Measures to revive the concept of family in Europe
Europe lives a demographic winter today. There are many reasons that have led to the decline of motherhood, the aging of the population and in some cases it is even difficult to change generations. That is why many agencies are dedicated to analyze the situation and try to find the solution to this problematic.
Among them the Family Policy Institute, IPF, which analyzes the demographic evolution in Spain and in Europe. A context in which although the population has grown, it has been thanks to the arrival of immigrant population, however it confirms the aging of those born within this continent in recent years and the decline of individuals under 15 years.
Aged continent
The data offered by the IPF reveal that more than 23 million young people in the last 35 years and they currently represent only 15.6% of the population. On the opposite side of the table 1 out of every 5 Europeans (19.2% of the population) is over 65, surpassing 97.7 million people.
This means that the older population of 80 years it reaches 25 million people, and already represents 5.1% of the population. Every day in Europe there are 433 new individuals under the age of 15. On the contrary, there are 4,766 new people over 65 years of age. In short, there are already 18 million more people over 65 than people under 15 years of age.
Looking at the case of Spain, this country is next to Italy the country of the European Union with the highest life expectancy (83.5 years against the 83.4 of the continent's neighbors). Something that together with the decrease in the birth rate has caused the aging of the population.
If this trend is maintained in 2050 the European population will be very old. The estimates are that for every 2 elderly people there will be 1 young person. Almost 1 in 3 people (28.5% of the population) will be over 65 (150.6 million).
How to change this future
IPF points out the following proposals to reverse the situation and make the value of the family once again important, allowing to refloat the birth in Europe:
- Promote the rights of the family.
- Incorporate the "family perspective" when legislating. Governments must bear in mind that betting on the family is not an expense, it is an investment.
- Rediscover the concept of family and recognize it as a basis and the foundation of social structure.
- Recover the importance and social functions of the family. A core of values transmission as solidarity, empathy and educator.
- Consider family and motherhood as essential pillars of society.
- Implement a true and effective comprehensive support policy for the family. Articulated and global measures that cover all the aspects that directly or indirectly concern the family such as social, legal, institutional, administrative, economic, fiscal or media aspects.
Damián Montero
