Russia has initiated a “demographic special forces” initiative aimed at increasing the country’s birth rate, according to Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko. This initiative involves various proposals and measures from government officials and council members to address the demographic challenges.

Matvienko, who heads the Presidential Council for the Implementation of State Demographic and Family Policy, emphasized the importance of focusing on “family-centricity” and announced that any department can name the deputy minister responsible for the birth rate. She called on businesses to adopt “corporate demographic standards” and encouraged authorities to help families relocate to rural areas by providing housing opportunities. She also co-authored a law banning the promotion of childfree ideology, viewing it as an offshoot of “militant” Western feminism.

Other members of the council have proposed various measures, including banning teenagers aged 15–18 from having abortions without parental consent, as suggested by Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova. Abbess Xenia advocated for amending the Constitution to recognize an embryo as a child and a subject of law. Mikhail Kuznetsov, head of the All-Russian public movement “People’s Front ‘For Russia’,” suggested developing an affordable domestic car for large families. Irina Kalabikhina, head of the Department of Population of the Faculty of Economics of Moscow State University, proposed limiting the construction of small-sized apartments to promote housing suitable for families.

The council’s initiatives have faced some criticism. Valery Fadeev, head of the Human Rights Council, questioned the necessity of mass fertility checks for women in Moscow.

In addition to the national “demographic special forces,” the Nizhny Novgorod Region has created its own version, focusing on pre-abortion counseling services. This initiative aims to provide support to women considering abortion and encourage them to preserve the pregnancy. Search engines will offer consultations in response to relevant online queries. Ksenia Sobchak criticized this approach, suggesting it represented control rather than genuine help.

These initiatives reflect the Russian government’s concern over demographic trends and its efforts to implement measures to increase the birth rate and support families.