This is not an alarmist. Recently, during the second trial of the draft Civil Code on Marriage and Family at the the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) Conference, some members suggested that the legal age for marriage should be adjusted to 18 for men and 18 for women. When the news came out, it triggered a heated public discussion.
The original intention of "lowering the age of marriage" is to improve the marriage rate and fertility rate. However, people are worried that this is not feasible, and it may also protect those who marry early and have children early, thus bringing other social problems.
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On June 26th, the 11th meeting of the 13th the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) reviewed the second draft of the Marriage and Family Law in groups. During the deliberation, the legal age of marriage became the focus of hot discussion. Some members of the Standing Committee suggested that the legal age of marriage should be greatly reduced, from 18 for men to 18 for women.
"Lowering the age of marriage cannot directly reverse the trend of declining number of marriages and increasing aging, but with a series of other policies to encourage childbearing, I believe it can be solved step by step." Chief Jason. JS pointed out that from 20 13 to 20 18, the number of registered marriages in China decreased year by year for five consecutive years, which directly led to the decline of the birth population and the aggravation of aging.
"Is it because of the legal age of marriage that older young people don't get married?" "Most people aged 18 have just graduated from high school. If they have no financial resources, they have to rely on their parents to support them. Who will raise children after marriage? " Once the news was disclosed, people talked about it.
Some netizens questioned that junior high school is still catching puppy love, but after 18 years old, it is legally recognized that you can get married. Even if you can get married, you don't have mature mental and economic ability.
On the other hand, members' suggestions and concerns are not groundless: the marriage rate and fertility rate are declining year by year, and the aging is getting more and more serious.
According to the statistical bulletin on the development of social services in 20 17 released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, 20 1063. 10000 marriages were registered by civil affairs departments at all levels and marriage registration agencies, a decrease of 7.0% over the previous year. In the same year, the marriage rate was 7.7‰, which was 0.6 ‰ lower than the previous year. The chart shows that from 20 13 to 20 17, the marriage rate decreased year by year and the divorce rate increased year by year.
Figure/Ministry of Civil Affairs
The birth rate is not noticeable. In 20 18, the annual birth population in China was15.23 million, and the birth rate was 10.94‰. The birth population decreased by about 2 million compared with the previous year, which was the second consecutive year of decline.
At the beginning of this year, the statement that "20 18 China has a negative population growth" aroused public concern. Although the final natural population growth rate is 3.8 1‰, the discussion about low fertility rate caused by it continues to ferment.
People are worried that the low fertility rate will bring about problems such as aging population, increasing financial and pension burdens. According to the data of the National Bureau of Statistics, in 20 18, the population aged 60 and over in China was nearly 250 million, accounting for 17.9% of the total population, showing an increasing trend year by year.
At the same time, with the development of economy and society, the age of women's first marriage and childbearing in China is constantly delayed, and women's fertility will also decline. According to the data published by the National Bureau of Statistics, from 1990 to 20 17 years, the average age of first marriage of women of childbearing age in China increased from 2 1.4 years to 25.7 years, and there is a continuous upward trend; The average age of giving birth for the first time has also increased from 23.4 to 26.8. In developed areas, these figures are higher.
As members said, "lowering the age of marriage" can not directly reverse the trend of declining number of married people and increasing aging, but it is a positive adjustment direction.
"Why aren't you married?" "You are 27 years old this year. I had three children when I was your age. " For the post-90s generation, it has long been common to be urged to get married and have children. However, contrary to the wishes of the Committee members and the earnest expectations of the elders, many young people who work hard in big cities are afraid of education in fear of marriage for various reasons.
China Newsweek randomly interviewed 10 young people aged 25-32 working in Beijing, including 6 women and 4 men. Eight are unmarried and two are married without children. They all have university degrees, but they come from different provinces and have different family backgrounds.
Among the men interviewed, except one who is not in a hurry to get married and have children, the other three all said that they all want to get married, and they just want to have children. "They have the instinct to carry on the family line", but they can't do it because of the real pressure.
