Part 5/9:
The passing of the new law banning child-free propaganda likely won’t reverse the birth rate decline. Many surveys indicate that the decline in births is not due to external messaging, but rather systemic economic issues—primarily, the lack of financial stability. Russian women have noted that economic confidence and financial security are vital to their decisions on family planning. In environments where mortgage rates soar to 20% and living costs rise sharply, many choose to delay or forgo having children altogether.