The 'Cash Handout' Policy for Population Growth Hits a Dead End; 'Childbearing' Loans Become Unattainable

Media in Iran have reported the ineffectiveness of the 'cash handout' policies aimed at increasing the population, stating that the special housing loan intended for 'childbearing' requires a 'huge salary.' The newspaper 'Donya-e-Eqtesad' wrote in a report that for a couple to manage the 'monthly installment' of the facilities, they must have a 'huge salary.' According to this economic newspaper, banking authorities have approved a special housing loan to 'support childbearing' that has an 'attractive appearance,' but this loan is, at best, suitable for 'childbearing' rather than being an 'effective incentive' for increasing the population and youthfulness of the population. The report emphasizes that the childbearing loan currently covers a maximum of 25% of the price of an apartment in Tehran, and its installment of 20 million and 500 thousand tomans is equivalent to 65% of the costs for a 'childless' working couple with a relatively high income. The report adds that the reality of Iran's demographic system, especially in Tehran, is that most households currently have 'only one child,' with the household size being about 3.1, which last year significantly and bitterly dropped below 2.8, indicating the 'high weight of childless couples' in the capital. The report infers that if there are applicants for the housing loan specifically for childbearing, it is 'very likely' that they will be from households that 'have one child.' It emphasizes that the 'purchasing power of the housing loan for childbearing' does not show a noticeable and promising increase for applicants, but the 'repayment installment' becomes an 'uber installment.' In the best-case scenario for this special loan, the amount of the uber installment will be about 41 million tomans, which the recipient of the facilities must receive as a 'huge salary' from their job to be able to cope with it. According to this newspaper, the government has two 'correct concerns' in mind: solving the issue of 'access for Iranian couples to housing' and 'encouraging couples to have children.' However, the path it has designed is 'misguided.' Childbearing and population growth are among the emphases of Ali Khamenei, which has led all institutions, even the health network, to change their policies to fulfill this directive. Although measures such as the elimination of screening and the prohibition of the sale of goods and services for contraception have been implemented, neither these policies nor the 'cash handout' policies have led to the realization of the wishes of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. In this regard, the director general of the Youth Planning and Social Development Office previously stated that the statistics of girls who have reached the age of permanent celibacy are high, saying, 'As the age of marriage increases, childbearing is postponed, and unfortunately, permanent celibacy occurs. The statistics of girls who have reached the age of permanent celibacy are high.' Meanwhile, another problem for the health network in achieving this 'directive' is the shortage of human resources in the medical staff. In this regard, on September 10, a health and treatment advisor to the Minister of Health and Treatment announced that the health network of the country is facing a shortage of 20,000 'midwives.' Despite all this, policymakers are still enacting new laws, as in one of the latest cases, the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council announced: 'Marriage and having children will count as an advantage for membership in the faculty of Iranian universities.' The Central Bank of Iran announced in April of this year that marriage and childbearing loans would also be granted to men who have not completed compulsory military service. In recent years, the Islamic Republic has pursued the policy of encouraging childbearing and increasing the population more vigorously. In November 2013, when Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, spoke about the necessity of increasing Iran's population to 150 million, officials promoted childbearing through various means such as changing the content of textbooks, media, and installing advertising billboards throughout the city.