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Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Wednesday declaring 2024 the ‘Year of the Family’ and appointing a deputy prime minister to head a government commission that will spearhead the program.
The ‘Year of the Family’ initiative aims to “promote state policy in the field of family protection and preservation of traditional family values,”according to the document, which takes effect immediately.
The Russian government has been given until December 27 to set up a committee for implementing the ‘Year of the Family’, appoint its members, develop a plan of activities, and determine the source of funding for them.
The committee will be chaired by Tatiana Golikova, deputy prime minister for Social Policy, Labor, Health and Pensions.
In addition to the central government, the governing officials of the constituent subjects of the Russian Federation – regions, republics and so on – will be instructed to “carry out the necessary activities” to implement the ‘Year of the Family’ in 2024.
The initiative comes amid a debate in the Russian legislature about possible restrictions on abortion, which Putin called an “acute problem” in a speech earlier this month. The number of abortions in Russia has decreased drastically from 2.13 million in 2000 to 506,000 in 2022, in part thanks to government policies encouraging parenthood.
Putin has described family policy as “extremely important for the future” of Russia, reminding lawmakers that the country underwent a birth-rate collapse in the 1990s comparable to that of the Second World War, but has since recovered.
Russia last held a ‘Year of the Family’ in 2008. At the time, the government’s focus was on regulating adoptions of Russian orphans by foreign nationals. Adoptions by Americans were eventually banned in 2012. One lawmaker recently proposed extending the ban to countries that allow “gender change” as well. Adoptions by same-sex couples have been illegal in Russia since 2013.
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https://www.rt.com/russia/587813-putin-year-family-2024/
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Putin continues to remind me of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi in some respects -- someone who actually cares about his country and about traditional values, yet is often cruel and even murderous in order to remain in power.
Beats being an anti-human, democidal, Satanist would-be global slave master, I guess. Not the ally we'd really want but certainly one we need at this point.
Better an ally than an enemy. Russians are very particular about the law and contractual arrangements, unlike some we know. If one breaks the contract they will get angry and will retaliate, in due course, according to the book - case in point is the West ignoring the Minsk agreements, to their detriment.
I remember in 2008, Putin gave out medals to families with more than six children. What an honor to travel to Moscow and receive a medal in a richly decorated palace (surviving from the Tsars) with one's entire family, and to be on National TV. Those mothers will display the photos and medals in their homes for the rest of their lives. And hats off to the families with ten children. Also note that in the West, large families are often ridiculed: didn't you have a TV, LOLZ.
On that subject - Orban (Hungary, and Christian) has made any woman with more than three children, tax-exempt. What a great incentive to have three or more children. So, it is not an airy-fairy concept to declare a year of the family, IMO.
Agree completely.
Thank you.
I have a double digit number of children and we moved to Russia a few years ago. We are treated with respect and admiration here by pretty much everyone, where in America our family size made us the target of insults and derision. It’s been really refreshing.