pro natalist policy
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A pro-natalist policy is the practice of encouraging the bearing of children to increase the population of a country.
examples:
France- (1939) "code de la famille" policy: -they offered cash bonus to mothers who stayed home to care for their children. -banning the sale of contraceptives. -the government payed up to £1064 to couples having a third child. -they gave away generous maternity salary. -families got 30% reduced on public transportation. 
Russia- (1930s) policy:
-"Day of conception"- citizens are dismissed from work to encourage them to mate with their partner on the 12th of September. In addition to that, if on the 12th of June a child is born, the family will receive gifts such as TV, cars and other luxurious gifts. -a already paid summer camp with private tents and no condoms available was offered for young adults. In 2006 Putin decided that: -approximately 337.45 € was offered to women who who had a second child -mothers were given longer maternity leave -mothers with large families were rewarded by medals and gifts. 
Singapore- (1987) policy:
- The government encouraged/advertised the phrase: "have three or more children if you can afford it" - A baby bonus plan was introduced which gave cash to mothers giving birth to their first child. - The government sent out Valentine cards to encourage people to "make love, not money" to increase the birth rate. -They have also arranged weekend cruises to match- make people that have a potential to become a couple. |
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What
"As it's population ages, France needs more babies."
-San Diego Union-Tribune Feb 06
Cute baby from France
In 1939, France became a Pro- natalist country by creating a policy called "code de la famille".
France faced issues of having low fertility rate, and not having enough economically active people.
They wanted and needed women to have more children to increase their fertility rate. They were willing to pay more to have more babies being born.
The economically active population must pay taxes towards elderlies pensions to ensure that they are taken care of as elderlies. If there are not enough economically active people, (in most cases it's young people) then the country will have a decrease in the amount of care the elderlies receive due to the lack of fundings from the small economically active population.
France faced issues of having low fertility rate, and not having enough economically active people.
They wanted and needed women to have more children to increase their fertility rate. They were willing to pay more to have more babies being born.
The economically active population must pay taxes towards elderlies pensions to ensure that they are taken care of as elderlies. If there are not enough economically active people, (in most cases it's young people) then the country will have a decrease in the amount of care the elderlies receive due to the lack of fundings from the small economically active population.
The population of France was increasing but not high enough so the government was aiming to increase it. Their fertility rate was low and their elderly population was high and needed to be decreased. Having a higher young dependency ratio was better for them than having a higher old dependency ratio so that for the future the country would be more economically active.
A lot of European women had the privilege of having access to decent jobs, so many of them were choosing to work over having children. This worried the government as they were afraid that France's population was not going to replace itself overtime.
A lot of European women had the privilege of having access to decent jobs, so many of them were choosing to work over having children. This worried the government as they were afraid that France's population was not going to replace itself overtime.
Solutions
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As mentioned before the French government created a legislation policy called "Code de la famille".
The policy include the following: - cash was offered to mothers who stayed home to take care of her children. - privileged holidays were offered for free. - contraceptives (condoms. birth pills) were banned. - the government gave generous maternity leave to mothers whilst being payed nearly the same price as their normal pay. - 30% reduction on public transport to families with 3 children - nursing mothers were allowed to work part-time. |
Encouragement from the French government
Childcare costs nothing to around 500€ a month depending on how wealthy people are. Full tax benefits are given to parents until the youngest child reaches the age of 18. Mothers or housewives are given pension plans which the employer and employee put money into a fund to provide the employee with a retirement pension. Couples having a third child are given up to about 1447€ for the family to manage a stable life with three children. |
Fertility rate declining from 1960s to 1990s
1939 |
1960 |
1967 |
1992 (declining) |
2007 (increasing) |
Creation of "code de la famille" |
Fertility rate=2.73 children per woman |
The banning of contraceptives was removed |
Fertility rate= 1.73 children per women |
Fertility rate= 1.998 children per women |
It shows here that when the Policy was set, it took some time before the fertility rate started properly increasing.
What is going on today?
France population increasing from 1950 2010 and then estimated to keep increasing up to 2100
The ex-Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin claims that baby booms and immigration will help to make “France the most populous country in Europe by 2030.”
The "code de la famille" was initially introduced in 1939 and still today it is improving to raise the fertility rate of France. The policy started off with the banning of contraception but in 1967, it was removed to stop the spread of STDs and other sexual transmitted diseases.
The policy has been very successful and is politically neutral , the different parties in the French government are supportive and positive that it will continue to be successful. France population is currently 64.8 million people, the United Nations have estimated that the population of France will be 69.2 million by 2030 and 69.8 by 2050.
The government recently announced that they were planning on raising the retirement age from 60 to 62 by 2018. They want to increase the support ratio ( economically active people). In the futur, it may be hard for France to to fund the Pro-natalist policy as they are spending bilions today, in which it will reduce the policies success resulting in it failing completely and the issue of paying elderly's social care will worsen.
The policy has been very successful and is politically neutral , the different parties in the French government are supportive and positive that it will continue to be successful. France population is currently 64.8 million people, the United Nations have estimated that the population of France will be 69.2 million by 2030 and 69.8 by 2050.
The government recently announced that they were planning on raising the retirement age from 60 to 62 by 2018. They want to increase the support ratio ( economically active people). In the futur, it may be hard for France to to fund the Pro-natalist policy as they are spending bilions today, in which it will reduce the policies success resulting in it failing completely and the issue of paying elderly's social care will worsen.
