P opulation C hallenges and P olicy R esponses

1. European Population Forum 2004 Population Challenges and Policy Responses Ms. Ursula Haubner, Secretary of StateFederal Ministry for Social Security, Generations and Consumer Protection Geneva, January 12, 2004

2. Dimensions of global ageing • average life expectancy at birth (worldwide): • 1950: 46 years • 2003: 66 years • 2050: 76 years • number of people 60+ years of age: • 2000: 600 million • 2050: 2 billion • rapid and intense growth in developing countries

3. Dimensions of population development in ECE region • concentration of population growth in Western and Central Asian countries • fewer children and more older people in most European States • rapid and intense growth in developing countries

4. Challenges for the economy and the labour market • predicted shortage on employees • policies need to mobilize reserves, e.g. women and older people • innovative approaches are in demand (examples from Scandinavian countries + Switzerland)

5. Challenges for income equity • necessity of secure old age pensions • example: pension reforms in Austria • - - incentives for older people to work longer • - - new severance pay scheme • - - attractive retirement income provision scheme

6. Challenges regarding women‘s situation • indirect claims of pensions  acute risk of poverty • Austria‘s pension reform 2003: • -- increase from 18 to 24 months of pension eligibility • -- 4 years of child care qualify for pension • -- new severance pay scheme for short-term employment • -- possibility of low-cost pension insurance • -- family hospice leave • necessity of income equity

7. Challenges for fighting poverty • defined goals: • improve life opportunities • prevent social marginalisation • fight poverty among those who are most affected by marginalisation • include both affected and social initiatives

8. Challenges for intergenerational solidarity • visibility of older people‘s contributions • (passive recipients  active educational, care work) • example Austria: • -- Citizens‘ Centers for Young and Old (voluntary work) • -- senior-citizen managers • -- families as the fulcrum of solidarity • -- Federal Senior Citizens Act

9. Importance and tools of family policy 1. Key family benefits (Austria) • family allowance („Familienbeihilfe“) • tax credit for children • confinement benefit and temporary help allowance for self employed women („Wochengeld“, „Betriebshilfe“) • child-care benefit („Kinderbetreuungsgeld“)

10. Importance and tools of family policy 2. Measures to reconcile work + family (Austria) • child-care services • family-friendly work environment (parents‘ discretionary choice; family and work must not stand in each other‘s way; family and work audit; „family skills“) • evaluation by the OECD (child care benefit) • -- 78.399 births (rise by 3,6%) • -- birth rate 1,3% higher • -- ¼ of beneficiaries go to work

11. Resumé and Outlook • need of pronatalistic family policy • establish a positive framework: • -- climate of child-friendliness • -- compensation for parents • -- reconciliation of work and family • -- fair opportunities for women • -- flexible child-care facilities • Migration? • boost own strengths!