Russia wants a baby boom, but some women resist becoming a mother for the motherland

While addressing a crowd at the Eurasian Women's Forum in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed government policy geared toward helping women achieve the ultimate balance — professional success while being the linchpin "of a large, large family."

He went on to joke that Russian women can manage it easily, and still remain "beautiful, gentle and charming."

His comments are the latest in a public push by government officials to try and reverse Russia's sinking birth rate by appealing to a sense of patriotic duty and promising financial incentives to sway prospective parents.

Russia's fertility rate — which measures the average number of children born to a woman over a lifetime — stands at approximately 1.4, less than what is considered the rate for population replacement, which is 2.1. Kremlin officials have labelled Russia's statistic "catastrophic," and it comes at a time of higher mortality among younger Russian men due to the war in Ukraine.

Earlier this month, a lawmaker told state media that just as Russia decided it needed to launch a special military operation in Ukraine, it needs a "special demographic operation" at home to ensure the country's future.

In some regions, full-time students who become new mothers will receive financial compensation, while in Moscow, the health authority is expanding free access to fertility testing and treatments. 

Russia's strategy to grow families is part of Putin's broader push toward more traditional conservative values. In an effort to reach the younger generation, a new course is being rolled out for students in grades 5 to 9.

A course published online in August stated the goal was to instill positive attitudes toward large families. It's part of a state narrative that encourages women to become moms for the motherland.

Some women believe its disturbing and intrusive. 

"Even for women who have children and who want to have more children, [the language] is upsetting," said Lada Shamardina, a Russian journalist for the independent medical publication Medivestnik.

Women "believe having children should be only their decision," she said. 

Shamardina spoke to CBC News from Istanbul, where she moved after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

While outside of the country, she continues to cover Russia's attempts to prompt a baby boom, which in addition to incentives includes curbing access to abortions.

According to data published by Rosstat, the country's statistics agency, 599,600 children were born in Russia in the first half of 2024 — 16,000 fewer than in the same period in 2023 and the lowest since 1999.