Russia continues to struggle with a rapidly aging and shrinking population, a challenge President Vladimir Putin has described for decades as a national security threat. Despite numerous government initiatives — from cash incentives to medals for large families — the number of births keeps falling, reaching one of the lowest levels in modern history.

In recent years, the Russian government has turned toward restrictive policies on reproductive and social rights in an attempt to boost the birth rate. New laws now limit access to abortion, ban the so-called promotion of “child-free ideology,” and outlaw LGBTQ+ activism, all under the banner of “traditional family values.”

While officials claim these measures will strengthen families and increase births, experts and activists warn that such restrictions only harm women’s health and autonomy. Many private clinics have stopped offering abortion services, waiting periods have increased, and medication abortion has become harder to access.

At the same time, economic instability, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and widespread emigration are deepening the demographic crisis. For many young Russians, uncertainty about the future makes starting a family feel impossible.

As one activist put it, “You will only get illegal abortions and more deaths — of women and children alike.”

📖 Read the full article here: ABC News – Russia faces a shrinking and aging population and tries restrictive laws to combat it