Chinese provinces give 30 days paid marriage leave to newly weds to control tumbling birth rate

Chinese provinces are overhauling its marriage leave culture as the country scrambles to find ways to tackle its shrinking birth rate which is hurting its economy too. The country is stepping away from its usual minimum paid marriage leave of three days and is now giving young newlyweds a paid marriage leave of 30 days, repored Reuters, quoting a statement by Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily Health.

This massive shift is made with an aim to encourage young couples to get married and have kids. These entitlement and perks of about a month's leave to newlyweds is China's hope that it might take out the country of its declining birth rate.

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While some of the provinces are giving away 30 days of marriage leaves, some others have mellowed it down to about 10 days. Gansu and Shanxi provinces are giving give 30 days, while Shanghai 10 and Sichuan still only three, the media portal said.

Yang Haiyang, dean of the Social Development Research Institute of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, said, "Extending marriage leave is one of the effective ways of increasing the fertility rate," reported Reuters."The extension of marriage leave is mainly in some provinces and cities with relatively slow economic development," he added.

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China's population has taken a hit after the country enforced the infamous one-child policy between 1980 and 2015. In 2022, China recorded its lowest ever birth rate of 6.77 births per 1,000 people.Prior to this, China’s population was decreased in 1961. It was during a famine where tens of millions of people were killed across the nation. The demographic transitions are closing linked to the financial repercussions for any country.

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With the declining birth rate, the country is also staring at an unprecedented rapid population ageing. As the workforce in China continues to decline, the impact will be felt on its economy too.The one-child policy has since been abondaned however there are other factors at play too such as changing attitudes toward marriage and family among Chinese youth, gender inequality and economic challenges of raising children.

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