ASI: the bulk of Russians remain childless or have few children

In Russia, there are about 1.9 million large families in which over 6.5 million minor children are brought up, follows from the report of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI), the materials of which are cited by RIA Novosti. At the same time, the majority of the country’s inhabitants remain small or childless.

According to the ASI, the birth rate in Russian families is dominated by the birth of the first children – 37%. 34% of families decide to give birth to a second child, 19% decide to have a third child. The fourth children account for 6%, the fifth and subsequent children – 4%.

“Given that the majority of the country’s population remains small or childless, it is necessary to concentrate efforts on a multiple increase in precisely large families in Russia, replicating the best practices for supporting them,” the report says.

In particular, ASI experts suggest explaining to parents what payments and federal support measures are provided for large families, what is being done to improve their living conditions, and how the transport issue is being resolved. The materials of the report emphasize the need to pay attention to medical and sanatorium services for large families, accompanying women during pregnancy and childbirth.

In addition, the agency’s experts propose to consolidate the concept of “family-demographic targeting” of state support measures for the family, dividing them into three categories: demographic, compensatory and social.

“That is, support measures should not be provided only on the basis of the criterion of need and be aimed solely at overcoming poverty and social inequality. Family-demographic targeting is the creation of conditions for families that are determined to have a child to be able to realize this intention,” the report explains.

At the end of November, State Duma deputy (United Russia) and former children’s ombudsman Anna Kuznetsova informedthat in the first nine months of this year, from January to September, the birth rate in Russia decreased by 6.5%.

As part of supporting families with children, from February 1, 2023, maternity capital will be indexed by 12.4%. The amount of payments for the first child will be 589.5 thousand rubles, for the second child – 779 thousand rubles.

How the Russian authorities are struggling with childlessness – in the material “Kommersant” “Childfree was not taken in a childish way”.

Milena Kostereva