While demographic and lifestyle changes have led to this global trend, most countries have failed to acknowledge and reward their women for the socioeconomic value of their ability to reproduce. Instead, women feel penalised by being unpaid and unrecognised producers, nurturers and caregivers. And even when they are rewarded, it is often too late. For instance, South Korean construction group Booyoung is offering workers a $75,000 bonus for each baby they produce when the country s fertility rate dropped from 0.78 in 2022 to 0.72 in 2023. The administration has spent $270 bn in incentives since 2006 to improve the birth rate.
The International Women’s Day was celebrated last week and despite the hype, some have said the celebration has become routine and has no impact on the