Asger Risom
Authorities in Siberia roll out controversial program to combat the country’s plummeting birth rate
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Russia is facing a severe demographic decline, and in a bid to reverse the trend, some regions are resorting to increasingly controversial measures. In the latest move, school-age girls in Siberia’s Kemerovo region are being offered cash rewards if they become pregnant—a policy that has triggered a wave of concern and criticism.
Cash for Births: A Regional Push
Authorities in Russia’s Kemerovo region will now offer financial rewards to school-age girls who become pregnant, as part of the Kremlin’s increasingly desperate attempts to counter the country’s steep population decline.
According to a regional government decree, reported by HotNews.ro, legal guardians of eligible schoolgirls will receive a one-time payment of 100,000 rubles (around $1,200) if the girl was at least 22 weeks pregnant as of January 1. To qualify, the girl must be a full-time student enrolled in a general, vocational, or higher education institution and registered at a maternity hospital.
The Kemerovo initiative is the third of its kind in Russia, following similar programs launched in the Oryol and Bryansk regions. Last week, Oryol’s governor defended the incentive, citing a recommendation from the Ministry of Labor issued in February 2025.
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According to HotNews.ro, at least 40 Russian regions are pledging cash payments for female students who give birth, though not all programs explicitly include school-age girls.
These regional incentives are part of a broader campaign led by President Vladimir Putin, who has repeatedly made increasing the birthrate a national priority. Russia’s population has been shrinking steadily, with the birthrate reaching its lowest level in 25 years, while the death rate continues to climb—trends that have only worsened since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022.
A Controversial Solution
The policy has sparked criticism from human rights advocates and medical professionals, who warn that rewarding adolescent pregnancies could encourage vulnerable girls to make life-altering decisions for financial reasons. Concerns have also been raised over Russia’s lack of comprehensive sex education and access to reproductive health services.
The Kemerovo region, home to more than 2.5 million people, has been experiencing demographic decline for over two decades. As HotNews.ro notes, the Kremlin’s latest approach underscores the urgency—and the controversy—surrounding Russia’s efforts to reverse the trend.
