| Declining Birth Rates of Italy | | | | countries. This phenomenon of low birth rates |
| | | | is being studied by people who study social |
| Italy, as we all know, is the world center of | | | | and public policy in Europe. |
| the Catholic Church. Strangely, in spite of | | | | |
| its deep-rooted Catholic culture and | | | | They believe that in the past, having |
| tradition, it has today changed into a nation | | | | children was a way of investing in ones old |
| having the second lowest birth rates in | | | | age security. This meant that if one had more |
| Europe, next only to Spain. At 1.2 per woman | | | | children he had more hands to help with |
| that means one child per woman, according to | | | | farming and the family business as well as |
| Global Agenda Magazine. | | | | more people to take care of him in his old |
| | | | age. With the introduction of pension systems |
| It was brought out in an article in April | | | | where you pay for your own future security, |
| 2004 in the Sunday Telegraph that Swedens | | | | the older people have become less dependent |
| Birth rate was close to Italys though 50% | | | | on their children for their financial needs |
| higher. In order to arrest this situation, | | | | and this has had a major impact on birth |
| the Italian Government started offering 1,000 | | | | rates. |
| euros to every woman who had a second child. | | | | |
| | | | They also feel that since people have to pay |
| Other traditionally Catholic nations, like | | | | higher taxes to support these kinds of social |
| Ireland and France, have the highest and | | | | programmes, they have lower disposable |
| second highest birth rates in Europe. Even | | | | incomes and less money to meet the expenses |
| Sweden has a 50% higher birth rate in | | | | of bringing up more children. |
| comparison to Italy. These increased numbers | | | | |
| may be due to better government-controlled | | | | Another cause for the declining birth rate is |
| child and health care facilities as well as | | | | the fact that more women are working |
| incentives for families that have more | | | | full-time during their childbearing years. |
| children. | | | | Child-care programmes of different countries |
| | | | vary. For example, Norway has better |
| Ireland and France, on the other hand, other | | | | financial and infrastructure facilities as |
| traditionally Catholic countries, have the | | | | compared to Italy. Norwegian day-care centers |
| first and second highest birth rates in | | | | are government funded and mothers have the |
| Europe. These numbers may be explained by | | | | option to work part-time, without affecting |
| more generous government-funded child and | | | | their position at work. They also get longer |
| health care and benefits for families that | | | | maternity leave. |
| have children. | | | | |
| | | | It is important to seriously start thinking |
| It is a cause of concern that this trend will | | | | as to how the people of today in Italy will |
| result in having a large number of people who | | | | be supported when they grow old. Nevertheless |
| are old and there are only a few people | | | | this problem of low birth rate is definitely |
| contributing gainfully to the society. This | | | | better than the problem that comes with very |
| situation is likely in countries like Russia, | | | | high population growth. |
| Japan, Italy and other eastern European | | | | |