Should Countries Offer Incentives to Have Children?

The Takeaway

According to the United Nations, the world’s population is set to hit seven billion on October 31st. And all this week The Takeaway is talking about what this monumental number means. Some Western countries are seeing a decline in the number of babies born leaving many governments worried about the future age and strength of their populations. Some rich nations like Germany, are offering financial and practical incentives to encourage women to have children. To discuss the effectiveness of such incentives is Carl Haub, senior demographer at the Population Reference Bureau.

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