Russia is considering the creation of a "Ministry of Sex" as part of efforts to address the country's declining birth rate. According to Russian media reports, Nina Ostanina, a loyalist to President Vladimir Putin and head of the Russian parliament's Family Protection, Paternity, Maternity, and Childhood Committee, is reviewing a proposal for the ministry.
Officials are exploring various ideas to stem the demographic decline, which has been exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine, resulting in a significant loss of life since the conflict began in February 2022. Some of the key proposals to boost Russia's birth rate include:
No Internet and Lights: A proposal to turn off the internet and lights between 10 PM and 2 AM to encourage couples to engage in intimate activities.
Incentives for Mothers: Suggesting payments to stay-at-home mothers, with the possibility of including this in their pension calculations.
Pay for First Dates: Proposing government payments of up to 5,000 roubles (around ₹4,395) for people going on their first dates.
Wedding Night Payment: A plan to offer up to 26,300 roubles (₹23,122) for public funding of wedding nights in hotels, to encourage pregnancies.
The "Ministry of Sex" proposal was brought forward in a plea organized by the GlavPR agency. In Khabarovsk, for example, women aged 18-23 could receive up to £900 (around ₹97,311) for the birth of a child. In Chelyabinsk, the amount could reach £8,500 (around ₹9,19,052) for a firstborn. The compensation varies by region.
Dr. Yevgeny Shestopalov, a regional health minister, quoted by Russian media, suggested that Russians could use coffee and lunch breaks at work to engage in "procreation."
In Moscow, authorities have reportedly asked female public sector workers to fill out intimate questionnaires about sex and menstruation, with refusals leading to mandatory doctor’s appointments. Some of the questions included in the questionnaire were:
At what age did you start having sex?
Do you use hormonal contraception (e.g., birth control pills)?
Do you suffer from infertility?
Have you ever been pregnant? If so, how many times?
Do you have any sexually transmitted diseases?
Additionally, 20,000 women in Moscow have already participated in free fertility tests, facilitated by the government.