"How Are You, Still Haven´t Given Birth Yet?"

On March 13, Moscovites were presented with a giant pink road sign that read, "How are you, still haven't given birth yet?" The Moscow Department of Health's latest campaign started at a time when Russia is not only facing a demographic crisis, but also cracking down on reproductive rights.

In the pink ad, the word rodila (gave birth) appears with the "o" in the shape of a heart, but the campaign is far from a friendly invitation. According to Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, the birthrate in Russia is at a "terribly low level," with 1.4 births per woman. This is comparable to Japan and many European countries. Casualties in the invasion of Ukraine and the emigration of Russians have further fueled the demographic crisis. Peskov said that the way to solve this problem was to "increase the average birth rate." In other words, to urge women to give birth.

It's not the first time the government has incentivized women to give birth. In 2019, the show "Pregnant at 16" was aired on official state television. It was a copy of the American reality TV show "16 and Pregnant," and aimed at encouraging teens to "make the right choice" and keep their pregnancies.

Russian officials have also targeted abortion. Since August 2024, it has been illegal to buy abortion-inducing pills without a prescription. The Chairpairson of the Federation Council, Valentina Matvienko, said that doctors that dissuaded patients from getting an abortion would be awarded bonuses. Meanwhile, the Ryazan Regional Duma proposed a law that would fine doctors who "induced" abortion. Therefore, any healthcare provider who mentioned any way to end a pregnancy would be penalized.

While Russia pushes for its women to give birth, the cost of living index has not gotten better. Food prices have increased by over 50 percent. The maximum benefits a woman can receive in a year and a half is R68,995 ($809), which is comparable to renting a cheap one-bedroom apartment in Moscow for a month.