population policies Flashcards
what population policy did singapore implement from 1966 to 1984 and why
anti-natal policy, rapid population growth had created problems like unemployment, shortage of housing, insufficient education and healthcare services and increasing pressure of limited resources on the country
demographic characteristics before and after implementation of anti-natal policy
total fertility rate: 4.5 to 1.6
birth rate: 28.3 to 16.5
campaign slogans for anti-natal policy
stop at two and girl or boy, two is enough
anti-natal incentives introduced in 1972
- waiver of delivery charges in government maternity hospitals for women who underwent sterilisation after surgery
- ward charges remitted for c-class patients who underwent sterilisation
- government delivery charges waived if husband underwent sterilisation within a month after the birth of the child
- parents undergoing sterilisation granted medical leave on generous terms
anti-natal disincentives introduced in 1972
- delivery charges in government hospitals increase with each additional child
- no paid maternity given for 4th and subsequent child
- no priority given to large families in the allocation of HDBs
anti-natal measures introduced in 1973
- reduction of income tax relief to only cover the first 3 children
- reduction of paid maternity leave from 3 to 2 confinements
- lowering priority for HDB flats for bigger families
- progressive increment of childbirth fees based on birth order. fees were waived if man or woman underwent sterilisation
- 3rd or 4th children had lower priorities in education
- top priority in top-tier primary schools only given to children whose parents had been sterilised before 40
general anti-natal measures introduced in anti-natal policy period
- provide family planning facilities to all eligible married women
- forced sterilisation
- public education programmes
- subsidised family planning services
- legalising abortion and sterilisation
- reduced prices for contraceptives
why did anti-natal measures work
- disincentives had been effective
- generated a stigma towards big families who became seen as uncooperative with the nations efforts to reduce birth rate
- policy period coincided with singapore’s push to become a manufacturing hub. women received education and joined the workforce and caused decrease in birth rates
- small HDB units caused people to rethink family size
- socio-economic change and urban development coupled with a sustained family planning campaign created the perfect storm to kickstart the irreversible trend of declining birth rates
what population policy did singapore implement from 1987 onwards and why
pro-natal policy, birth rate had decreased significantly and we needed more children back
pro-natal policy campaign slogan
have three or more, if you can afford it
pro-natal measures introduced in 1988 (for parents)
- mothers with 3rd child would get $750 in child relief and if she had 3 o-level passes in 1 sitting she would qualify for an enhanced child relief rebate (lowered from 5) + 4th child would allow for enhanced child relief of %750 + 15% of mother’s income
- medisave could be authorised for hospital costs of a 3rd child
- families with more than 2 children with a HDB flat of 3 rooms or higher would receive higher priority if they desired to upgrade to a larger flat
- tax rebate of $20 000 given to mothers who had their 2nd child before 28
- sterilisation cash grant for lowly educated women was liberalista allowing them to agree to use reversible contraception instead of sterilisation
+ SDU recognised that low birth rate reflected late marriages, wooed those with post-secondary A-level qualifications rather than just college graduates
pro-natal measures introduced in 1988 (for children)
- disincentives and penalties given in school registration to families with more than 2 children removed; in the presence of competition priority would be allocated to families with more than 2 children
- subsidies for each child in a government-run or government-approved childcare centre
- educational bursaries for existing children added as existing benefits as long as number did not exceed 2
pro-natal disincentives introduced in 1988
- abortions of convenience discouraged, with compulsory abortion counselling
- women undergoing sterilisation with less than 3 children would receive compulsory counselling
present pro-natal measures introduced in singapore (monetary)
- one can receive up to $11 000 (up from $8000) in cash for 1st and 2nd child, $13 000 (up from $10000) for 3rd and subsequent children to help lighten financial outlay when raising a child
- parents receive up to $9000 over the first 18 months followed by $400 every 6 months until child turns 6.5
- special savings account will be created for all eligible singaporean children, receive a first step grant of $5000 (up from $3000)
- can leverage on governments dollar-for-dollar matching to double savings deposited
- subsidies for childcare, fee caps reduced to allow for lower full-day childcare fees at preschools
- tax rebates
present pro-natal measures in singapore (for parents)
- working fathers of children born from 2024 can enjoy government-paid paternity leave for up to 4 weeks (up from 2)
- each parent receives 12 days of unpaid infant care leave per year for the first 2 years of their child’s life (up from 6)
- encouragement of part-time and flexi-time employment
