Russian President Vladimir Putin is encouraging women in the country to demonstrate their patriotism by having more children to boost the nation’s population. Critics, including Russian feminists and human rights activists, argue that these expectations undermine gender equality and protections. Despite this, officials are urging women to begin having children at 18, according to a report by The Washington Post.

In a speech last November, Putin addressed conservative religious and political leaders at the State Kremlin Palace, reminiscing about how many of Russia’s grandmothers and great-grandmothers had “seven or eight children or perhaps even more,” and emphasized the need to “maintain and revive these admirable traditions.”

Russian feminists argue that President Putin’s push to restore Russia’s superpower status is undermining women’s rights by pressuring them to prioritize having children over pursuing education or careers. The country has experienced low birth rates for years, and with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Putin is framing the increase in childbirth rates as a national security issue.

Putin has emphasized that ensuring a high birth rate is a central objective of state policy. To support this goal, he has reintroduced the 1944 Soviet “Heroine Mother” award, which recognizes women who have ten or more children, and the “Order of Parental Glory.”

On May 30, President Putin conducted a video conference with nine families from across Russia who were honored with awards for having large families.

Additionally, Putin has designated 2024 as the “Year of the Family” and is reviving a Soviet-era competition known as “Come On, Girls!” In this competition, young women participate in various categories, including preparing the best soup, vacuuming, dancing, singing folk songs, and demonstrating their knowledge of household tasks.

In March, Tatiana Golikova stated at a youth festival that women should aim to have their first child between the ages of 18 and 24, suggesting that an early first birth would lead to subsequent children being born sooner.

At the same time, women who exemplify traditional roles by having multiple children are being appointed to high-ranking positions. One such figure is Maria Lvova-Belova, the national children’s ombudswoman and mother of ten, including five adopted children. Lvova-Belova and President Putin face accusations of war crimes from the International Criminal Court for allegedly forcibly relocating Ukrainian children.

Additionally, Yekaterina Mizulina, the daughter of a Russian senator and head of the Safe Internet League, is a notable supporter of Putin’s pro-natal policies.

In an interview, Yekaterina Mizulina expressed that she does not focus on feminism, asserting that Russian women often prioritize men and are content with subordinate roles. She commented, “Many women in Russia are comfortable being deputies rather than leaders. This is part of our character.” Mizulina also criticized placing women in roles she considers unsuitable, such as defense ministers.

Despite many Russian men being deployed to fight in Ukraine, women’s participation in the labor force remains relatively stable at 48.8%, only slightly up from 48.7% in January 2022, just before the war began.

However, protections for women in Russia have been eroding, notably with the decriminalization of domestic violence in 2017. A request for an interview with President Putin on these matters was declined, but his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, stated that the government’s social policies aim to boost the nation’s population and reflect public sentiment.Read more: Putin: Russian Women Must Produce More Children | Newsmax.com