What do you do if you’ve got a low population? It’s a tough question, making the country more attractive to people that may like to move there is a start, improving the economy is another way forward, how about declaring a “Sex Day” ?
That’s how the Ulyanovsk region in Russia have played the game, National Sex Day has been held annually for the last 3 years and has contributed to a 4.5% increase in births in the last year!
The governor Sergei Morozov has instructed couples to take the day off to have sex, if their baby is born exactly nine months today on Russia’s national day on the 12th June they will be eligible to win prizes (including cars and TVs)! Last years winner one an SUV!
“If there’s a good, healthy atmosphere at home within the family, if the husband and wife both love each other and their child, they will be in good spirits… So there’ll be a healthy atmosphere throughout the country,” Mr Morozov told the Associated Press news agency.
The problem in Russia is caused by it’s health care system, along with failing births and emigration – and could mean Russia loses 40 million people by the middle of the century.
The President, Vladimir Putin has also introduced a scheme to encourage more children, women who have a second or third child are eligible to receive $9,000 which can be used to pay for education or home purchases.
A few Questions
I sent this story to a friend who came up with a string of possibilities on how you might govern such a competition!
- Do you have to be a couple?
- Do you have to register to have today off with your boss and admit you are taking part in “National Sex Day
- If the above is true, are premature or late babies born on the 12th June eligible
- Do sales of Curry, Herbal Teas (and other such old wives tales about bringing upon the birth of your child) go up on the 11th June?
All important details – does anyone know the answer?
In a way this reminds me of what the nazi’s used to do, paying people to have children. Basically sponsoring your own population to thrive.
I wonder how Russia is going to plan the giving money thing though, will the state simply give them free education or will the people actually receive the cash. With the financial state Russia is in I’d foresee it leading to a lot of babies being given up for adoption if it’s simply giving cash in the pocket.
It has to be in the form of vouchers/credit surely? Much the same as you have described. Otherwise I agree adoption is going to be pretty high on the agenda.
Someone else commented to me in the office earlier about how other countries are so over-run with children that they place limits on the amount you can have – maybe some of those that are given up for adoption in those countries could consider being homed in Russia?
The problem is that they won’t truly be “Russian” I guess, which is what they are trying to achieve, so this is the only way to promote it?