Russia's State Duma on October 17 passed a bill in its first reading that would ban "childfree propaganda," marking the latest expansion of the government's efforts to regulate social discourse.
The bill introduces penalties for promoting the voluntary refusal to have children, with fines reaching up to 5 million rubles ($51,440) for organizations and 400,000 rubles ($4,115) for individuals.
This move builds on existing legislation that targets "LGBT propaganda" and is part of a broader campaign by Russian authorities to defend what they view as traditional values.
The push to ban the so-called childfree movement has gained momentum in recent months, with Russian officials, including Valentina Matviyenko, chairwoman of the parliament's upper chamber, the Federation Council, linking the trend to the "radicalization of feminism in the West."
Matviyenko and other officials argue that this movement, which encourages voluntary childlessness, undermines family values and contributes to Russia's deepening demographic crisis.
Russia is facing a significant population decline, which President Vladimir Putin has frequently described as one of the country's most pressing issues. In response, the government has implemented various measures, including financial incentives for families, efforts to curb abortions, and increasing restrictions on content deemed contrary to family values, such as LGBT-related materials.
Putin has framed these policies as necessary to boost Russia's birth rate and secure its future.
Critics of the childfree ban argue it is part of a broader state agenda to ensure a supply of "future soldiers for the Kremlin," reflecting concerns that the government is using demographic policies to fuel its long-term military needs.
Meanwhile, a recent study by Russia's Higher School of Economics highlights the complexities surrounding the demographic crisis. And according to recent polls, many Russians are postponing or abandoning plans to have children due to the war in Ukraine, political instability, financial difficulties, and rising social anxiety.
These challenges have complicated the government's efforts to reverse the declining birth rate, as the economic and emotional toll of ongoing situation caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine weighs heavily on Russian society.