Worried about its declining birth rate and with its population shrinking alarmingly, Russia is considering establishing a ‘Ministry of Sex’ to tackle the issue as the steep population decline threatens to change the fabric of its society.
According to the data available, Russia recorded its lowest birth rate in the past 25 years for the first six months of the current year of 2024. Births in the country also declined for the first time in June this year to below 100,000, it said. Also, Russia’s on-going war with Ukraine is taking a heavy toll on its population.
According to reports, President Vladimir Putin’s loyalist and chairwoman of the Russian Parliament’s Committee on Family Protection, Paternity, Maternity, and Childhood, Nina Ostanina, 68, is reviewing a petition advocating for such a ministry. Russian officials are looking to introduce a variety of strategies to address President Putin’s call to reverse the country’s demographic decline.
A petition by GlavPR agency raised the idea for the “ministry of sex”, it said. Deputy mayor Anastasia Rakova, a very well-known supporter of the Russian President, underlined the urgency of procreation in line with Kremlin goals.
“Everyone in the city knows that there is a special test which allows us to establish the fertility level of a woman, her ability to get pregnant,” Rakova was quoted as saying. She also urged women to prioritize having children.
Proposed initiatives
Reportedly, it has been suggested that the Internet and even the lights should be turned off between 10 pm and 2 am to encourage couples to engage in intimate activities, the Mirror report said. Various regions in the country are implementing their own initiatives to motivate people to have more and more children.
In Khabarovsk, it has been reported, female students aged 18 to 23 would get £900 for having a child, while in Chelyabinsk, the amount would be £8,500 for a first-born.
Yevgeny Shestopalov, a regional health minister, reportedly suggested that Russians should use coffee and lunch breaks at work for “procreation”.
“You can engage in procreation during breaks because life flies by too quickly,” he was quoted as saying.
Authorities probe women’s personal lives
Meanwhile, the Russian authorities are probing into women’s personal lives and asking deeply personal questions. The report says it was being done to encourage higher birth rates.
Female public sector workers have received detailed questionnaires about their sexual and reproductive health, hinting at a plan for broader data collection across Russia.
Those who don’t respond must attend doctor’s appointments where the same questions are asked.
Questions such as – When did you begin sexual activity? Do you use condoms or hormonal birth control? Do you experience pain or bleeding during intercourse? Have you experienced infertility or had pregnancies? If so, how many? Do you have any children, or are you planning to have more within the next year? – are being asked.
According to reports, employees in state-run cultural institutions were frustrated at being forced to provide such details to their HR departments. Meanwhile a free fertility testing program in Moscow has also been taken up by 20,000 women to date, the report added.
