I was planning to do a post on the slowly decreasing birthrates in Singapore. It was a coincidence that I read on the article on Professor Han Rosling in the Straits Times just a while ago thinking of what else I had to put into the topic. I beseech you to finish reading up the article before continuing on mine, as it seemed to be a better idea to talk about that particular article, and adding in my own views as it goes along.

First some basic facts. Singapore is currently at a fertility rate of 1.23, and one person dies an average 25.2mins and one person is born an average 12.7 minutes. We have a population of 4.66 Million, which is looking to be growing in the near future as birth rates continue to exceed death rates.

Now, to start out, you might have already noticed the paradox, why are we complaining about a low birthrate? Are we not having more births than death by frequency? We have to consider that Singapore is currently undergoing a graying population, which means that, whilst this might sound very bad, that death rates are set to increase in the near future. Yes, we might have better medicine, we might have better healthcare, but no one will escape death, at least for within the near future.

It is essential that we maintain a healthy birth rate not just to cushion this drop of manpower, but also be able to supply the support that this generation would require as we move towards that era.

Nevertheless, I digress. The lack of gender equality in Singapore has been seen as a very big reason for the low birthrates in Singapore. Women are seen to be less important than men, and thus that they are seen to be the gender that would be entrusted with the task of child rearing. As pointed out in the article, there are also no state support in changing such a mindset and that men are not supported enough, or forced enough(Depending on your point of view) to take up part of the task of bringing up a child.

Then the women get to make a choice of either having a baby, or perusing her career, and the choice is obvious.

I agree that issues of gender equality is somewhat affecting the birthrates of Singapore, however, I believe that the mechanisms might not be as suggested as the professor.

I believe that it might be because of wanting to avoid gender inequality, that the empowerment of women in Singapore that has led to the drop in birthrates in Singapore through the years. I know saying this will probably bring be a lot of flak, but I do quite sincerely think so. However, recognize that this is NOT the problem causing the drop of birthrates, but a catalyst.

Firstly, we have to recognize that in Singapore, I believe that babies are seen as a luxury, rather than a necessity in a family, not just by the women, but also the men. They no longer see a strong need to have babies in today society. Traditional views of having a large family has been washed away by the onslaught of capitalism, we now see the need to have a safe career and money as a much more important need compared to having a baby. Talk to any couple on the street, who would even DARE to think of a child before they had their finances right?

Thus, imagine a couple having a choice between having a child and advancing in their careers, the choice is definitely simple for both of them. To them, it would be perhaps inhumane even, to consider bringing up children when they could not support themselves with their own careers.

Thus the problem is obvious. The biggest problem is because of the re-ordering the importance of having a baby in today's society! Its nothing to do about equality, its nothing to do with sex education, its nothing to do with the conservative nature of the society.

I believe the problem is the question that every couple has to face. "Can we support this baby to the fullest if we have him?". More than likely, the answer is no, thus leading to more couples working on their careers, until the point where they're too old to consider having babies anymore.

Then why did I say that the empowerment of women in today's society is a catalyst to declining birthrate?

That's because in the past, when women were more powerless, they did not have as much consideration before planning for children. In the past, women were tasked to take care of problems at home, and just simply make babies, be prudent, ask for money from the men if required. They were much more willing to give birth to babies back then.

Thus, we see that the empowerment of women has given them a choice to choose NOT to have a baby, leading to a drop in the number of births.

Note that it is NOT the direct cause! The reason for having less babies is not that the ladies get a choice, the fundamental problem instead, is that its getting even more and more expensive to be bringing up children in current times! In fact, the empowerment of women decreases the negative externalities that might come from the choice of having babies before parents can afford them, and its more of a good thing than a bad one.

So, what is the solution? It is probably impossible for the government to ever provide enough monetary benefits to ensure that couples can support their children throughout. On this side, all the government can do is to put out a nominal sum, and other small benefits, like maternity leaves to lessen a small amount of the burden and coax couples.

The one solution that I believe the government have not played into more enough, is instead, publicizing and stressing instead on the prospective rewards of actually having a child.

Couples are not willing to take the leap, and try to have a babies because they are unsure of what that future might hold for them. You could tell them that it would be fulfilling to being up a child, that it would be great to create a life and mold him to be the best that he can be. They will not believe you just like that. They need reassurance, and most importantly, moral support, not just from their family and friends, but also from the government.

There has to be at least such an assurance, for them to be willing to take the plunge into the worst of motherhood/fatherhood, before reaping the joys at the end of the tunnel.

That is, hoping that the child at the end of the tunnel would be a filial one.