The "three-child" and its support policies have been implemented for less than three years, and policies from all over the country have come one after another, which is dazzling. So, what is the overall progress of the construction of the birth support policy?
Population is a complex system, and fertility support policies involve many aspects of society. Recently, the relevant person in charge of the Department of Population and Family of the National Health Commission was interviewed by Red Star News and systematically reviewed the current fertility support policy system. The relevant measures are mainly focused on three aspects: economy, service and time.
The person in charge said that on the whole, the policy framework of childbirth support has been initially established, positive progress has been made in inclusive childcare, the childbirth-friendly atmosphere has been continuously improved, and the momentum of the whole society to pay attention to childbirth and support childbirth has gradually formed. This has played a certain role in enhancing the fertility willingness of the masses and enhancing the fertility expectation.
Yang Fan, director of the Department of Demography at Renmin University of Chinese, said in an interview with Red Star News that it takes a long time to show the effect of fertility support policies from recognition to behavior. One favorable factor is that the cultural tradition of universal marriage and universal education on the mainland has not fundamentally changed.
资料图 图据IC photo
Financial Support:
Many provinces are exploring the issuance of childcare subsidies
Four provinces have included assisted reproduction in medical insurance
In terms of economic support, it is mainly reflected in taxes, medical insurance, housing, childcare subsidies, etc.
At the national level, in 2022, the care of infants and young children under the age of 3 will be included in the special additional deduction of individual income tax, and in 2023, the standard will be increased from 1,000 yuan to 2,000 yuan per month for each child. The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development has increased the supply of affordable housing through multiple channels, and by the end of 2023, 5.579 million units (rooms) of affordable rental housing have been built and raised, and a total of 2.15 million families with minors and 360,000 families with more than children have enjoyed public rental housing protection.
At the local level, 22 provinces have explored the implementation of childcare subsidy systems at different levels, among which Yunnan and Ningxia have achieved provincial-level policy coverage, Yunnan has issued a one-time subsidy of 2,000 yuan and 5,000 yuan respectively to families with two and three children, and a subsidy of 800 yuan per year until the age of three, and Ningxia has issued a one-time subsidy of 2,000 yuan and 4,000 yuan to families with two and three children, and a monthly subsidy of no less than 200 yuan for three-child families until the child reaches the age of three.
Four provinces, including Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, and Gansu, have included 16, 8, 9, and 12 assisted reproductive medical services into the scope of basic medical insurance payment according to procedures; Zhejiang has expanded the coverage of maternity insurance, with 3.39 million flexibly employed people in the province participating in the insurance; and Jiangsu has given 50% and 80% subsidies to the social insurance premiums paid by enterprises during the maternity leave of female employees for those who give birth to two children and eight percent respectively.
Service Support:
Inclusive childcare has developed greatly
The central budget invested 3.52 billion yuan
In terms of service support, childcare services are a major highlight.
At the national level, the "14th Five-Year Plan" takes "4.5 childcare places per 1,000 population" as an important indicator, and the General Office of the State Council has successively issued the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Development of Infant and Child Care Services for Children Under 3 Years of Age" and "Opinions on Promoting the Healthy Development of Elderly Care Services". The National Health Commission has taken the lead in formulating a series of standards, norms and supporting policies: in conjunction with the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Health Commission will arrange an investment of 3.52 billion yuan in the central budget to support inclusive childcare, and in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance, it will invest 3 billion yuan in 2023-2025 to support the implementation of inclusive childcare service development projects in 30 cities, and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions will encourage qualified employers to provide childcare services for employees.
In Ordos, Inner Mongolia, children play in the company of nursery teachers Photo IC photo
At the local level, all provinces (except Tibet) have set a target of 4.5 or more per 1,000 population by the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period. In accordance with the current financial subsidy policy for preschool education, Beijing inclusive childcare institutions enjoy a per capita subsidy of 1,000 yuan per student and a rent subsidy of no more than 5 yuan per square meter per day. In Zhejiang, 17 counties have piloted the integration of childcare services into basic public services. Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, will give a subsidy of 10,000 yuan/nursery place to the social inclusive childcare institutions that have been recorded.
