1Putin advised psychological counseling for women who do not want pregnancy.
2The goal is to foster maternal instincts and promote fertility tests for women.
3This is a desperate measure as Russia's birth rate hits a 200-year low.
📖 Easy Explanation
🔍 Background
Russia's population is shrinking rapidly due to heavy casualties among young people in the recent war with Ukraine. Furthermore, the birth rate dropped to its lowest level in 200 years last year, creating a national emergency.
📌 Key Points
To encourage more births, President Putin introduced special measures. Doctors are now advised to recommend 'maternal instinct counseling' for women who do not want to get pregnant. Additionally, women aged 18 to 49 are encouraged to undergo annual fertility check-ups, and a tracking system for pregnant women's health has been established.
💡 Why It Matters
While many countries worry about low birth rates, Russia's approach of forcibly managing individuals' minds and bodies is controversial as it may infringe on personal freedoms. Other nations typically focus on creating better environments for parents to raise children.
📚 Glossary
대체출산율 (Daeche Chulsanyul)Replacement fertility rate; the fertility rate needed to maintain the current population size.
국가두마 (Gukga Duma)State Duma; the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia.