop intimate relationships since “life is passing by too fast.”
The birth rate in Russia has decreased to its lowest levels since 1999. The situation is compounded by the 18% rise in deaths partly resulting from the war with Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that defence of the Russian nation is a paramount national interest.
The Kremlin has added several steps to enhance the birth rate in the country. It includes free fertility tests for women between the ages of 18-40 in the city of Moscow. The government has also thought about formulating a plan to force employers to assist their female employees in bearing children. Birth rates are being enhanced by imposing prohibitions on the accessibility of an abortion. Fees for divorce are already hiked up to avoid separations among couples. However, work breaks for sex are free.
Politician Anna Kuznetsova thinks women should start having children at 19-20 years of age. As she notes, family formation at a younger age may contribute to improving birth rates and the size of families. The fact that population figures have been falling for seven consecutive years is alarming in terms of Russia’s long-term demographic outlook.
Work breaks for sex is Russia’s only hope to improve birth rate
The population decline, Russian authorities now view it as a national security issue. The loss of Ukraine in war added another crisis for its dwindling youth, further adding to population problems. Economic uncertainty and instability also left Russians hesitant to build families. Work breaks for sex seem to be their only hope now.
The government has measures to reverse the declining birth rate on its high agenda. Financial incentives for family development with children are more incentives to boost population growth. Each state now offers expanded support to large families through social programs. In the regions of some areas, maternity capital payments are also provided to the family after the birth of a second or third child.
Apart from advising people to take work breaks for sex, the government has launched awareness programs to impart the values of a family and parenting. Russia’s falling population will usher in a plethora of economic and social implications if it is allowed to go unchecked. The demographers have questioned whether the adopted measures are sufficient to reverse the trend whereby Russia is losing its populaces.
The birth rate in Russia needs to be encouraged with holistic and multi-faceted social and economic efforts.
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