Synthesis Report on Demographic Behaviour, Existing Population Related Policies and Expectations Men and Women Have Concerning the State

The study is a comprehensive analysis of population related policies which builds on but also extends beyond the area of publicly funded family policies and addresses also within family strategies. It addresses practices and aspirations of men and women regarding family life in ageing societies and perceptions of life chances regarding paid work in an increasingly more competitive and demanding labour market. It takes into account both the viewpoint of citizens and policy actors regarding the management of population related changes, caring functions of families and mediating role of the welfare state.

The Work Package 4 (later: WP4) ‘Population Related Policies and General Attitudes’ was carried out at The Population Research Institute (Helsinki, Finland). The objective of the WP4 was the identification of between-country similarities and differences in terms of demographic dynamics, recent social policy reforms and attitudes of men and women regarding general social policies and demographic developments on European level.