China News Service, Beijing, January 20. Why does the population continue to decline?

Is the birth support policy not working?

Does New Coronary Pneumonia Affect Fertility Willingness?

  On the 20th, the National Health and Health Commission held a press conference. In response to many hot issues of public concern, the National Health and Health Commission and relevant experts gave authoritative responses.

Data map: On the streets of Beijing, mothers play with their children.

Photo by Zhang Hao issued by China News Agency

Maternity leave is generally extended by 30 to 90 days

  Yang Jinrui, deputy director of the Population and Family Department of the National Health Commission, said that since the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the "Decision on Optimizing the Birth Policy and Promoting the Long-term Balanced Development of the Population", various departments have actively introduced a series of supporting measures, and local governments have organized the implementation of the three-child birth policy in accordance with the law. , and actively introduce support measures.

  He introduced that

at present, 25 provinces have completed the revision of regulations, and some provinces have formulated implementation plans.

Judging from the current situation, all localities generally extend maternity leave by 30-90 days

, and add provisions such as the development of inclusive childcare services and the protection of the rights and interests of family planning families.

Data map: China's first fertility consultation clinic opened in the Women's Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine.

Photo by Li Chenyun issued by China News Agency

Why don't you want to have children?

  Yang Jinrui introduced that the decline in the birth population is the result of the combined influence of multiple factors:

  ——The number of women of child-bearing age, especially women of child-bearing age, has declined.

During the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" period, the number of women aged 20-34 years old with high fertility will decrease by 3.4 million annually, and 4.73 million will decrease in 2021 compared with 2020

.

This is an important factor driving the decline in the number of births.

  ——The concept of marriage and childbearing among young people has changed significantly.

At present, the post-90s and post-00s are the new subjects of marriage and childbirth, most of whom grow up and work in cities and towns, have longer years of education, and face greater pressure from employment competition. The phenomenon of delayed marriage and childbirth is very prominent.

Delayed marriage increases the likelihood that women will never marry, further suppressing fertility levels.

At the same time, the willingness to bear children continues to decline.

The average number of children of childbearing age women who intend to bear children is 1.76 in the 2017 survey, 1.73 in the 2019 survey, and 1.64 in the 2021 survey

.

  ——The high cost of fertility and parenting education aggravates fertility concerns.

With the development of economy and society,

the cost of childbearing and parenting education has remained high under the influence of multiple factors such as housing, education and employment, which has increased the concerns of young people about childbearing.

Relevant supporting policies are not well connected, and public services such as childcare are not perfect, making many young people hesitant and discouraged when it comes to fertility issues.

  ——The new crown pneumonia epidemic has also had a certain impact on the marriage and childbirth arrangements of some people.

Data map: Parents waiting for students outside a primary school in Wuhan.

China News Agency issued Zhang Chang photo

The post-80s and post-90s are still the main body of women of childbearing age, but the total number continues to decline

  Song Jian, deputy director of the Population and Development Research Center of Renmin University of China, said that the number of women of childbearing age depends on the size of the birth cohort in the past. From 1962 to 1975 and from 1981 to 1997, the number of births in my country exceeded 20 million. Under certain conditions, the population of birth cohorts of different sizes entering the reproductive age period will affect the total number of women of reproductive age.

  She introduced that for a period of time in the future

, the high birth cohort between 1981 and 1997 will still be the main body of women of childbearing age in China, but the number of women entering the childbearing age will be shrinking

, which will lead to a continuous decline in the total number of women of childbearing age, and the internal age structure tends to be aging, especially The number of women of childbearing age between the ages of 20 and 34 during the prosperous reproductive period will drop significantly before 2030, which will bring greater downward pressure on the birth population.

National Health and Health Commission: Will focus on fertility education and promote supporting measures

  Yang Jinrui introduced that the implementation of the three-child birth policy and supporting measures is to prevent a further decline in the birth population.

  He said that at present, the three-child birth policy has not been implemented for a long time, and supporting active birth support measures are also being introduced one after another, so it is difficult to show obvious effects in the short term.

In the next step, all localities and departments will focus on the work such as fertility and parenting education that the masses are most looking forward to, and launch a series of supporting measures to make practical and tough moves.