Russia considering a 'Ministry of Sex'. Here's why

It looks like Russia is leaving no stone unturned to tackle the country’s declining birth rate.

With ideas ranging from encouraging sex at the workplace to offering financial incentives for people to go on first dates, Russia is stepping up efforts to reverse its demographic slide.

In a recent report by Russian publication Moskvich magazine, the authorities are reportedly considering an even more bizarre proposal: establishing a dedicated “ministry of sex” to work on the country’s rapidly dwindling birth rate.

What is this all about? Here’s what we know.

Bizarre ideas

According to The Mirror, Russian officials are rolling out a variety of proposals aimed at boosting the nation’s population.

One suggestion involves encouraging citizens to turn off both the internet and lights at home between 10 pm and 2 am—creating a “no-distraction” window to foster intimacy among couples.

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In another proposal, couples would receive up to 5,000 roubles (Rs 4,302) from the government for their first dates.

And the ideas go on.

One recommendation suggests that newlywed couples should have their wedding nights funded by the state, with hotel expenses capped at 26,300 roubles (Rs 22,632) to promote the likelihood of pregnancies.

Other proposals get even more creative, such as compensating stay-at-home mothers for household chores and counting this work towards their pensions.

Alongside these national strategies, some regions are also taking action. In Khabarovsk, young women between 18 and 23 are offered £900 (Rs 98,029) as an incentive for having a child. Meanwhile, in Chelyabinsk, the reward for a first-born is significantly higher at £8,500 (Rs 9.26 lakh).

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Earlier, Regional Health Minister Dr Yevgeny Shestopalov asked Russians to introduce the 'sex-at-workplace' scheme in their lives which suggested creating babies during lunch and coffee breaks.

“You can engage in procreation during breaks because life flies by too quickly,” Shestopalov was quoted as saying by The Mirror.

‘Special demographic operation’

Nina Ostanina, 68, a staunch supporter of President Vladimir Putin and head of the Russian Parliament’s Committee on Family Protection, is currently reviewing a petition advocating for the creation of a “Ministry of Sex.”

According to Moskvich magazine, this petition was filed by the GlavPR agency, proposing that such a ministry would take charge of efforts to increase the nation’s birth rate.

Earlier, Ostanina had stated to the state-run RIA news agency that Russia requires a “special demographic operation” to boost its birth rate. "

“We must organise ourselves and conduct another special operation,” Ostanina said. “Just like a special military operation - a special demographic operation.”

While Moscow refers to its actions in Ukraine as a “special military operation”.

And these efforts don’t stop there.

Russian authorities have even begun questioning women about their sex lives and menstrual cycles.

In Moscow, female public sector employees received detailed questionnaires probing their sexual and reproductive health, family intentions, and more, suggesting a push for widespread data collection across the country.

The questions are highly personal, asking women when they became sexually active, whether they use contraceptives, experiences with infertility or past pregnancies, and if they plan to have children in the coming year.

Those who don’t respond to the questionnaire are required to attend doctor’s appointments where they must answer the same questions in person.

In state-run cultural institutions, employees were reportedly frustrated by having to submit this personal information to HR. Some submitted blank questionnaires, only to be told to add their names. Those who resisted were summoned to interviews with state doctors to provide answers in person.

Earlier, the Russian parliament was working on a new law that would fine people the equivalent of thousands of dollars for promoting a ‘child-free’ lifestyle. The proposed law aimed at targeting media and online content that encourages not having children reported Business Insider.

Separately, Moscow launched a free fertility testing programme for women. It has attracted 20,000 participants so far.

“The first results based on the [initial] 20,000 batch suggest that, unfortunately, quite a significant number of women of different ages need to abandon all things important to them now—and get on with the main goal, the main goal of any woman, to [get pregnant and] become a mother,” Moscow’s deputy mayor Anastasia Rakova told The Mirror.

Lowest birth rate in 25 years

Russia’s birth rate has plunged to its lowest point in a quarter-century, Reuters reports.

Data from Rosstat, the national statistics agency, revealed that 599,600 children were born in Russia in the first half of 2024—16,000 fewer than the same period last year and the lowest since 1999.

In June, the number of births dropped by 6 per cent to 98,600, marking the first time the monthly figure fell below 100,000, according to Russian media.

“This is catastrophic for the future of the nation,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in July, as reported by Russian state news agencies.

This demographic downturn is occurring amidst the prolonged war with Ukraine, which is now in its third year and has led to significant casualties .

“With the war continuing in its third year, and now directly impacting Russian territory, money is not the only factor. With the security situation in border regions uncertain, families are delaying decisions on having children,” Alex Kokcharov, a country risk analyst for Eurasia, told Euronews

With input from agencies