Wengtong Chan
Chonin CheangBackground
China's fertility policy has consistently undergone significant changes over the years, reflecting the country's evolving socio-economic and demographic landscape (Shuai et al., 2023). The most recent shift, transitioning from a one-child policy to a three-child policy, represents a response to the country's rapidly aging population and declining birth rate (Ning et al., 2022). This policy change, however, has sparked debates, with particular focus on its potential impact on women's employment and gender equality (Zhang et al., 2022).
Historically, China's one-child policy, implemented in 1979, served as a strategic approach to control population growth (Zhang, 2022). However, as the country's population aged and the birth rate declined, concerns over a shrinking workforce and the burden of supporting an aging population prompted a policy shift. In 2015, the government announced a two-child policy, and in 2021, it further relaxed the restrictions, allowing couples to have up to three children (Ning et al., 2022).
While these changes aim to address demographic challenges, they have also raised concerns about potential socio-economic impacts. In particular, fears are emerging that the policy could exacerbate gender discrimination in the workplace, as employers might be reluctant to hire or promote women who could take maternity leave (Zhang et al., 2022). Additionally, the policy could have broader socio-economic implications, like increased demand for resources in a country already grappling with environmental challenges (Shuai et al., 2023).
The new fertility policy represents a significant shift in China's demographic strategy, and its impacts are anticipated to be far-reaching. As such, it is paramount to scrutinize these impacts and consider policy options to mitigate any potential negative effects. This policy brief aims to contribute to this discussion by analyzing the implications of the new fertility policy, particularly focusing on its potential impact on women's employment and the country's demographic challenges (Shuai et al., 2023).
Evidence
Gender discrimination and employment opportunities
The recent shifts in China's fertility policy have unveiled a complex and multifaceted socio-economic landscape, giving rise to fervent discussions and debates, particularly among women who are apprehensive about the potential repercussions on their employment opportunities. This policy has not only sparked debates among the general populace but has also highlighted deeper societal issues, including the pressure on women to balance familial responsibilities with career aspirations, potentially impeding their progress and representation in the professional sphere. A study by the World Economic Forum's report where China ranked 106th out of 153 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index 2020, underscores the significant gender gap in economic participation and opportunity prevalent in the country (Sharma et al., 2021). This backdrop reveals that gender-based discrimination in employment is a significant issue, with one in four female respondents facing rejections from employers due to their gender. The new policy is perceived as a potential catalyst that might exacerbate this issue, fostering an environment of heightened discrimination and biases.
Societal concerns and dialogues
This scenario has ignited a wave of dialogues where women are actively voicing their concerns, calling for a more inclusive approach to policy formulation, urging for measures that prevent the widening of the gender gap in various sectors of society (Fincher, 2023).
Socio-economic implications
Broader socio-economic implications are also at the forefront of discussions surrounding this policy. A study on water sustainability in Northwest China emphasized the importance of balancing socio-economic development with environmental sustainability, indicating that rapid socio-economic development in the region could lead to increased water usage, which poses challenges for sustainable development (Dai et al., 2023).
Promoting gender equality
Employers might be reluctant to hire or promote women who are likely to take maternity leaves, thereby perpetuating a cycle of gender-based discrimination and inadvertently escalating gender inequality in the workplace.
Addressing the impact of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted people's fertility intentions, leading many to delay or forego having children due to the uncertainties and challenges presented by the pandemic (Luppi et al., 2020).
Leading to an aging population
Furthermore, scholars argue that the policy might also influence the demographic structure, potentially leading to an aging population, which could strain social security and healthcare systems (Bloom et al., 2015; Zhang et al., 2021). It is essential to consider these aspects to foster a comprehensive understanding of the policy's implications and to formulate strategies that ensure sustainable development and social harmony.
Policy options and recommendations
The new fertility policy in China, permitting couples to have up to three children, marks a significant departure from the previous one-child and two-child policies. However, the implementation of this policy faces several challenges, with particular emphasis on gender equality and the establishment of support systems required to facilitate this monumental change. Given the potential negative impacts of the new fertility policy, formulating strategies to mitigate these issues becomes crucial.
