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PRO-NATALIST POLICIES
FRANCE
Background Information:
Many areas in Europe have a low fertility rate due to changing lifestyles includes
France
Thus, France decided to implement long-term active family policy, adapted in the
1980s, to accommodate the entry of women in to the labour force and encourage
arise in fertility rates.

Strategies/Policies Code de la Famille since 1939:
Offered financial incentives to mothers who stayed at home to look after their
children.
Subsidised holidays
Banned the sale of contraceptives (stopped in 1967)
Longer maternity leave; maternity leave on near full pay, ranges from 20 weeks for
the first child to 40 or more for the third child.
Higher child benefits.
Improved tax allowances for larger families until the youngest child reaches 18.
Pension schemes for mothers/housewives.
30% reduction on ALL public transports for three-child families.

Success of Policy:
Fertility rate increased from 1.67 in 1992 to 2.0 in 2009.
France took over Ireland to become the highest fertility nation in the European
Union.
Even though the average age of French mothers at childbirth is still rising, it is still
less than in many other European countries more successful, to a limited extent.
France is close to a replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman.

Limitations of Policy:
France is currently running a budget deficit of 7.5% as of 2010 difficult to continue
pursuing this policy in the long run as it may deplete governments
resources/reserves even further.
French government predicts country to be most populous by 2030 (about 77.9
million), but UN predicts population to be 69.2 million prediction not as high as
what UN predicted, thus suggesting that pro-natalist policy might not be that
successful
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Almost half of new arrivals in 2006 were born to unmarried mothers social
problem: children may be neglected as single mothers have more burden to take
care of their child society have to take care of them increasing economic costs.
Highest level of fertility within France is among immigrant population may lead to
socio-economic polarisation (growing proportion of foreign citizens)

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JAPAN
Background Information:
After WWII, Japan faced a baby boom and a rapid population growth that tripled the
Japanese population.
o During the 1940s the TFR of Japan lingered around 4 or 5.
However, since 1947, it has shown a general declining trend
o The TFR declined sharply from 4.54 children per woman in 1947 to 2.04 in
1957.
o During this period post-war devastation and reconstruction posed hardships
that motivated families to have fewer children.
o The decline in fertility was also facilitated by the legalization of abortion in
1948
In 1989, Japans TFR reached an all-time low of 1.57, which caused the enactment of
a series of pro-natalist policies since the early 1990s.
In general, these policies can be grouped into three categories: child allowance,
childcare leave and Angel Plans.

Measures Implemented:
The Japanese government initiated child allowances in 1972
o 5,000 yen ($50) per month for each of the first two children and 10,000 yen
($100) per month for each additional child beyond the second.
In 1990 the government established an inter-ministry committee on Creating a
Sound Environment for Bearing and Rearing Children.
o Led to enactment of the 1991 Childcare Leave Act.
o The intent of this law was to make it easier for working women to have
children.
o Provided up to one year of unpaid leave for either the mother or father to
care for an infant
In 1994 the government announced its Angel Plan for 199599 (officially known as
the plan for Basic Direction for Future Childrearing Support Measures).
o Major expansion of the number of day-care centers in the country
o The new day-care centers were established at the local level with subsidies
from the national government.
o Increased day-care center capacity (from 451,000 in 1994 to 564,000 in 1999).
o More after-school sports and other after-school activities
o Establishment of regional family support centers.
o Reduction of working hours (reduced the work week from 48 to 40 hours).
In 2000, the proportion of the workforce who worked more than 50
hours a week was 28 percent in Japan, compared with 20 percent in
the United States and 1 percent in the Netherlands.


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Evidence of Success:
The decline in the fertility rate stops in the early 1990s and thereafter starts to
reverse slightly.
o From the early 1990s, this trend levels off due to pro-natalist policies which
had the effect of preventing the continuity of the declining trend.
o This level-off in birth propensities among the younger childless women has
contributed to the slight reverse of overall first birth rates from 1991
onwards
In the 1980s, before pro-natalist policies took effect, it was women with an
educational level of junior or technical college that were most prone to produce a
second child. From the 1990s onwards, women with an educational level of
university or above are most prone to produce a second child.
o In general, from the mid-1980s onwards, higher-educated women (women
with an educational level of college or above) have been more likely to have a
second child than the lower-educated.

Limitations:
Previously, women in Japan were expected to get married by their mid-20s. However,
the mean age at first marriage for women has been postponed from 23.6 in 1951 to
28.2 in 2006
In 2003, it reached a low at 1.29, making Japan one of the lowest-low fertility
countries in the world.
In large urban areas, where waiting lists for public day-care centers are sometimes
lengthy, the cost of public day-care centers is very costly to the government.
o In Tokyo in 2000, for example, the average running cost of public day-care
services for infants was about 500,000 yen ($5,000) per infant per month, an
amount that exceeded the average male workers monthly salary in Tokyo of
440,100 yen ($4,401).
Some of Japans pronatalist measures favor more-educated women
o Among the measures that favor more-educated women has been the
childcare leave provision of the Childcare and Family Leave Act, because this
provision until recently applied only to regular full-time employees, who tend
to have higher than average educational qualifications.


