According to a new study by Nobel Prize winner in Economics Claudia Goldin, the decline in birth rates worldwide is linked to women's independence. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
The study states that today many women organize their lives independently without getting married or relying on state support. This directly affects demographic indicators.
According to the scientist, the expansion of women's opportunities for education, career choice, and reproductive control has resulted in a decrease in birth rates. Economic growth no longer leads to population increase as before.
For example, birth rates are relatively high in Sweden and the USA, while in Greece and South Korea this indicator is much lower. Currently, in more than half of the world's countries, the birth rate coefficient is below 2.1, which is insufficient for natural population renewal.
Interestingly, nearly two-thirds of the world's population live in these countries. According to Goldin, one of the main problems is the mismatch in expectations regarding gender roles between men and women.
Although women desire equality, traditional views still prevail in society. This situation is especially evident in Japan, Korea, Italy, and Spain.
The study highlights that changes in the USA began in the 1970s. For example, among women born in 1950 with higher education, the average number of children decreased to 1.64.
Goldin believes that the root of this process lies in the state's insufficient support for child care. If such support systems improve, women would not only be active in the labor market but also stability and equality would be ensured within families.
