State Duma Moves to Ban Childfree Propaganda in Russia
In a significant legislative move, the State Duma of Russia has adopted a bill aimed at banning childfree propaganda during its first reading. The bill, which received support from 388 deputies, seeks to amend existing federal laws to prohibit various forms of propaganda including that related to childlessness, pedophilia, LGBT issues, and gender reassignment. The initiative was announced by Vyacheslav Volodin, the chairman of the lower house of parliament, via his Telegram channel.
According to Volodin, the motivation behind this legislation is to protect children, families, and traditional values from what he describes as the imposition of an ideology that encourages individuals to refuse having children. He emphasized that while the bill prohibits the promotion of childfree ideology, it does not infringe upon a woman's right to decide whether to have children. He stated, "There should be no propaganda that puts pressure on a woman when she makes a decision to have a child."
Financial Penalties for Violating the New Law
The proposed legislation includes strict penalties for those found in violation of the ban. Citizens could face fines of up to 400,000 rubles, while officials may incur fines of up to 800,000 rubles. Legal entities could be fined as much as 5 million rubles. Valentina Matviyenko, Chairperson of the Federation Council, reinforced that the initiative does not compel women to bear children but seeks to protect their right to make independent choices without external pressures.
Matviyenko assured that the bill does not imply any repressive measures against women, clarifying that it is solely intended to shield the decisions of Russians from foreign ideologies perceived as destructive. She described the initiative as an effort to counteract what she called a "deliberately destructive phenomenon" introduced from outside Russia.
Opposition and Criticism of Childfree Ideology
The State Duma has characterized the childfree ideology as a harmful influence on Russian society. Alexander Tolmachev, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Youth Policy, articulated concerns that the childfree movement poses a risk to traditional values and could lead to a decline in the population. He argued that while individual choices to remain childfree are not the issue, the societal pressure exerted by the ideology is detrimental, particularly to young people.
Tolmachev's comments reflect a broader sentiment within the Duma that views the promotion of childlessness as a threat to the future of the Russian population. This legislative push comes in the context of ongoing discussions about the importance of family and child-rearing in Russian society.
