Russian State Duma Considers Bill to Ban Childfree Propaganda
The Russian State Duma has initiated the consideration of a controversial bill aimed at prohibiting the promotion of the childfree ideology, which advocates for a conscious refusal to have children. Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin announced the proposal via his Telegram channel, emphasizing the need to prevent the dissemination of information that encourages childlessness. He pointed out that social media often showcases disrespect towards motherhood, fatherhood, and large families, which has prompted this legislative action.
The proposed legislation seeks to outlaw childfree propaganda across various platforms, including the internet, media, films, and advertisements, imposing significant fines for violations. Individuals could face penalties of up to 400,000 rubles, officials up to 800,000 rubles, and legal entities up to 5 million rubles. This initiative mirrors previous legislation that banned LGBT propaganda and gender reassignment discussions in Russia.
Government Support and Clarifications on the Bill
According to Elvira Aitkulova, a member of the State Duma Committee on Education and one of the bill's authors, the legislation aims to safeguard children from harmful ideologies promoting voluntary childlessness that do not stem from medical or religious reasons. Aitkulova reassured that the bill would not infringe on personal choices regarding having children, but rather target the promotion of childfree beliefs as a societal norm.
The Russian government has conceptually backed the bill, highlighting the importance of revising the definition of
