China News Service, Beijing, March 8 (Reporters: Zhang Ni, Liu Meiling, Chang Tao, Chen Wentao) More than 33 million families in China receive child care subsidies. The central and local governments have invested more than 100 billion yuan in child care subsidies, with a total of 6.6 million child care places.
During the National Two Sessions, this heart-warming data about family well-being attracted attention. Behind this is the fact that China is focusing on building a child-friendly society during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period.
How can ordinary families dare to have children, be able to raise them, and raise them well? Zheng Gongcheng, deputy to the National People's Congress and president of the China Society of Social Security, expressed concern for "mothers". He noted that although childbirth has been included in medical insurance, only female employees who have participated in maternity insurance are eligible to receive maternity benefits, and some women who have given birth have not enjoyed it. "This situation needs to change as soon as possible."
Zheng Gongcheng also suggested the establishment of a "mother's pension" system, which would treat the time of raising a baby (such as one or two years) as payment time to ensure that the pension benefits of women who give birth are not affected by childcare. "This system design links fertility contribution with security in later life, which reflects the institutional recognition of the social value of women's fertility."
"Infants aged 0 to 3 years old in rural areas face difficult problems such as 'no one to take care of them' and 'not taking care of them properly.'" Fu Qingmei, deputy to the National People's Congress and deputy head of Hezhang County, Bijie City, Guizhou Province, called attention to the "parenting dilemma" faced by grassroots rural areas.
Fu Qingmei believes that infant care services in rural areas face problems such as resource shortages, talent shortages, and lack of standards. She recommends promoting the construction of a rural infant care service system so that rural infants aged 0 to 3 can grow and develop in a scientific, standardized, and reasonable nurturing environment.
In response to social concerns, the draft outline of the "15th Five-Year Plan" has included content such as "expanding the coverage of the maternity insurance system" and "accelerating the construction of an inclusive child care service system", and clearly proposes "optimizing fertility support policies and incentives to effectively reduce the cost of family fertility, childcare and education."
"In the past, everyone was concerned about whether they could afford to have children, but now they are more concerned about whether they can raise children well and whether they can be supported." Yao Jinbo, deputy to the National People's Congress and chairman and CEO of 58.com, believes that fertility support depends on system design and building a comprehensive support system covering the growth cycle from 0 to 18 years old. Supporting every aspect of marriage, pregnancy and parenting can make families more confident and more predictable when making fertility decisions.
Zheng Gongcheng said that the "15th Five-Year Plan" period is a critical period for establishing and improving the policy system for childbirth and childcare. Sharing childbirth costs and resolving childcare anxiety with the help of the system can provide a solid foundation for every family to "dare to have children and be able to raise children." (over)