"Poor!" A man said that the bride price and wedding expenses alone will cost hundreds of thousands, so he can't afford to get married.
Xiao Lu, 27, said that although she is from Beijing, all her friends who are married and have children are "me at home". "I earn money laundering wages every month, and all kinds of money will be returned as soon as I get it. Think of kindergartens and cram schools with scary tuition fees. Dare to have children? "
Women have different opinions. Among the four unmarried female respondents, two are waiting for true love, and the two clearly stated that they "don't want to get married, let alone have children".
Figure/video screenshot @ Southern Metropolis Daily
"I work hard to earn money to support my parents. What energy can I have to take care of my husband and children, take care of my parents-in-law and even socialize with his relatives? ! "Xiao Zhao, 25, is a staunch unmarried woman. She thinks that pets can replace the intimacy people need.
Among the two married female interviewees, one said that she got married because of practical factors and didn't plan to have children for the time being, while the other was somewhat sorry. "How much am I out of my mind?" Xiao Gong, who has been married for nearly two years, said that the relationship between herself and her husband after marriage is not as good as when she was in love. They often quarrel over trifles, and the involvement of family background is even more exhausting.
Wang Jun analyzed herself, because of the improvement of economic level, women's education level has become higher, and their feminist consciousness has awakened, so they will care more about living for themselves than sacrificing their own quality of life for marriage. "There are more unmarried people in big cities, because they are far from home and have not been urged so much."
After many considerations, young people are even more afraid to step into the besieged city of marriage, and the number of single people is gradually increasing. According to the data of the National Civil Affairs Bureau a few years ago, the number of single men and women in China is close to 200 million.
Singles who are busy at work and "just want to make money" are more difficult to get rid of the bills, and the age of marriage has been pushed back again and again. According to the Survey Report of Single People in zhenai released at the end of 20 18, 59.46% of the single people have been single for three years or more, over 70% of the single men and women are in a passive state, and 30% of the ideal marriage age is 30 to 33 years old.
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The Marriage Law of China stipulates: "The age of marriage shall not be earlier than 22 for men and 20 for women. Late marriage and late childbearing should be encouraged. "
However, the voice of lowering the legal age of marriage to optimize the population structure has been ringing for many years. China Newsweek combed the data and found that as early as 20 12, Huang Xihua, a representative of the National People's Congress, submitted a proposal to reduce the legal marriage age to 18. In the next few years, the National People's Congress and the National People's Congress have related proposals.
"The decline in the birth population is due to the high cost of childcare and living." Opponents believe that the reason for delaying marriage and having children or even choosing unmarried infertility lies in realistic pressure. On the other hand, marriage is not a necessary condition for having children, and "lowering the age of marriage" may also bring other social problems.
Supporters believe that from the perspective of respecting individual rights, it is no problem to let adults have the right to choose life earlier, let them try to love the right person and lower the age of marriage. The key is to reduce the "cost" of marriage and childbirth.
If the age of marriage is really reduced to 18, what will be the impact and can it save the low marriage rate and fertility rate?
"The effect is limited," said Wang Guangzhou, a researcher at the Institute of Population and Labor Economics of China Academy of Social Sciences, in an interview with China Newsweek. It is an objective law that the average age of first marriage will generally increase. Even if the age of marriage is lowered, people who choose to marry late and have children late will not be affected by this, so the fertility rate will not increase.
He Dan, deputy director of the China Population and Development Research Center, also said in an interview with the Beijing News reporter that it is not expected that the revision of the marriage age in the marriage law will improve the marriage rate and birth rate and reduce the degree of aging, and the revision of the law will not have much impact on practical problems such as getting married and having children.
Wang Guangzhou believes that marriage is a very complicated issue, involving law, rights and health, and we can't just study the relationship between marriage and childbirth.
How to effectively cope with aging and increase the birth rate? Some experts say that young people should be encouraged to have children, reduce the cost of raising children and improve social security.
"To solve this problem, we need the joint efforts of social systems engineering." Wang Guangzhou said that the problem is very complicated, but it is good to realize it early and try to solve it.