We seek generational replacement

Our goal, as a state, is to increase the fertility rate to the level of generation replacement, as soon as possible – said Deputy Minister Barbara Socha, Government Plenipotentiary for Demographic Policy, at the debate.

She pointed out that – against the things stated in the media and in the public sphere – marriage is a strong and vivid institution in the opinion of Poles. The will to have children is declared by up to 90% and more Poles. The correlation between the will to have children and the will to get married is very large and amounts to 85%. She also added that statistics show that marriages are much more fertile than other forms of relationships, as in marriages in Poland the fertility rate provides generational replacement.

Declared fertility rate lower than actual rate

Deputy Minister Socha quoted the results of studies showing that we imagine the family as based on a lasting formal relationship, where there are partner relationships, thus parents share their duties, where there are strong relationships, where there are two or three children. The fertility rate declared by Poles is at the level of 2.5.

Unfortunately, it is much lower than the one recorded in reality. In the opinion of Deputy Minister Socha, this may be related to the fact that young people are more and more geared towards work. Currently, young people face a choice – whether to put their family or work at the centre of their lives. Until recently, the West has been mostly focused on family, we worked to support the family. But now, there is a focus on work, to which all other decisions are subordinated. Work-oriented people also get married and have children, but all their decisions are subordinated to their career.

Work-life balance

The state should build the prestige of family life, it should ensure that women choosing their family are appreciated – says Minister Socha. It is necessary to show young people, especially women, that it is possible to achieve the work-life balance. It is also worth informing about the problems related to loneliness so as avoid a situation where, as currently in the United Kingdom or Japan, a ministry for loneliness is needed.