Effects of pronatalist population measures in the Republic of Srpska in the municipalities with negative natural growth

Abstract

Over the last years in the Republic of Srpska, a trend of negative population growth has been detected. Positive population growth has been identified only in four municipalities (two large and two small). The main reasons of the negative growth rate are population ageing and depopulation. The Government of the Republic of Srpska has been monitoring and analysing the situation and changes concerning demographic developments and it has also responded to that by undertaking various measures such as: institutionalised measures (establishing the Ministry of Family Affairs and Demographic Policy Council), incentive measures in the field of social policy, population education and measures for stimulating local communities to implement population policy measures. Local self-government units with distinct long-term problem of depopulation adopt their special measures. Effects of the abovementioned measures are shown by means of results of the research conducted in municipalities of East Herzegovina which is demographically deserted and have negative growth rate. The research covered families with the third and fourth child which enjoy the benefits of some population measures, as well as families which have got their first or second child for whom these measures should represent additional motivation to give birth to the third child. The research results prove that existing measures do not achieve expected goals and that the Republic of Srpska needs long-term and comprehensive measures in the field of economic, social, housing, education, cultural, national and migration policy. .