The senior teacher of
Economics Chair, O.V. Galkina
Amur State University (Birobidzhan Branch), Russia
The principal directions of demographic policy
improvement in the region
The demographic policy of the Jewish Autonomous
Oblast, as well as in other constituent entities of the Russian Federation, is
aimed at increasing the duration of life of the population, reduction of
morbidity level, increasing the birth rate, increasing the region force of
attraction, the regulation of internal and external migration, the preservation
and enhancement of the population health and, consequently, improvement of the
demographic situation in the region and the country as a whole.
The Government of Demography and Youth Policy of the
Government of the Jewish Autonomous region conducts the demographic policy in
the Jewish Autonomous region. The activity of this Government is to develop
normative legal acts on demography and youth policy within its competence; design
and implementation of regional or inter-municipal programmes; implementation of
activities in the field of demography and youth policy; coordination of
activities of the State bodies of the Jewish Autonomous region and local
government bodies, institutions and organizations in the field of demography
and youth policy; in the preparation of the annual report “On the demographic
situation in the Jewish Autonomous Region” for the Government of the Jewish
Autonomous Region.
The main direction of the Government of Demography and
Youth Policy of the Government of the Jewish Autonomous region in 2011 became
implementation of additional measures to provide State support for families
having children. In the field a number of normative legal acts aimed at supporting
various types of families such as students’ families, the families of military
personnel, large families, and needy families is being carried out.
To improve the demographic situation in the region the
concept of demographic policy in the Jewish Autonomous region until 2025 is
adopted, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Jewish Autonomous
region dated 06.09.2011 No. 422-pp. The Concept provides for the formation of
the preconditions for a further demographic growth as well as improving the quality
of life and increase the duration of life until 70 years by the year 2025.
To create conditions to improve the demographic
situation in the Jewish Autonomous region the Government has approved the
regional target program dated 26.05.2011 No. 260-pp “Improvement of the quality
of life for children and families having children in the Jewish Autonomous
region”. Its main objectives are to increase State support for families and
children, preventing family tribulation and prevention of social orphanhood, support
for children at social risk.
Within the Concept the implementation of a number of
federal and provincial target programs such as “Dwelling place” for the period
2011-2015 years; “Provision of housing for young families”, “Assistance in
voluntary emigration of fellow citizens to the Jewish Autonomous region living
abroad” is provided.
As well, in 2011, a number of laws to promote
demographic growth in the Jewish Autonomous region was adopted:
-the regional law dated 29.06.2011 RL No 101 – “On
additional measures of social support for families having children”. This law
provides for the additional measures of social support for families with
children in the form of regional parent (family) capital in the amount of 100
thousand rubles by means of the regional budget from January 1, 2012 and
families can use it in the following ways: to improve living conditions,
education and treatment of children. In 2012 4 certificates were given;
-the regional law dated 15.07.2011 RL No 975 – “On the
free provision of land properties to large families in the Jewish Autonomous
region”. Land properties are received by citizens, having three or more
children. As of 2012 80 applications for land properties are filed and 2 plots
of land are granted.
However, recently additional measures to stimulate the
birth rate are implemented.
-additional measures of support of women at the birth
of the second and subsequent children are introduced. It is mother's capital
(387 640,3 RUR);
-increased the amount of childcare up to 1.5 years.
Not only insured, but uninsured (unemployed or not studying women) began to
receive grant;
-the advance mechanism (since the beginning of the
year, on projected inflation) of indexing child allowances and maternity
capital is introduced;
-compensation of a part of the parent payment for a
child at educational institutions implementing a basic educational program of
preschool education is fixed;
The analysis
of the demographic situation in the Jewish Autonomous region requires
improvement and adjustment of State policy, amendments to the legislative and
other normative legal acts for improvement and reasonable restoration of
demographic processes in general.
Therefore it
is necessary to adopt some measures and amendments that could improve the
demographic situation in the Jewish Autonomous region.
The leading
tool of demographic policy of public authorities is to improve existing and
develop the new federal and regional legislation that responds to the needs of
the modern stage of development of Russian society and its regions. It is
largely frame and fragmentary, that does not enable you to manage the main
demographic processes effectively.
Meanwhile,
the deterioration of reproduction of the population occurs under the background
of loss of quality of women’s health of reproductive age. A number of
gynecological disorders, infertility, complications of pregnancy and childbirth
is growing. Anemia of pregnant women is progressively increasing, lowering of
the number of normal births is continuing. The deteriorating health of pregnant
women has a negative impact on the health of newborn children. The morbidity
rate of newborn children tends to increase.
