From Russia to US: Why governments are paying schoolgirls and women to have more babies

Image used for representational purpose.

Russia has begun paying schoolgirls more than 100,000 roubles (Rs 1 lakh) to give birth and raise their babies. The new scheme, introduced in recent months across ten Russian regions, marks a dramatic expansion of a pronatalist policy adopted in March 2025, which previously applied only to adult women. It is the latest step in the Kremlin’s strategy to address what it sees as a critical population decline, The Conversation reported.

Russia’s birthrate, like much of the developed world, is plummeting. In 2023, the fertility rate in Russia stood at 1.41 births per woman, well below the replacement rate of 2.05 needed to maintain population levels.

A controversial push for parenthood

The idea of financially incentivising teenage girls to have children while still in school has proven divisive. According to a recent survey by the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre, 43 per cent of Russians approve of the policy, while 40 per cent are opposed. Still, it reflects the importance the Russian state places on raising birth numbers.

“He regards a large population as one of the markers of a flourishing great power, along with control over a vast (and growing) territory and a powerful military,” The Conversation wrote, referring to President Vladimir Putin’s vision for Russia.

But there’s an irony in the situation. While Putin has pushed to expand Russia’s territory by invading Ukraine and annexing land, these moves have come at a heavy demographic cost. The war has claimed the lives of an estimated 250,000 Russian soldiers, and driven hundreds of thousands of young, educated Russians, especially men who could have been future fathers, to flee the country.

Global pattern of pronatalism

Russia is not alone. Countries around the world are grappling with declining fertility rates, and by 2050, more than three-quarters of all nations are expected to fall below replacement-level birth rates, according to projections cited by The Conversation.

Some governments have introduced generous financial incentives to try and reverse the trend. Hungary, under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, offers tax breaks and subsidised mortgages for families with three or more children. Poland pays families 500 złoty (Rs 11,857) per child, although there's little evidence it has influenced higher-income women to have more children, given the career sacrifices involved.

In the United States, Donald Trump has proposed a $5,000 (Rs 4.2 lakh) payment per child, part of a broader MAGA movement effort, backed by Elon Musk and others, to encourage American women to have larger families.

However, demographic experts warn that such policies rarely have clear or lasting effects. As The Conversation explains, personal choices around parenthood are influenced by a complex mix of economic, social, cultural, and personal factors, making birthrate revival a much harder task than just writing a cheque.

“Reversing demographic trends is complex, because the reasons that individuals and couples have for becoming parents are also complex.”

Immigration or ideology?

Some countries are choosing immigration over incentives to boost population numbers. Spain, for instance, now offers a more accessible pathway to citizenship for migrants, including those who arrived illegally. This policy, The Conversation notes, is credited with helping to fuel Madrid’s economic boom.

However, most pronatalist policies are not only about growing populations—they are also about shaping them. Many governments focus on encouraging certain types of families to grow: those who reflect the state’s preferred race, religion, language, or ideology.

“Incentives for pregnancy, childbirth and large families are typically targeted at those whom the state regards as its most desirable citizens,” The Conversation reported.

For instance, Spain mostly offers jobs and opportunities to Spanish-speaking migrants from Catholic Latin American countries, while Hungary’s incentives are only available to heterosexual, high-income couples. In the US, Trump’s push for more births comes alongside calls to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants, and even roll back birth right citizenship, which is a constitutional guarantee.

Shaping the ideal mother

Governments embracing pronatalism often pair cash incentives with cultural messaging. Putin, for example, has reintroduced a Stalin-era “Motherhood Medal” for women who have ten or more children. In the US, social media is now filled with content celebrating “trad wives” – women who publicly embrace homemaking and large families over careers.

But the flip side of this celebration is the criticism of women who choose not to have children. In 2024, Russia’s parliament banned the promotion of child-free lifestyles, labelling it “child-free propaganda.” The state has also placed restrictions on abortions and criticised women who prioritise higher education and careers.