More crises, less children

Ageing of the population, declining birth rate, exponential growth of separations and divorces, and a lack of structural policies in support of the family: on the occasion of Europe Day (9 May), the European Network of the Institute of Family Policy (IFP) has presented a detailed picture of the demographic situation of the old continent in a report presented at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Brussels. It reveals some of the serious problems and risks to which the family is being subjected today. The IFP – a federation of associations in defence of the family – does not limit itself to describing the situation, but also makes a series of specific proposals at the social and political level, aimed at the European Union and its member states. EUROPE IS NO LONGER GROWING. The report, with the title “Evolution of the family in Europe 2006” – explained LOLA VELARDE , chairperson of the IFP European Network – was “realised by a team of experts in various areas: psychologists, demographers, physicians, sociologists” and represents a multi-disciplinary analysis of the evolution of the family over the last 25 years. The document is divided into three parts: “The first evaluates the situation with data on the age of the population, birth rate, married life and immigration. The second examines family policies in Europe. In the third part – adds Velarde – “we have formulated a range of proposals that could be realised in the EU”. An analysis of the data sourced from state-run statistical institutes (beginning with Eurostat) shows a “very worrying” situation. Demographic growth in Europe “is slow – explains Velarde – and 82% of that growth is due to the contribution of immigrants. Only France, Great Britain and the Netherlands show a natural growth of the population higher than that of immigration”. Germany, Italy, Hungary and the Czech Republic have a growth close to zero, despite the phenomenon of new arrivals. In this situation, the birth rate is in free fall and the ageing of the population is very rapid: “Children below the age of 14 form less than a fifth of the total; Spain is the country in Europe that has lost the greatest number of juveniles in recent years”. ABORTIONS AND DIVORCES INCREASING. In 2005 there were 870,000 less births in the 25-member EU than in 1982: Ireland, France and in general the Northern countries show the highest birth rates, while the worst are registered in the Mediterranean nations, led by Greece and Spain. At the same time “we see the average age of mothers increasing. In general, the first, and often the only, child is born when the mother has already turned thirty”. The number of abortions remains very high; it has now risen to a million or so per year: “An abortion is performed every thirty seconds in the 25-member Europe – says the experts of IFP – and this is, together with cancer, the prime cause of death in our continent”. Moreover, in the last quarter of a century, “the number of marriages has continued to shrink. We have 663,000 less marriages per year that we did in the early 1980s: that’s a reduction of 23.5%”. Simultaneously divorces are multiplying (“almost 3,000 per day in the 25-member Europe”), involving a growing number of children – some 16 million -, divided between separated mothers and fathers. “The phenomenon of illegitimate children” is also rising: they now total some 1,300,000 per year, with a “classification” led by Sweden (where 55% of all children are born out of wedlock), Denmark, France and the UK. A POLITICAL PRIORITY? “The problems of the family have therefore multiplied in this period – says EDUARDO HERTFELDER , who heads IFP international -. Few European States have ministers specially devoted to the family and the money invested in national budgets in this sector is being gradually reduced”. Hertfelder also fires a broadside at the EU: “Of the 95 Green Papers produced from 1984 to the present day not even one concerns the family”. The IFP does not just limit itself to presenting statistics: “We are making a series of proposals aimed at promoting public policies that take the family into consideration, with integral and effective provisions”. The main aspects of EFP action are: “Turning the family into a political priority; incorporating the family perspective in all EU actions; achieving convergence between national family policies, so as to avoid discrimination of one country against another; and aiming at equality of opportunities” as regards expenditures, public support, measures for minors, and aid for working couples. Various projects are submitted to the attention of the EU, first and foremost the “creation of an Institute for Family Policy within the European Commission in Brussels”. Closely linked to this, explains Hertfelder, is the need to establish a “Ministry of the Family” within each member state. In practice, the IFP is pressing for more money to be allocated to family policies, measures to support pregnant women and maternity, and the implementation of a basic wage for parents who decide to dedicate themselves full time to the bringing up of their children for a certain period”.