Large families in Russia are experiencing poverty at a staggering rate of 20%.

Large families in Russia are experiencing poverty at a staggering rate of 20%.

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In 2024, Large Family Poverty Trends in Russia Post a Surprising Drop. According to a recent report by RIA Novosti, citing preliminary data from Rosstat, the poverty rate among families with three or more children under 18 dropped significantly from 2020, down to 20%. If the figures hold true, this represents a substantial decrease from 38.1% in 2020, with an impressive halving of the rates within four years. Notably, the decline peaked in 2023, dipping from 29.4% in 2022 to 21.5%. The 2021 rate had been recorded at 38.2%. Rosstat plans to release final statistics for 2024 in December.

Igor Efreмов, a demographer, offered his perspective on the observed phenomenon to RIA Novosti, noting that high poverty rates among larger families are a common occurrence in various developed countries. Moreover, he pointed out that the current 20% rate among large families can be interpreted differently depending on the poverty threshold definition.

By January 2024, the number of large families in Russia increased by 27% compared to five years ago, according to Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova's report. This brings the total large family count to 2.3 million, with 24.5 million families and 30 million children making up the broader picture.

Later in the year, Vladimir Putin signed decrees focused on national development goals for 2030 and 2036, including the ambitious target of bringing the poverty rate among large families down to 12% by 2030 and 8% by 2036.

Alexander Safonov, a professor at the Financial University under the government, shared his view with RIA Novosti, stating that a 20% poverty rate among Russian large families is "unacceptably high." Safonov believes that sustaining the current rate of decline makes it "comfortably achievable" to reach the 12% goal by 2030.

Common factors contributing to poverty reduction globally include economic growth, the implementation of social welfare programs, and international assistance. To further lessen poverty rates, countries usually employ targeted economic policies, social protection programs, focus on healthcare and education, encourage social inclusion initiatives, economic development, and foster international cooperation.

In Russia's context, investigating the economic and social policies implemented during this period would yield insights into a more tailored strategy for reducing poverty among large families. However, the general strategies mentioned can provide a starting point for understanding the broader measures to be considered for poverty reduction among these families.

1. The decline in large family poverty rates, which peaked in 2023, has been attributed to various factors, some of which are economic growth, social welfare programs, and targeted economic policies, as noted in a perspectives by science analysts.
2. The reigning 20% poverty rate among large families, highlighted in Rosstat's latest report, has prompted discussions within the health-and-wellness sector about the need to improve healthcare services, education, and social inclusion initiatives to further reduce the rate.
3. By 2030, the government aims to reduce the poverty rate among large families to 12%, a goal that science and research in the field of health-and-wellness suggests might be achievable if the current rate of decline can be sustained.
4. Poverty reduction findings from the science community show that international cooperation plays a crucial role in this endeavor, and so, it's imperative for Russia to engage in global collaborations to ensure the effective implementation of their development goals, such as the 8% poverty rate goal for large families by 2036.

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