Russian bans “child-free” propaganda
A woman walks with a child in Moscow in 2015. Photo: Pavel Golovkin
On Nov. 12, Russia’s lower parliament unanimously passed a law banning “child-free” propaganda, a vague term that could apply to any advertisements, media, individuals, or other entities that present the choice to not have children in a positive light.
The law, which is likely to go into effect, would subject individual violators to fines of around $4300, and up to $53,000 for legal entities. Its aim is to address Russia’s devastating population decline and falling birth rate, as well as promote Christian family values.
Russia’s population has been declining since the 1990s much faster than the expected dips in population seen in other post-communist countries. Population decline has been exacerbated by high death tolls during the COVID-19 pandemic, casualties of the war in Ukraine, flight from mobilization, and worsening conditions for migrant workers. Russia’s birth rate this year is the lowest it has been since 1999.
Russian Lawmakers in the state Duma, the lower house of the Russian Parliament. Photo: Pavel Golokin
On the same day, Russia also passed a bill that would ban the adoption of Russian children by families in countries where gender transition is legal and lawmakers in the Primorsky Krai, a far-eastern district of Russia, adopted legislation that prohibits “coercing” women to terminate pregnancies. These laws, along with Russia’s crackdown on lgbtq rights and attempts to restrict abortion and emergency contraception over the past years reflect Russia’s desperation to ease population decline and promotion of traditional family structures.
Critics of the law emphasize that it is unlikely to be effective, as disinterest in having children is motivated more by socioeconomic factors than ideological pressure. A 2024 study by the University of Moscow showed that 30% of respondents who wanted to be parents before the war in Ukraine began deciding to postpone or not have kids at all. As ideology is not a main contributor to birthrate decline, the law might be aimed more at reducing freedom of speech and a woman’s right to choose.
Women’s rights are already limited in Russia, which currently has no law prohibiting domestic abuse. In a meeting in March Putin said, “A woman’s purpose is to procreate — this is an absolutely unique natural gift.” The vague phrasing of “child-free propaganda” could also serve to further suppress the activism of Russian feminists, one of the most outspoken anti-war demographics in Russia.
Putin has declared 2024 the Year of the Family, though has not suggested any plan for the demobilization of Russian men in Ukraine, which Russian mothers have been outspoken in their desire for. While Putin has framed this legislation as ideological, population decline is an economic issue that will intensify worker shortages and low growth in Russia, where sanctions and the costly war in Ukraine are already deeply felt.