Russia offers cash incentives to students for childbirth to boost low birth rates

Russia is introducing cash incentives for university students to encourage childbirth amid declining birth rates. Starting January 1, 2025, women under 25 who give birth while studying full-time will receive 100,000 rubles, about C$1,300. This initiative will be implemented in at least 11 regions and comes with strict eligibility criteria. Payments will only be made if the child is carried to term, excluding cases of stillbirth. In addition to financial incentives, Russia's parliament has banned what it calls harmful propaganda promoting child-free lifestyles. This move is part of broader efforts to address the country's low birth rates and promote traditional family values.