In the Chinese province of Sichuan, it is now legal for unmarried people to have children and enjoy perks earlier exclusive to married couples. Here’s more on the announcement.
Sichuan, China: Legal for unmarried couples to have children
The health officials in Sichuan, a southwestern Chinese province announced that unmarried couples can have children and enjoy the same benefits. Beijing is trying new initiatives to boost its declining birth rate. Sichuan is the fifth most populous province in the nation and ranks eighth in terms of the population over the age of 60. Its previous laws were restricting pregnancy to married women.
The new decision comes at a time when the province is observing the biggest decline in marriage and birth rates. The new regulations revised in 2019 are aiding single people with the desire to have children. They will come to force from February 15. Both married and unmarried couples can register with the authority. This allows them to have as many children as they wish. As per the province’s health commission, they are seeking to “promote long-term and balanced population development”.
More on China’s declining birth rate
For the first time in six decades, the nation’s population plummeted in 2022. The change marks a historic shift that is kickstarting another phase of population decline in China. Most of China’s demographic downturn is stemming from its one-child policy. The policy was in place between 1980 and 2015.
Therefore, to try to change the demographics, the government is introducing new incentives and policies for boosting the population. Maternity insurance and the right to maintain their jobs while on maternity leave are some of these advantages. A nationwide registry is in place to ensure their access. These perks will now extend to unmarried couples in Sichuan.