Policy Proposal Expands Maternity Capital Uses to Support Children’s Sports and Early Health Coverage
The Federation Council is advancing a bill spearheaded by its Committee on Economic Policy that would broaden the permissible uses of maternity capital. If enacted, funds could be directed toward enrollment in youth sports clubs for children under 18 and toward health insurance coverage for a child from birth through the first year of life. This reform is being reported by TASS with access to the document’s text.
The proposal highlights the high costs associated with specialty sports such as hockey, football, tennis, and ballroom dance. The bill notes that monthly fees for these activities can exceed ten thousand rubles, creating a barrier for families seeking less expensive ways to keep children active. By allowing maternity capital to fund sports sections, proponents argue that physical education and participation in sports would become more accessible, including for extended family households where more than one child might benefit from the capital resources.
The initiative targets families with a first, second, third, or any subsequent child who is under 18 years old, whether the child is biological or adopted. It also recommends directing maternity capital toward voluntary health insurance coverage from birth to one year of age and toward medical care in the same early period, reinforcing a focus on early childhood health as part of the policy expansion.
Earlier statements from Tatyana Butskaya, who serves as First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Family, Women and Children, and as Project Coordinator for the ONF Birthday initiative, cited demographic concerns. The birth rate in Russia has experienced a decline, and analysts point to a demographic gap created by generations born in the 1990s reaching reproductive age. The discussion emphasizes the need to stabilize population levels for the country.
Researchers at the Higher School of Economics and the School of Economics have examined scenarios for population stabilization. They suggested that maintaining a steady population near 146 million people would require attracting between roughly 390,000 and 1.1 million new residents annually, highlighting immigration as a potential factor in demographic strategy.