Investment in public childcare facilities and services
Evidence-based background
The prospective amplification of gender inequality, particularly concerning childcare responsibilities predominantly shouldered by women, as highlighted in the “Evidence” section, beckons immediate attention.
Recommendation
The government should deliberate on investing in public childcare facilities and services, aiming to make them more accessible and affordable for families. This could encompass providing subsidies for childcare services, particularly for families with low income, and the establishment of an increased number of public childcare centers in both urban and rural areas (Del Boca, 2015).
Workplace reforms to support word-family balance
Evidence-based background
The impending policy instigates a potential imbalance between work and family responsibilities, predominantly affecting women, as delineated in the “Evidence” section.
Recommendation
To address this, workplace reforms to nurture a balance between work and family responsibilities are crucial. Workplace reforms also play a crucial role in supporting families, particularly women, in managing the balance between their careers and family responsibilities. The necessary changes might encompass implementing more flexible working hours, providing parental leave for both mothers and fathers, and ensuring job security for women during and after pregnancy (Connell, 2005).
These reforms could encompass flexible work hours, parental leave policies, and support systems that facilitate a harmonious work-family balance, thus mitigating pressures faced by women.
Strengthening gender equality policies
Evidence-based background
As the “Evidence” section delineates, the new fertility policy has sparked apprehensions regarding amplified gender discrimination in the employment sector, potentially stemming from employers' hesitancy to hire or promote women who are likely to take maternity leaves. China's current position in the Global Gender Gap Index underscores the urgency of addressing these concerns.
Recommendation
In light of this, fortifying gender equality policies becomes paramount. The government should envisage measures like crafting legislation to curb discrimination in hiring and promotions and fostering programs to champion equal representation in various sectors, thus averting the potential exacerbation of gender disparities due to the new policy (Raday, 2019).
Promoting sustainable development practices
Evidence-based background
The discussions elucidated in the “Evidence” section spotlight broader socio-economic implications tied to the new policy, underlining the necessity to harmonize socio-economic advancements with environmental sustainability. The concern surrounding augmented water usage in Northwest China serves as a testament to the pressing need for sustainable practices.
Recommendation
Against this backdrop, advocating for sustainable development practices emerges as a critical strategy. Implementing policies that guarantee socio-economic developments do not compromise environmental sustainability will be instrumental in fostering a balanced growth trajectory.
Addressing the impact of COVID-19 on fertility intentions
Evidence-based background
As depicted in the “Evidence” section, the COVID-19 pandemic has wielded a significant influence on fertility intentions, leading to a postponement or renouncement of plans to have children.
Recommendation
Consequently, it becomes vital to implement measures addressing the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on fertility intentions. These measures could encompass financial support for affected families and ensuring the availability of healthcare services for pregnant women and children, thus alleviating the pandemic-induced concerns and uncertainties.
Conclusions
The new fertility policy in China signifies a major shift in the country's approach to population control. However, successful implementation of this policy necessitates comprehensive support systems and measures, addressing the challenges and concerns of families. These predominantly pertain to childcare, workplace support, and gender equality. Equally significant is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people's fertility intentions, which should not be overlooked, and appropriate measures should be instigated to alleviate these concerns.
Author contributions
WC: Writing—original draft, Writing—review and editing, Conceptualization, Investigation, Project administration, Resources. CC: Writing—original draft, Writing—review and editing, Conceptualization, Investigation, Project administration, Resources.
Funding
The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Publisher's note
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Keywords: new fertility policy, China, fertility, demographic shift, policy
Citation: Chan W and Cheang C (2023) Navigating the demographic shift: an examination of China's new fertility policy and its implications. Front. Polit. Sci. 5:1278072. doi: 10.3389/fpos.2023.1278072
Received: 15 August 2023; Accepted: 04 September 2023;
Published: 18 September 2023.
Edited by:
Nikos Papadakis, University of Crete, GreeceReviewed by:
Stylianos Ioannis Tzagkarakis, University of Crete, GreeceCopyright © 2023 Chan and Cheang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Chonin Cheang, zhengjunxianalex@gmail.com