"Employees Can Make Babies Even During Break Time"... A Country Where the President Intervenes and Proposes Another 'Absurd Measure'

'No Children Lifestyle Movement' Promotion Ban Bill Proposed
Russia's Birth Rate Hits Lowest in 25 Years
"Influence of Western Culture" vs "Individual Choice"

Russian President Vladimir Putin. [Source=Yonhap News]

Russia has proposed a bill banning the promotion of a 'childfree life' as part of measures to address the low birthrate issue.

On the 25th (local time), the Russian state-run TASS news agency reported that a bill prohibiting the promotion of the so-called 'living without children movement' was submitted to the State Duma (lower house). The bill includes provisions to ban encouraging a childfree life in media such as films, advertisements, and documentaries. It aims to legally prohibit acts that promote family- and childless life as a more attractive lifestyle.

The bill was reportedly led by Vyacheslav Volodin, Speaker of the State Duma, and Valentina Matviyenko, Chairwoman of the Federation Council. The draft includes penalties of up to 400,000 rubles (approximately 5.78 million KRW) for individuals, 800,000 rubles (approximately 11.56 million KRW) for public officials, and 5 million rubles (approximately 72.25 million KRW) for companies violating the law. When Speaker Volodin posted the draft on his Telegram channel, public reactions were mixed. Some welcomed it, arguing that "the childfree lifestyle is influenced by Western culture," while others countered that "whether to have children is a personal choice and not something the state should regulate by law." Additionally, opinions were raised that "the low birthrate issue is not caused by the 'living without children movement' but by concerns about the future, so efforts should be made to improve citizens' quality of life."

The bill appears to have been proposed with the support of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded to inquiries about the bill earlier this month by stating, "Measures to increase the birthrate are necessary," adding, "This is one of the nation's top priorities." Currently, Russia's birthrate stands at about 1.5 children per woman, marking the lowest level in 25 years. Coupled with the war in Ukraine, the birthrate is declining while the death toll is rising, raising concerns that "the population may be decreasing."

Earlier, on the 13th, Yevgeny Shestopalov, the health official of Russia's Primorsky Krai, sparked controversy in an interview with local media by saying, "Being busy at work is not a valid reason for low birthrates; it is a poor excuse," and added, "Pregnancy can happen during breaks." When a reporter questioned, "Some people work 12 to 14 hours a day; when would they have time to conceive?" he insisted, "They should do it during breaks. Life passes too quickly, so there is no reason not to."