Singapore's Pro-natalist Policies: To What Extent Have They Worked?

Fertility in Singapore has declined steadily since the early 1960s, reaching below-replacement level in the early 1970s and showing no clear sign of recovery since then. In 2011, the total fertility rate (TFR) was 1.2 children per woman, one of the lowest in the world. The Singapore government was slow to introduce policies and programs to address this trend. The first pro-natalist policies were introduced in 1987, and these were revised and enhanced in 2004, 2008, and 2013. Today, Singapore has the most comprehensive policies to encourage marriage, boost fertility, and provide support to families of any country in East Asia. Nevertheless, fertility levels remain similar to those in other East Asian countries, although higher than levels in large cities in the region. Data from the Marriage and Parenthood Survey conducted by the National Population and Talent Division in 2012 suggest that the financial costs of raising children and problems in combining childrearing and work are key constraints on fertility decisions. This suggests that considerably higher financial input by governmentfor example, increasing baby bonus payments and providing universal childcaremay be essential if fertility levels are to be substantially raised.