Increase in impoverished households over the past five years as reported by Rosstat
Poverty Among Large Russian Families Plummets: A New Era Begins
Looks like the tide is turning for large Russian families! The latest reports suggest an impressive drop in poverty rates, with the number plummeting by almost half since 2020. Back in 2020, a whopping 38.1% of big Russian families struggling with multiple kids were below the poverty line. But, fast forward to 2023, and the figure has shrunk significantly to just 21.5%. It's a notable decline, as the poverty rate dropped even further in 2022, falling from 29.4% to 21.5%.
Demographer Igor Efremov, speaking to RIA Novosti, credits this shift to the introduction of a single child allowance in 2023. He believes that this new policy significantly reduced poverty among families with children.
Professor Alexander Safonov of the Financial University under the government agrees with Efremov's sentiment, admitting that the single allowance had a positive impact on reducing poverty among large families. However, he points out that the policy's potential has yet to be fully realized. Safonov also voiced concern, stating that a poverty rate of 20% among large families is "too high." Yet, he considers it "quite achievable" to reach the national goal of 12% by 2030 if the decrease in poverty among large families continues.
As of January 2025, there were approximately 2.65 million large families in Russia – a slight increase from the previous year's count of 2.4 million. Since the implementation of the national project "Family" in Russia in January 2025, nearly 17 trillion rubles will be allocated towards it by 2030.
Under the national project, more than 9.6 million Russians will receive an annual single allowance for families with children over the next six years, as reported by Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova. In March 2025, the government approved the strategy for implementing family and demographic policy and supporting large families in Russia until 2036.
While data on poverty reduction among large families isn't extensively detailed in reports, it's clear that the Russian government is taking steps to support these families. However, persistent challenges may lie ahead, such as the nation's critically low fertility rate of 1.4 children per woman. Existing cash incentives have yet to significantly reverse demographic trends, indicating that economic challenges remain.
Critics argue that sustained poverty reduction requires broader economic reforms to boost household incomes, which aren't currently at the forefront of policy frameworks. The emphasis remains on maintaining macroeconomic stability and reducing dependency on energy revenues. Yet, the lack of explicit poverty metrics in available documents underscores unresolved challenges in addressing the financial vulnerabilities of large families.
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Tags: #Rosstat, #Family, #Poverty
- In 2023, Russia witnessed a substantial decrease in poverty among large families, with the rate falling from 29.4% in 2022 to 21.5%.
- Demographer Igor Efremov attributes this shift to the introduction of a single child allowance in 2023, believing it significantly reduced poverty among families with children.
- Despite the positive impact, Professor Alexander Safonov notes that the policy's potential has yet to be fully realized, as a poverty rate of 20% among large families is still "too high."
- As of January 2025, Russia allocated nearly 17 trillion rubles towards the national project "Family," aiming to support more than 9.6 million families with children over the next six years.
- Critics advocate for broader economic reforms to tackle poverty, arguing that sustained reductions require boosting household incomes, a focus not currently prioritized in policy frameworks.
