The new puzzle: How to make babies?
Print Edition
As China faces a low fertility rate and an aging population, what can be done by the government and civil society to encourage child birth?
Dr Babatunde Ahonsi, the United Nations Population Fund鈥檚 China Representative, told a policy dialogue in Beijing that the solution was more than simply encouraging couples to have more children.
鈥淚t needs to be accompanied by well-designed and comprehensive responses to support all couples and individuals to make fertility decisions of their own,鈥 Ahonsi said.
The National Health Commission says 17.58 million babies were born in hospitals in 2017, down from 18.5 million in 2016.
Han Junli, an official for population monitoring and family development at the NHC, said China would work on improving day care services for children under 3.
鈥淲e will also see that women鈥檚 legitimate rights such as employment are guaranteed,鈥 she said.
She added employers who were found to discriminate against pregnant women would be 鈥渟everely punished.鈥
Anne-Mari Virolainen, minister of foreign trade and development of Finland, told the event that it was important to make having children economically viable for educated and ambitious young adults.
Finland is known for its child-friendly social welfare, including quality maternal and child care services and free school meals.
Feng Yuan, co-founder of Beijing Equality, an NGO promoting gender equality, said family members, particularly fathers, should also be encouraged to better help with child care.
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