In addition, at the national level, there are policies such as eugenics and childcare services and the supply of high-quality educational resources. Eugenics and childcare services have been strengthened, the five systems for maternal and infant safety have been fully implemented, the comprehensive prevention and treatment of birth defects has been strengthened, and the application of human assisted reproductive technology has been standardized. The Ministry of Education has promoted the high-quality and balanced development of compulsory education and the "double reduction", and last year raised the benchmark quota of public funds per student for primary and junior high schools from 650 yuan and 850 yuan to 720 yuan and 940 yuan.
Maternity Leave Optimization:
Maternity leave is generally 158 days
Spouse paternity leave and parental leave are established
In terms of time support, it is mainly reflected in the implementation of maternity leave, the issuance of maternity allowances, and the protection of women's employment rights and interests.
At the national level, the Population and Family Planning Law stipulates that couples who meet the requirements of laws and regulations to give birth to children can receive incentives or other benefits for extended maternity leave. The State supports the establishment of parental leave in places where conditions permit. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has included "ensuring equal employment opportunities, career development opportunities and treatment for female employees who have given birth" in the criteria for the creation of harmonious labor relations in enterprises.
资料图 图据IC photo
At the local level, all provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) generally extend maternity leave to 158 days or more, and more than half of the provinces have a maternity allowance payment period of not less than 158 days. Paternity leave for spouses is about 15 days and parental leave for parents ranging from 5 to 20 days. Beijing stipulates that if a woman voluntarily reduces and extends her maternity leave, the number of paternity leave enjoyed by the man can be increased by a corresponding amount; Jiangsu, Yunnan and other places have included spouse paternity leave in the scope of maternity allowance.
The person in charge of the Department of Population and Family of the National Health Commission mentioned that it is also working with relevant departments to study the optimization of the maternity leave system and establish a reasonable cost-sharing mechanism.
In addition, in terms of cultural support, there are various policies that actively promote a childbirth-friendly social atmosphere.
What the experts say:
It takes time for policies to take effect
There has been no fundamental change in the cultural tradition of universal marriage and universal education on the mainland
Yang Fan analyzed to Red Star News that the current low fertility rate is a result of the superposition of a variety of factors, one is a systemic factor, and the downward trend of fertility is a common trend in the world, which is the law of population development. Second, temporary factors, including the decline in the size of the childbearing age group and the postponement of marriage and childbearing, have caused a temporary low fertility rate, which is difficult to intervene. The third type of factor is that the childbearing age group has a low willingness to have children, and the cost of childbirth is high, and there is a lot of policy space for this kind of factor, and the national fertility support policy is to deal with this kind of factor.
Is the birth support policy useful? Yang Fan responded: "It must be useful." ”
From the perspective of international experience, Yang Fan pointed out that the fertility level of Western Europe, Northern Europe and Eastern Europe has rebounded, which is closely related to their fertility support policies.
"But we need to recognize that they do well because they do it early. Yang Fan pointed out that the transformation of childbirth is a process of change from understanding concepts to behaviors, and it is a process that requires long-term construction, and it is impossible to see results in a short time.
Yang Fan mentioned that a favorable factor is that a recent survey of non-marriage and childbearing groups found that the cultural tradition of universal marriage and universal childbearing in mainland China has not fundamentally changed. Although some people show the concept of not marrying and having children or marrying later and having children later, in fact, seventy or eighty percent of them still hope to get married and have children, which is very different from the dilution of the value of marriage and family in some Western countries.
According to Yang Fan, 20%-30% of the survey group said that fertility support policies have a positive impact on their fertility plans. "The policies that they think will have the most influence have actually begun to be done on the mainland. Therefore, as long as we continue to build in the right direction, the results will definitely be reflected. Yang Fan said.
Red Star News reporter Hu Yiwen and intern Wang Yaqi report from Beijing
Edited by Guo Yu and edited by Guan Li
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