Gold Coins for babies? Iran looks for new ways to increase nation’s birth rate

Photo by Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images

The Associated Press reported Monday that after a successful two decades of curbing birth rates in the country, Iran wants to reverse course and promote a baby boom in order to combat the nation’s aging population.

As a result, government-sponsored vasectomies have ceased and the idea of offering gold coins to the families of newborns has been discussed. Maternal leave was extended up to nine months and fathers have been given a paternity leave of two weeks.

Experts, however, debate how effective the incentives may be with the evolution of family culture.

Iran’s birth rate currently stands at a reported 1.8 children per couple, down from its height of 3.6 children in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Ayatollah Khamanei, Iran’s supreme leader, has said Iran should have a population of 150 million; almost double the current population of 77 million.