Moscow attacks abortions as birth control

[mendeleyev]

From the Mendeleyev Journal:

With phrases like "I will help you if I am born" and "You will marvel at me if I am born" the Russian government has declared war on abortion as a form of birth control.

Using photos of babies and small children, the Russian Federation is funding anti-abortion advertising and family support programs designed to help stem the problem of Russia's population decline.

Calling it a social campaign to convince women to abandon abortion, the ruling political party "United Russia" declared the winners of the artwork, design and copywriting in a national contest called "Talent Pool." Now, armed with advertising materials coordinated by ad agency News Outdoor, the first phase of the campaign has already begun in the historic city of Vladimir.

Ads are being paid for by United Russia, the federal government and the city of Vladimir. Commercials have been scheduled on city television stations and billboards placed at transportation centres, major shopping malls and supermarkets.

As for beginning the ad campaign in Vladimir, Olga Khokhlova, deputy chairman of the local Legislative Assembly said that the issue of abortion is unusually severe there. Authorities also factored Vladimir birth rates which show a serious decline while at the same time there over 8,000 officially recorded abortions in the city annually.

Acknowledging that an increase in birth rates from women who typically chose abortion will cause an increased need for social and family services, the city is adding resources to the municipal budget to meet those demands. If the experiment works well in Vladimir and several other test regions authorities say the program could be rolled out nationwide sometime next year.