Governments encouraging women to have babies

If you are a woman of childbearing age in a developing country, there's a good chance your government will pay you to reproduce at the currently desirable rate, says Kerry Howley of Reason.

For example:
 

• Russian women who have a second child receive a lump sum of 250,000 rubles (about U.S. $9,200).
   
• Polish women receive 1,000 zloty (about U.S. $460) per child.
   
• Couples in Sweden receive a combined 13 months of parental leave, 11 of which can be taken by one parent, and during which the government provides 80 per cent of a parent's former income.
   
• Swedish parents also collect 900 euros (about U.S. $1,410) per year; bosses then must allow their employees to work part time for prorated pay once they become parents.
   
• In May 2004, the Australian government announced parents would begin receiving 3,000 Aussie dollars (about U.S. $2,800) for each new baby.
  
  Singapore, a country with one of the lowest fertility rates in the world at 1.07, has launched a new baby-making campaign with the slogan of "Three or More." To encourage procreation, Singapore's Social Development Unit (SDU) has adopted new policies:
   
• The SDU offers a free government dating advisor who interviews young singles and matches them up with those who share similar interests; participants in the dating programme even receive free makeovers and lectures on personal grooming.
   
• First and second children in Singapore bring in baby bonuses of 3,000 Singapore dollars (about U.S. $2,200) each, while third and fourth children garner 6,000 Singapore dollars (about U.S. $4,400) each.
   
• The government also matches parental investment in special children's savings accounts, which can be used for day care or other child-related expenses.
  
  Source: Kerry Howley, Baby Bust, Reason, July 2008.
  
  For text: http://reason.com/news/show/126855.html
  
  For more on Social Issues: http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_Category=28
  
  FMF Policy Bulletin/ 15 July 2008