Population decline: Nations encourage couples to have more children

ByGemma Iso

April 14, 2023

Population growth was a huge problem many decades ago, today it is no longer an issue as population decline is the topic of conversation. The opposite – declining population – is what the world’s governments are now trying very hard to resolve.

In Japan, the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare is paying people to encourage them to add a kid to their family in an attempt to boost its low and decreasing birth rate.

A 420,000-yen Childbirth and Childcare Lump-Sum Grant is now being given to new Japanese parents following the birth of their child.

Similarly, in South Korea, because birth rate has reached an alarming new lows, it compelled President Yoon Suk Yeol to call for an “emergency mindset,” proposing new measures to encourage South Koreans to have children.

In its latest move to encourage more births and address the low fertility rate issue, its government intends to provide every family with a newborn child with a monthly allowance of 1 million won ($740).

In America

The birth rate is still declining in the US. These trends are due to a variety of factors, including improved access to contraception, an increase in women pursuing higher education, an increase in women entering and remaining in the workforce, altered family values, an increase in relationship instability, worries about personal finances, and the high cost of raising children.

According to a report by the Public Policy Institute of California, although the statistics may not appear important right now, population decline might have a huge impact on society and the economy in the decades to come.

“Fewer children will mean declining K-12 enrollment and more school closures,” the report reads. “Longer term, it will weaken demand for infrastructure, including housing and transportation. It will also mean fewer working-age adults to care for an aging senior population.”

China’s Model

The world’s second-largest economy and one of the world’s most populous countries, China is trying to get its citizens to have more babies.

Several cities and provinces in China are offering incentives to encourage couples to have more children, including one-off subsidies of up to $2,900 and monthly subsidies of up to $72. Additionally, some regions are increasing the number of paid marriage leave days to up to 30 days to support young families.

The push for babies comes after China’s population started shrinking for the first time in six decades.

Is Population Decline Bad?

Falling birth rates and decreasing populations have both positive and negative impacts on the world. Governments are offering incentives to encourage couples to have more children to counter this trend.

However, it is also essential to challenge cultural norms around parenting and encourage equal sharing of household and childcare responsibilities between women and men. By promoting a more equitable distribution of responsibilities, society can inspire young people to start families, resulting in a more stable population.

This will help address the economic and social challenges associated with population decline and create a more prosperous future for all.