Should governments in Europe be more aggressive in pushing for gender equality to raise fertility? The second

Livia Sz. Oláh

doi:10.4054/DemRes.2011.24.9

Volume 24 - Article 9 | Pages 217–224

Should governments in Europe be more aggressive in pushing for gender equality to raise fertility? The second "YES"

By Livia Sz. Oláh

Date received:

Date published:

2 Feb 2011

Word count:

1468

Keywords:

division of household work, dual-earner couples, fertility, fertility desires, gender equality, gender roles, parental leave, second births

DOI:

10.4054/DemRes.2011.24.9

Supplementary Material:

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This article is part of the Special Collection 9 "Rostock Debate on Demographic Change"

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Abstract

This paper is based on my contribution to a debate, organized by MPIDR, on the question displayed in the title above. I was asked to present arguments for the "yes"-response (together with Laurent Toulemon, and arguing against the "no"-side represented by Gerda Neyer and Dimiter Philipov). As pointed out in the paper, the most important theoretical reasoning relevant for this question is the gender equity theory. A number of studies provide sound empirical support to it, as discussed in the paper in details, and thereby also a rationale for a positive impact of increased gender equality on fertility. As the dual-earner family is here to stay, and given the well-known negative consequences of long-term very low fertility for a society, pushing for gender equality seems to be a reasonable strategy to be considered aiming for sustainable societal development.