Based on the foregoing, the following measures can
contribute to the strengthening of women's reproductive health:
-implementation of drug therapy standards of
gynecological disorders and disorders of pubertal development of girls –
teenagers;
-creation of the database of reproductive risk groups
for boys (teenagers), as well as constant monitoring of their health;
-health promotion of women of reproductive age on the
basis of therapeutic, preventive and other health institutions;
-placement into service of the laboratory of auxiliary
reproductive technologies at the regional hospital;
-continuation of the practice “health schools” with
demonstration of videos, informing the harm of abortion by the media;
-reducing mortality of children caused by inborn
abnormalities, prevention of childhood disability; the continued monitoring of
families with children with congenital malformations.
The main focus of improving demographic policy is to
implement measures aimed to reduce the overall mortality rate of the population
of the region. Among the causes of mortality diseases of the blood circulation
system takes the first place, 1465 people (53.4%) died in 2011 in the Jewish Autonomous region, 337 (12.3%) died because of true tumors, 107 people (3.9%) died
because of tuberculosis. The mortality rate by sex is as follows: 69% are men and
31% are women.
In accordance with the adverse situation, it is
supposed to carry out organization of additional medical examinations of
workers engaged in harmful (harmful production factors) for the detection and
treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system and the supporting-motor
apparatus.
In the pessimistic scenario of keeping the current
overall mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases,
neoplasms, infectious and parasitic diseases, accidents, poisoning and
injuries, illnesses of the digestive system, the population of the region will
be falling; labour resources will be reducing the implementation of
socio-economic development plans will be brought into question.
The following measures of social support to families
with children serve as the next direction of improvement of demographic policy
in the Jewish
Autonomous region:
-the introducing the project of the law “On monthly
financial support of families at the birth of the third child” to the
Legislative Assembly of the region;
-consideration of the possibility of improving the
housing conditions of families at birth at the same time, two, three and more
children, defining the order of social support;
-continuation of work with businesses and
organizations to include obligations of support of women on maternity leave,
the monthly payments in the amount of the average wages in collective
agreements;
-in order to increase the popularization of having
many children, fatherhood and motherhood: while hiring, promotion to a higher
position to give preference to persons with children; to recommend to the heads
of enterprises, while the conclusion of collective agreements to provide for
monthly payments to employees for each minor child.
The following activities to promote employment serve
as the fourth direction of improving demographic policy in the Jewish Autonomous region:
-provision of job quotas for graduates, pregnant
women; assisting in the promotion of employment to members of young families
where both spouses are graduates of educational institutions as a matter of
priority; realization of specialized job fairs for women and graduates;
organization of advisory support to the unemployed from young families,
pregnant women, wishing to engage in business activities.
-inclusion in time in employment the period connected
with the care of young children: at birth and bringing up of two children to
add two years to women’s time in employment, and for the third child to add
three years.
One of the main causes of the acute shortage of young
professionals in various fields in the Jewish Autonomous region is a lack of housing. Housing construction in the Jewish Autonomous region is carried out slowly; moreover, apartment prices compared with an
average income of young people are disparate. According to the official data,
only at the beginning of the year in the Jewish Autonomous region over 330 families of young specialists were registered as needing
housing or improving housing.
In order to improve the population policy the project
of the programme “Provision of housing for young families in the Jewish Autonomous
region” is supposed, which should include the following
measures: in the case of birth (adoption) of a child, after the acquisition of
housing by a young family within the programme and the presence of the balance
payable per dwelling unit, or debt under the loan agreement (purchase of
housing with mortgage) to provide for a young family an interest-free loan from
the budget.
As it is known, since the beginning
of 2005, the State fully stopped to finance pre-school institutions,
transferring all powers to municipalities. In fact it means that local
authorities must not only support kindergartens, but also formulate policies
for pre-school education in its territory: a fraction of costs, a number of preschool
institutions, techniques and criterion for the evaluation of its quality, fill
rates of groups and the like.
Currently, 83 educational institutions function in the
region. However, the number of preschool institutions is not enough. A shortage
of places in kindergartens has a negative impact on the results of the
programme to increase the birth rate in the Jewish Autonomous region. The
problem is a lack of normal conditions for the reconciliation of work and
upbringing by parents. In 2011 the turn for places in kindergarten was over 5
thousand people and the number of waiting list applicants is increasing (in
2009-3336, 2010-4406).
As the directions of improvement of population policy,
it is necessary to implement the following measures to improve pre-school
education in the Jewish Autonomous region:
-increasing of the number of municipal preschool
educational institutions in the region, to 250 or more seats;
-increasing of commercial pre-school educational
institutions, through the introduction of tax concessions, simplified
registration procedure;
-opening short period staying groups of children.
