Singapore

March 2004 | Risk Summary

Singapore's political scene could in future become dominated by the single issue of age if the government does not arrest the problem of declining birth rates. On average, Singaporean women give birth to only 1.6 children in their lifetimes, one of the lowest fertility rates in the world. The government says it wants to address the issue, but a widely expected package of incentives to boost birth rates was missing from a budget speech delivered in March. The government is not, however, neglecting the problem. It March it said it would study ideas such as longer maternity leave and cheaper

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