"Wanting to be a large family": The State Duma is confident that the Year of the Family events will reverse the trend of low birth rates.
Today the government of Russia approved the plan of events for the Year of the Family 2024, declared by Putin. Their implementation "will create factors that encourage young people to start a family, have children while working, and want to have a large family.", считает Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Youth Policy Artem Metelev.
Plan includes holding numerous competitions, forums, celebratory events and television programs, awarding large families, abortion prevention, "Conversations about Important Things" on family topics, and "family studies" in schools.
Only once Of the seven blocks, one concerns additional financial support for families with children. These measures are still under development.
Artem Metelev's comments don't show any particular enthusiasm.
"People need to be UNAFRAID about having children. They shouldn't be afraid that a young father will be taken away and, God forbid, the child won't be left an orphan... They shouldn't be afraid that, if something happens, our healthcare won't be able to help and they'll have to scrape together the money for an operation (knock on wood). If we provide security and stability, then people will reproduce without any pressure from the state."
— says one of the subscribers.
Another commentator showedIn which dilapidated building does a family with eight children live in the city? AchinskThere are many such families, he says, but the authorities are ignoring the problem.
Recently, Russian officials have been extremely concerned about low birth rates and population decline. War, an uncertain future, and the impoverishment of Russians are not cited as causes of this phenomenon.