To reverse a worrisome trend of deaths outpacing births in China, central authorities are being urged to look beyond merely trying to convince adults to procreate – the attention, leaders are now being told, should be on educating children.
A top political adviser and leading demographer has proposed that China take action to protect fertility from the earliest stages of a person’s development, by making sexual-health education mandatory for school kids amid a demographic crisis that has far-reaching social and economic ramifications.
Her call came as the central government said it was planning to subsidise families with children later this year – the first pledge of the kind at the national level, despite subsidies being offered by many local governments in recent years.
02:03
Chinese cities offer cash and other incentives to boost marriage registrations
Chinese cities offer cash and other incentives to boost marriage registrations
He, who is also a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said taking more steps to safeguard the population’s fertility will “directly affect the final number of children a couple has”.
