Most countries around the world are affected by global COVID-19 outbreak. This epidemic has completely disrupted people’s lives. In such a situation, many women have delayed maternity plans to avoid additional financial stress during the crisis. Meanwhile, the government of a country has decided to give incentives to its women for giving birth to children so that the country does not face labour shortage and resultant economic issues in future.
Indeed, the government of Singapore is offering a one-time bonus for interested parents in the country, who had postponed the childbirth plan amid the coronavirus epidemic and subsequent economic downturn. With this incentive, the citizens of the country will not have to bear the burden of economic recession while raising a child.
According to a CNN report, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said that people are facing many difficulties in becoming parents, given the situation that is caused by the global coronavirus pandemic. In such a situation, people will be encouraged to deliver. However, the bonus amount is yet to be decided.
Like other countries of the world, Singapore’s economy has suffered a setback due to global coronavirus epidemic. The Deputy Prime Minister of the country said that the government has received information that many aspiring women are postponing their maternity plans due to economic crisis. In such a situation, the government of the country will give incentives to help them.
Keat said that his country’s birthrate is lowest in the world. The government has continuously tried to increase it though.
In 2018, Singapore hit its lowest birthrate in eight years at 1.14 births per woman as more numbers of professional women preferred to focus on work and postpone maternity plans until later in their career.