In a controversial move, the Russian government has started offering financial incentives to underage girls to give birth. According to news agency PTI, the government is now providing financial assistance of approximately ₹1 lakh (around 100,000 rubles) to girls for childbirth and child-rearing.
This scheme, launched in March 2025 across 10 regions of Russia, aims to address the country’s declining birth rate and aging population. Initially, the incentive was only available to adult women (above 18 years of age), but it has now been extended to include minor girls as well, in an attempt to further boost birth rates.
In 2023, Russia’s average fertility rate stood at 1.41 children per woman—significantly below the replacement level of 2.05 required to maintain a stable population. To counter this demographic challenge, the Russian government has been implementing various pronatalist policies, designed to encourage citizens to have more children.
Despite being the ninth most populous country in the world, Russia faces an increasing risk of population decline. These new measures reflect growing concern among Russian authorities over long-term demographic trends.