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In the first half of 2025, a controversial new policy swept through several Russian regions: the state began offering direct cash payments to schoolgirls who become pregnant and register their pregnancies at public maternity clinics. This dramatic step—offering 100,000 rubles (about $1,200 USD) per pregnancy—marks the latest escalation in the Kremlin’s ongoing battle against demographic decline. The move has sparked fierce debate within Russia and far beyond its borders, raising profound questions about how societies should respond to falling birth rates and the ethical limits of pronatalist policies.

A Nation Confronting Demographic Crisis

Russia, like many developed nations, faces a severe population crisis. The country’s birth rate in 2023 plummeted to just 1.41 children per woman—far below the 2.1 rate needed to maintain population stability. The population is shrinking and aging, with implications for the workforce, the economy, and even national security.

The government, under President Vladimir Putin, has responded with increasingly aggressive measures to encourage families to have more children. Earlier pronatalist policies—such as the “mother’s capital” program, which offered cash for each child born—were expanded. But the 2025 initiative targeting school-age girls is by far the most controversial, not only because of the young age of the beneficiaries but also because of the potential social and health risks involved.

The Logic—and Flaws—Behind the Policy

The rationale is simple: incentivize births to slow or reverse population decline. The government sees boosting birth rates as both an economic and patriotic duty, with Putin himself framing population growth as vital to Russia’s survival and strength.

However, many demographers, healthcare professionals, and social critics warn the policy is dangerously misguided. According to Alexei Raksha, a respected Russian demographer, cash payments to encourage teenage pregnancies are unlikely to boost the country’s overall fertility rate in the long run. Teenagers who have children early, research suggests, often have fewer children overall compared to women who start families later, in part due to disrupted education and career prospects.

Critics also highlight that the payments may encourage underage pregnancies without addressing the root causes of low fertility, such as poverty, lack of childcare, gender inequality, unaffordable housing, and insecure employment. Furthermore, experts warn of increased health risks for both young mothers and their babies, alongside negative social consequences such as interrupted schooling, loss of childhood, and increased vulnerability.

Mixed Reactions Within Russia

Russian society is deeply divided on the policy. According to surveys, about 43% of Russians support financial incentives for schoolgirls who become pregnant, while roughly 40% are opposed. Some see it as a necessary intervention in the face of national decline; others argue it is a dangerous shortcut that sacrifices the well-being of girls and their future opportunities.

The policy has also exposed broader cultural and political tensions within Russian society. Some conservative voices have welcomed the initiative as a way to promote “traditional values,” while women’s rights organizations, health experts, and many parents have condemned it as exploitative and regressive.

Pronatalism Goes Global

Russia is not alone in its concern over falling birth rates. Pronatalist policies—those designed to encourage higher fertility—are on the rise worldwide. According to the United Nations, the number of countries with explicit pronatalist programs increased from about 20% in 2005 to nearly 28% by 2019.

Examples of Pronatalist Policies Worldwide

• Hungary: The government offers tax exemptions for women who have at least four children and generous loans for families with three or more children.
• Singapore: Parents receive thousands of dollars in “baby bonuses” and childcare subsidies for each child born, alongside paid parental leave.
• China: After decades of restrictive family planning, China now actively encourages couples to have up to three children, providing financial incentives and easing previous bureaucratic barriers.
• France and the Nordic Countries: Some of the world’s most generous and effective pronatalist policies combine financial support with subsidized childcare, extensive parental leave, housing assistance, and strong protections for working mothers.

What Works—and What Doesn’t

Research shows that simply offering cash payments rarely results in a significant or sustained increase in birth rates. Instead, the most effective pronatalist policies are holistic, addressing the broader economic and social conditions that influence family planning.

This includes:

• Affordable, high-quality childcare
• Paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers
• Housing support for young families
• Gender equality in the workplace and at home
• Job security and flexible working arrangements

Countries like France and Sweden have managed to maintain relatively high fertility rates despite modern, urbanized societies, largely because they have made it easier for women to combine careers and motherhood without excessive economic or social sacrifice.

The Deeper Roots of Fertility Decline

Fertility rates are falling worldwide due to a complex mix of factors:

• Urbanization and economic development tend to delay marriage and childbearing.
• Women’s rising education and career opportunities often conflict with traditional child-rearing expectations.
• High costs of living, unstable employment, and lack of affordable housing make starting a family daunting for young couples.
• Changing values and lifestyles mean that many people prioritize personal fulfillment, travel, and careers over large families.

These are not challenges that cash handouts alone can fix. In fact, experts warn that targeting teenage girls, as in Russia’s latest scheme, could exacerbate social inequalities and health risks, while failing to address the underlying reasons families are reluctant to have more children.

The Ethics and Future of Pronatalism

Russia’s policy raises important ethical questions: Is it right for the state to incentivize children to have children? What are the long-term consequences of prioritizing birth rates over the well-being and autonomy of young women? How can societies strike a balance between encouraging population growth and safeguarding individual rights and futures?

The future of pronatalism will likely depend not on cash incentives or nationalist rhetoric, but on comprehensive, well-designed policies that support families, empower women, and create conditions where people feel secure and optimistic about raising children.

Russia’s cash-for-babies policy for schoolgirls marks a dramatic—and deeply controversial—turn in the global battle against population decline. It highlights both the desperation and the dangers of pursuing quick-fix pronatalist strategies without addressing the complex realities of modern life. As more countries grapple with shrinking populations, the world’s experience suggests that the only sustainable path forward is one that respects and supports the aspirations, health, and equality of all its citizens.

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