TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan faces one of the world's lowest fertility rates, prompting the government to provide strong support for families to encourage citizens to have children.
According to the Ministry of the Interior's Department of Household Registration, the fertility rate has declined alongside the number of women of childbearing age. Birth numbers have plummeted from 229,000 in 2012 to 135,000 in 2023.
The Taiwanese government has introduced several measures to support families and encourage childbirth. These include subsidies for in vitro fertilization treatments, paid leave for pregnancy checkups, and maternity and paternity leave.
Mothers are granted eight weeks of paid leave, while fathers receive seven days, which can also be used for pregnancy checkups. Both parents are eligible for six months of parental leave at 80 percent pay.
In April 2024, Taiwan's Ministry of Labor proposed a pilot program for flexible parental leave, offering at least five days off each time, with the program expected to run from June to year-end.
From July 2021 to February 2024, more than 243,000 individuals benefited from these policies, with subsidies totaling over NT$8.95 billion, according to Ministry of Labor statistics.
Since last June, six cities have implemented a taxi subsidy for pregnant women to aid prenatal and postpartum mobility.
Taiwan aims to bolster childcare allowances, early childhood education resources, and parental leave subsidies, fostering a safer, more convenient, and better-supported future for families.