Over the past three decades significant changes have taken place in the size and composition of households and families throughout the ECE region. The size of households in all the ECE member states has decreased since the 1970s. This is due to falling fertility, rising number of divorces, migration, increased life expectancy with many elderly living by themselves (majority of whom are women); and the fact that there is an increase in the proportion of one-person households, in the proportion of unmarried couples cohabiting, and in the number of lone parents.
Some of the most basic decisions women and men make during their lives concern with whom (if anyone) they want to live, whether and at what age to marry, whether or not to stay married and what size of family they prefer, provided they chose to have children at all. Patterns of family formation and structure depend on individual choices, public policies, economic and social circumstances of the country, and traditional values.
Since the pattern and timing of living arrangements and their consequences differ between women and men there is scope for many gender issues to develop. For instance, some issues that most affect families and households are:
The increased rate of childbearing outside wedlock, increased rate of divorce and separation, among other things, affect women and men differently. The increase in number of lone-mother households in the region puts women in a vulnerable situation, in particular young mothers. | |
Demographic changes in the ECE region, along with economic and social changes has affected this trend, which is considered to be the prime reason behind low birth rates. With few exceptions, fertility rate is currently below replacement level in the ECE region. | |
The tremendous impact parenthood has on the lives of individuals underscores the importance of having access to contraceptive information. | |
The societal response to the changing needs of families, where both partners work outside the home, has been slow. This applies both to the lack of adequate child-care and social services, as well as the general lack of men sharing the household and family responsibilities equally with women. | |
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