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Can a 15-minute city push up a 0.87 fertility rate?
Singaporeans may feel more supported to have children if schools, workplaces and extended families are all close to their homes.
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Before diving into major policy changes, do we know if Singaporeans still desire to get married and have children? Survey data suggests that many do, says the writer.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Much of Singapore’s strategy to address falling fertility has focused on financial incentives: Baby Bonuses, tax rebates, housing grants. These are important in addressing financial costs and, over the years, they have been progressively enhanced.
Important as they are, they have not led to the desired outcomes. Indeed, the total fertility rate (TFR) has declined further, to an all-time low of 0.87.
