Frontline Regions Need a Special Fertility Support Package, Association Proposes

Call for Fertility Support in Frontline Areas

According to Главком: Ihor Terekhov, Mayor of Kharkiv and Head of the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities, has urged the government to create a separate state-funded package to support childbirth in frontline regions. He cites the severe demographic challenges these areas face, where the decision to have a child is directly tied to a sense of security, stable income, available housing, quality healthcare, and open schools and kindergartens-all of which remain precarious near the combat zones. This proposal highlights the unique pressures on families living under the constant threat of conflict.

In 2023, Ukraine recorded 168,700 births against 485,200 deaths, meaning roughly three people died for every child born. The national fertility rate stands at about one child per woman, which is far below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman needed to maintain a stable population.

Proposals to Improve the Demographic Situation

To address this crisis, the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities has put forward several specific measures:

• Introduce a frontline supplement to existing childbirth payments;
• Automatically extend maternity assistance in communities deemed high-risk;
• Expand labor protections for mothers, including rights to flexible work schedules and safeguards against dismissal without alternative employment;
• Integrate psychological support for pregnant women and new mothers into the primary healthcare system.

Ihor Terekhov also suggested establishing a Day of Internally Displaced Persons to raise awareness of the challenges faced by displaced communities. The ongoing war has displaced millions of Ukrainians, placing additional strain on social services and community stability.

The initiatives proposed by Ihor Terekhov could significantly improve the demographic outlook in Ukraine's frontline regions, which suffer from low birth rates and high mortality. Implementing state support, including psychological aid and employment guarantees for mothers, could create more favorable conditions for raising families and living in these vulnerable communities.