Bhutan Offers USD 105 Monthly Subsidy for Third Child and Beyond to Boost Birthrate

According to Lianhe Zaobao citing AFP, Bhutan has begun offering cash incentives to families to encourage larger households as the country faces a sharp decline in births and continued emigration by young people. The government’s “third child and beyond” program, introduced in June, provides a monthly subsidy of USD 105 for each third and subsequent child until the child turns three. Bhutan’s annual birthrate has fallen by more than a quarter over the past decade, and a report said the share of third-and-higher-order births has dropped 27% since 2020. Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay has warned of a “survival crisis,” saying Bhutan’s fertility rate has fallen close to or below replacement level. The United Nations estimates Bhutan’s fertility rate is about 1.8 births per woman, while the share of people aged 65 and above is projected to rise from about 6% to 17% by 2050.