Analyzing the forms and methods of implementation of
the regional migration policy, it should be noted that there are not only
positive aspects in the activities, but also disadvantages in the Jewish
Autonomous region, as in many other constituent entities of the Russian
Federation. In this connection, it is necessary to offer the following
recommendations to improve the social aspects of migration policy pursued by
the Government. These recommendations should be aimed at strengthening factors
that promote immigration, conversely, reduce the factors causing emigration
from the Jewish Autonomous region. Therefore it is sensible to divide
recommendations into 2 blocks.
Activities that promote
immigration.
Today in the Jewish Autonomous region one of the most
significant socio-economic development of the region investment projects is
functioned. It is development of Kimkansko-Sutarkey iron ore deposit located on
the territory of the Obluchenskey district. The implementation of the project
will provide about two thousand jobs. The question is not just in the quality,
it should be mostly members of such professions which are not trained in our
region. Accordingly, it is necessary to attract employees from abroad, namely,
the Russian-speaking immigrants, and various specialties: large equipment
machinists and profile engineers. For this aim it is necessary to provide the
social security of needy categories of migrants (assistance in finding housing,
medical service, to settle the children of migrant workers to kindergartens and
schools, etc.).
In order to attract highly qualified doctors and
health workers of different directions, as well as educators and cultural ones
to work the Jewish Autonomous region it must be offered assistance in solving
housing problems (e.g., provision of office apartments for the period of their
employment in the organization with perspective to further privatize). Together
with settlement of children in kindergartens and schools, an organization by
trade unions the rest of its staff and their immediate family members
(children, elderly parents in need of sanatorium-resort treatment) by giving
them vouchers to summer camps, social and social health centers, sanatoriums.
To attract to our region of those who wish to heal it is necessary to conduct
various activities, such as the reduction of prices for some medical services
and permits in health centres during periods when the number of visitors is
low. For this aim, it is appropriate to inform people about existing health
centres and sanatoriums, their specificity, available vacancies, an assortment
of offered medical services through printed press, television, radio, Internet
resources by means of brochures, articles, and social publishing medical clips.
Also it is necessary to increase respectability of
secondary vocational and higher education in the region. For these purposes,
along with affordable cost of our higher education institutions compared to
other regions of Russia and improving the quality of education it is necessary
to attract the Russian gifted youth from other regions of the country and from
abroad. To achieve designed it is sensible to encourage scientific research of
active and gifted pupils and students (diplomas, prizes, vouchers). In addition
to support students from among orphans and needy families (for example, the
provision of hospital beds in a dormitory, transportation home during the
holidays).
Activities that reduce
emigration.
The improvement of the standard of living of the local
population, through a gradual reduction of monthly average wages of workers in
the Jewish Autonomous region (20 thousand roubles) from the average salary of a
major commercial and industrial cities (40-50 thousand roubles), increasing
allowances for mothers and families with children, the development of
affordable mortgage loans for young families and beginners, professionals, etc.
Encouraging and motivating specialists to pursue their
professional activities in our area. In addition, it is advisable to provide
for passes to sanatoriums, both for professionals and their children. And to
overcome the general unemployment in the prevailing socio-economic conditions
it is necessary to conduct behavioral trainings (training adequate behaviors
under the conditions of unemployment and to help to start their own business)
for employees of companies and firms, retraining for shortage professions.
To support students and gifted children by encouraging
their accomplishments (awards, grants) for needy students in halls of residence
beds, social scholarships for needy students, material assistance and social
welfare student's families and young mothers.
To organize leisure and free time for children,
adolescents in countryside areas by involving them in extended-day groups,
sections, hobby groups, to conduct psychological games and exercises designed
to develop their friendly qualities of thought processes and memory in schools.
Organization of sightseeing tours to museums in the area, holding literary
evenings dedicated to the history of their native land, carrying out patriotic
education of teenagers on samples of decent influencers in educational
establishments of the region.
Thus, the implementation of the above measures and
proposals will contribute to the process of optimization of the State
structures and public organizations work in addressing population issues.
1.
The data about a demographic
situation in the Jewish Autonomous region for the period 2006 – 2011 years
[Electronic resource]. Access mode: http://www.eao.ru/?p=1218.
2.
The data about migration of the
population of in the Jewish Autonomous region for the period 2006 – 2011 years
[Electronic resource]. Access mode:
http://www.evrstat.ru/_layouts/katalog/svod.htm.
3.
The data concerning realization of
the regional target program “Assistance in voluntary emigration of fellow
citizens to the Jewish Autonomous region living abroad” for the period 2010 –
2012 years [Electronic resource]. Access mode: http://www.eao.ru.
4.
The concept of demography policy of
the Jewish Autonomous region for the period 2025. [Electronic resource]. Access
mode: http://www.zakonprost.ru/content/regional/14/1423966.