'Birth-friendly' jobs boost options for working mothers

Much-needed talent

Fanshu App, with average annual revenue of nearly 1 billion yuan ($137.5 million), offers more than 100 birth-friendly posts. It also empowers thousands of working mothers by offering them livestreaming skills and platforms to earn an income.

Liu Yi, director of public affairs and president of the women's union at Fanshu, said offering birth-friendly posts is not just a "charitable" gesture or an expression of social values and responsibility. She said the women who fill these jobs are "exactly the talents we need".

"They can gain a sense of security and stability, better concentrate on their work, and can be more creative and generate value. It is a positive 'win-win' measure for both of us," Liu said.

Birth-friendly posts are drawing greater attention as the nation ramps up efforts to bolster birth rates in the face of an aging population. China's total population declined for the third consecutive year in 2024, falling by 1.39 million to 1.408 billion, largely due to lower birth rates and a shrinking number of women of childbearing age, official data showed.

A report released by the China Population and Development Research Center revealed that 67.3 percent of female respondents said they were reluctant to have children due to concerns about their career development.

Shanghai launched a pilot program on birth-friendly posts last November. The project encourages employers to facilitate work and motherhood for employees through flexible management of work hours, leave, and remote work. In February, both Fanshu App and the Shanghai Mengxiao Counseling Support Center were included on the Shanghai government's inaugural list of 12 birth-friendly employers.