TEHRAN – The National Population Day is observed on May 19 to mark the date the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, announced general policies on population as per the Constitution.

Underscoring the significant role of the population in national authority,  general population policies were announced to compensate for the decrease in population growth and fertility rate over the past years.

Keeping in mind the positive role of the population in the development of the country, it is necessary to make comprehensive plans for the economic, social, and cultural growth of the country in accordance with the population policies, the leader said.

It is also necessary to share the task among the relevant institutions and government bodies to take the necessary measures with accuracy, and strength, and then report the results of continuous monitoring of the implementation of policies.

Ten years following the announcement of these policies,  the current government has been successful in implementing them with the approval and enforcement of the Law on Family and Youth Support.

According to statistics, with the formation of the National Population Headquarters, holding continuous meetings, and following up on the actions, the law was implemented successfully in the past 30 months.

The law has tried to prevent the population decline by considering a series of incentives for families.

The incentives include providing families with plots of land free of charge, free insurance coverage, loans for house construction and childbearing, and building more infertility treatment centers.

Plots of land free of charge

Families with three children will receive free land. According to the latest statistics, some 80,000 families have used this legal incentive and received their lands so far. They also receive a 50 percent discount on the assignment of water and electricity branches and housing construction services.

Free insurance coverage for rural women

In general, according to the Iranian Statistics Center, the fertility rate in urban areas is usually higher than in rural areas.

Therefore, free insurance coverage and social support for rural mothers with three children and more was put on the agenda.

loans granted based on economic conditions

It has been customary for young couples to receive marriage loans in the past, but over the past two years, the amount of the loan has been adjusted to the economic conditions of the society. Also, according to the law on the youth of the population, granting loans for childbearing kicked off.

Other incentives

Thanks to the current government efforts, all the institutions have to grant nine-month maternity leave for women.

Preventing illegal abortion and promoting easy marriages are among other measures.

Increase in infertility treatment centers

The number of infertility treatment centers in the country has notably increased.

In government centers and the sites covered by Salamat health insurance, 90 percent of infertility treatment costs which are based on subsidized rates are covered by insurance.

Currently, these services include insurance coverage of 66 items of medicines,  29 items of medical equipment, 72 tests, increasing the age of insured persons subject to treatment from 45 to 49 years, 45 services including fertility preparation, and 33 surgical services for the treatment of infertility.

Improved fertility rate

According to the health ministry, since the implementation of the law, the number of births among mothers aged 20 to 24 has notably increased.

The rate of mothers giving birth to three children increased from 16 percent in the Iranian year 1398 (March 2019-March 2020) to 18.97 percent in 1402 (March 2023 –March 2024) and even the fourth childbirth increased from 5 percent to about 7 percent.

The health ministry’s responsibilities in the field of health and education are well-defined and it has successfully implemented more than 95 percent of its tasks in the youth law.

Population is one of the important and key points in the 7th national development plan (2023-2027).

Multiple measures are forecast to be implemented in the seventh national development plan (2023-2027)  to strengthen the pillars of family and remove obstacles to the growth and prosperity of women.

Increasing the birth rate to at least 2.5 within five years with comprehensive support for childbearing and providing incentives are other objectives of the plan.

All government bodies are obliged to prepare their plans and programs within the framework of the population growth policy and follow up on their implementation seriously.