Spain grows old while the world rejuvenates
How the landscapes we see in the cities have changed! And we are not referring to the increase in the number of cars in these environments or the greater presence of electronic elements. You just have to take a look at the parks to see how before in these spaces children were enjoying the game. Now this vision has been changed to that of elderly making use of your leisure time.
Without denying the right of older generations to enjoy their free time, this landscape reveals a problem: aging of the population. Spain has seen the older ones increase thanks to medical advances that have extended life expectancy. At the same time, the youngest are reduced by the difficult reconciliation of work and family life, and the late entry into the world of work that complicates the formation of a family.
Contrary trend
The most curious thing about this context is that Spain is following a trend contrary to the rest of the rest of the world. As the report of United Nations Fund for Population Activities, all over the globe is witnessing a rejuvenation in the world population, a case that has nothing to do with what is happening in this country.
In the world the older population of 65 years old it is located in the 8%, but in the case of Spain the figure rises to 19%. Considering other data related to the younger sectors, the number of individuals of 14 years globally supposes 26%, in the case of our country it is 15% Spanish. Again, there are differences when pooling the number of births, 2.5 babies on average in the global environment, 1.4 if our numbers are observed.
In fact, this situation is leading Spain to a stagnation of the population. The data collected in the period between 2010 and 2016, difference between births and deaths was 0%. This means that this country has not gained inhabitants during the last six years. In fact there have even been stretches in which more deaths have been collected than births.
Turn the situation around
How to get a change of direction and change this course? From the Annual Family Lesson organized by The Family Watch a series of tips are provided with which to begin to alter this situation in which the Spanish demography is:
1. Define the content of the family perspective.
2. Give the family its importance in the development agenda.
3. Consider the relationship between family and sustainable development.
4. Define the indicators that allow measuring the family impact of a
norm through the corresponding report.
5. Promote the empowerment of families through public aid policies.
6. Recommend measures that avoid the intergenerational transmission of poverty.
7. Promote policies that favor the reconciliation of work and family, as well as the co-responsibility of both parents.
8. Invest in programs that facilitate intergenerational relationships to the family.
9. Design strategies that help prevent intrafamily violence.
10. Establish concerts with civil society organizations, private sector and academic institutions to investigate the needs to be covered.
Damián Montero
