Moscow to have 'Year of the Family' in 2008

The government of the Russian has announced a "Year of the Family in Moscow" to run through 2008. The program, which aims to help any family in the city, includes events to educate and prepare young people for creating families and for strengthening family values -- especially among poor families and those with many children. It also aims to prevent children being abandoned by their parents with the creation of a new support center, specialized networks for foster care and the opening of a crisis center for people with children who have subjected to domestic abuse.

Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov says the idea is to support all families who need help, not just those who already qualify because the parents are young (up to 35) or other distinct groups. The year of the family will continue privileges granted to large families, such as free transport and other services.

Because of low birth rates and high death rates Russia's population is in decline. But with the increase in the people's incomes in the 2000s Russia's demographic situation has started to turn around and families increasingly have a second and third child. Russia's fertility rate has climbed from a low of 1.2 to 1.39 in 2006. While still far below the 2.1 replacement rate, it continues to show signs of growing.