Italy was one of the first nations to achieve the lowest fertility rates. Since years, the rate has been declining. Last year, Italy’s birthrate was the lowest in modern times. This year is no different. The National Statistics Institute of Italy (ISTAT), reported on Monday that Italy had recorded 400.249 births in the past year, a drop of 4,643 compared to a year ago. The provisional data from the first nine month of this year also showed that there were around 6,000 less live births in comparison to the same period last year.
In 2015, the year that saw the lowest number of live births ever was 2015. Now the number is on the verge of dropping below 400,000.
According to an international media outlet the Italian national statistics agency reported that the population would drop by 384,000 people in 2020, which is the same as a city of the size of Florence disappearing. Italy, once known for its large family size, is now facing a demographic crisis.
What could be the causes of declining fertility?
It was estimated that Italy’s population would continue to decline in the future. This population decline is due to many factors, including an older population. The economic growth of the country has been greatly affected by this. It is also a reason for the declining fertility rates. Inadequate family welfare programmes, and an asymmetrical division of labor between men and women discourage not only the participation of women in the labour force but also fertility. Women are financially vulnerable and may be reluctant to start a family.
Weak Government Policies
According to reports, Italy does not have a strong framework for balancing work and family life. The right and left wings of the political parties are unable to reach a consensus. There are no provisions for childcare, and there is no allowance for children. The school day is shorter. In addition, over time the number of pregnant women decreased, and there was a greater need to benefit from immigration. A social issue is the fact that many Italian women who are self-employed or on short contracts do not receive benefits such as maternity leave. According to reports, some women are simply laid off while others are forced to move. More than 44 percent of Italians aged 25-35 live with their parents due to the lack of effective policies to support young people. This could delay family start.
COVID: its impact on the population
Italy has the second oldest population in Europe and an economy that is stagnant. According to reports, 10% of Italy’s population lives overseas. According to international media, the pandemic brought back around 100,000 Italians. Some experts believe that this was only a partial return of Italy’s brain-drain.
