With Russia plunging into its lowest birth rate in 25 years, the country has come up with a new plan to constitute a 'Ministry of Sex' to race up the birth rates. But, the methodology seems to be driving women to engage with its inquisitive and personal questionnaire urging them to procreate. In an attempt to collect data on women's reproductive health and improve birth rates, the government is asking women to fill out a questionnaire with highly personal health details.
A few of the questions are:
1) When did you become sexually active
2) Do you use contraceptives
3) Have you experienced infertility or past pregnancies
4) Are you planning to have children next year
5) Details of your menstrual cycles
6) Do you experience pain or bleeding during intercourse
According to reports, many women felt uncomfortable filling out the questionnaires and returned blank ones. However, they were asked to attend a mandatory doctor's session, where these questions were repeated. Last year, a free fertility testing programme was also introduced for women. In 2022, the Lower House of the Federal Assembly of Russia, aka the State Duma, also introduced a bill prohibiting ideas like 'child-free' movements. Though it was rejected then, the Russian parliament unanimously adopted it last month.
The Russian government seems to have turned a blind eye to its past experience of similar measures during World War II to increase the birth rate. In the 1950s, though there was a temporary increase in childbirths in the Soviet Union due to intrusive measures, the outcome was not satisfactory, as families felt pressured into giving birth. With the post-war economic instability, women had limited freedom, and health care was inadequate.