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SOUTH KOREA
Background Information:
a) Population growth (Past vs Present)
The population of South Korea showed robust growth since the republic's establishment in
1948, and then dramatically slowed down with the effects of its economic growth.
Growth accelerated between 1955 and 1966 to 29.2 million or an annual average of 2.8%,
but declined significantly during the period 1966 to 1985 to an annual average of 1.7%.
Thereafter, the annual average growth rate was estimated to be less than 1%, similar to the
low growth rates of most industrialized countries
b) Total fertility rate
The fertility rate of South Korea has been the lowest among the countries of low fertility
rates. In 1983, the total fertility rate of South Korea reached the 2.1 replacement level and
further declined to its lowest level of 1.2 in 2008.


Reason for need to implement population policies:
a) Larger Dependency Ratio
In richer countries, retirement incomes and medical care of the elderly are largely financed
by taxes on the younger working population. Low birth rates eventually lead to fewer men
and women of working ages, and hence a smaller tax base to finance social security
payments. While the numbers of children populating elementary schools will be contracting,
the dependency ratio will sky rocket. In fact, by 2050 South Korea will have the highest age-
dependency ratio of the primary emerging market countries (BRIC)
b) Lesser Innovation
Low fertility reduces the rate of scientific and other innovations since innovations mainly
come from younger individuals. Younger individuals are also generally more adaptable,
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which is why new industries, like high-tech startups, generally attract younger workers who
are not yet committed to older and declining industries.
c) Ageing Population
The South Korean government started to realize the potential problems caused by the
persistently low fertility rates since 1983 along with the ageing population of the country,
posing great threats to the future economy in South Korea
Older workers command higher wages but are less productive than younger employees.
Over time the labor force will shrink, while the number of pensioners will increase.
d) Security Issues
South Koreas low fertility rate has security implications as well. The falling birthrate
substantially reduces South Koreas military aged manpower. This consideration contributed
to the scheduled reduction of the Army from 560,000 personnel in 2004 to 371,000 in 2020

Measures Implemented:
The South Korean government has instituted new policies in an attempt to drive up the
flagging birth rate. The Saeromail Plan 2012 (new beginning) announced in 2006 intended
to address both low fertility and the increase in elderly population.
In June 2006, the government announced the Vision 2020 Plan to raise fertility and prepare
for a society with extreme aging. In terms of the TFR, the goal is to raise fertility to 1.6
children per woman (the average for OECD countries) by 2020.
a) Government policies
In 2008, the ROK government spent 10.7 trillion won on programs to increase
the birthrate and to cope with the ageing population, with about 40 percent
of the funds earmarked to raise the birthrate and support child-rearing
initiatives.
These included tax incentives for big families, supporting day care cost,
expanding maternity and childcare leaves, assisting mothers employment
and priority for the purchase of new apartment for large families.
Subsidies for the costs of childrearing and education, previously available for
low-income groups, were provided for the middle class as well.
Starting in 2008, male partners will automatically receive three days off to
help after childbirth. Childcare leave that hitherto applied only to parents of
children under the age of one will now be extended to children up to three
years of age.

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b) Public Education
The conservative value orientation stating that children should be taught the
value of marriage and happiness of childrearing in formal education in the
original plan was deleted. The plan included reinforcing family values.
In Korea, campaigns against sex-selective abortion were launched and were
very successful, suggesting that social traditions can adapt to changing times.
In 2009, President Lee Myung-bak called for bold steps to increase the
nations birthrate. The government started blaring public service
announcements saying, With abortion, you are aborting the future.
c) Physical infrastructure
Support for child care including a 30 percent increase in facilities, childcare
facilities at work.
Since the private educational cost is notorious as the main factor of low
fertility in Korea, the Saeromaji Plan included such measures as extending
after school classes and cyber education programs. After-school programs
were expanded, particularly for lower-grade primary school children, as an
alternative to expensive private tutoring institutions.

Evidence of success:
a) Abortion rates saw a decline from 34.1% in 2008 to 26.4% in 2010
b) The crude birth rate and total fertility rate decreased consistently, reaching their
lowest in 2005, and then increasing slightly to 9.4 and 1.23 in 2010, respectively after
the implementation of pro natalist policies.




Limitations:
a) Despite these policies, South Korea can be a family unfriendly place. South Koreas
business culture still demands long hours which make it difficult for women to raise a
family while continuing their careers.
b) Cost of parenthood balloons with education expenses, such as private tutoring,
which is considered necessary for university entrance.
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c) Pro-natalist government policy is unlikely to make a change in South Koreas
declining birthrate without significant changes in the countrys work culture
and attitude towards women in the workplace.