[Anchor]
Nordic Sweden, which has been in the spotlight early on for its welfare and gender equality policies, is not free from low birth problems, with the fertility rate falling to around 1.5.
Experts point out that the uncertain future is the main reason for childbirth and that the priority is to create conditions to raise children systematically.
Reporter Ikira covered the local situation in Sweden
.
[Reporter]
Swedish dads dragging strollers and enjoying the daytime with latte coffee.
These so-called 'latte papa' are symbols of Sweden's parenting culture.
Latte Papa has become a daily routine in Sweden thanks to Sweden's "one family" balance policy, which has been in effect since the 1970s.
The Swedish government played a role in maintaining a relatively high fertility rate by systematically setting up an environment where parents can work and child care at the same time, such as paid maternity leave and parental leave quotas.
[Goran Kosik / Stockholm, Sweden: The main Swedish policy my family has experienced is paid maternity leave. I'm a father of three children, and I've been at home spending time with them for almost a year. Even if it's paid, it's not a big enough amount to get rich with that money, but I think the time spent with my family is the most important thing.
However, despite this successful policy, Sweden has also failed to avoid the low birth rate problem.
The total fertility rate, which once exceeded two, fell to 1.5 as of 2023, and last year continued a similar trend.
Experts point to the overall uncertainty experienced by modern society as the main reason for Sweden's declining birth rate.
[Ansophie Duvander / Professor of Demographics, University of Stockholm] The main reason our demographers think is uncertainty. This is because one's own future is uncertain, and it is difficult to predict the future in society as a whole.]
In particular, the unpredictability of the workforce market is cited as a major reason for the ineffectiveness of Swedish welfare policies.
[Ansophie Duvander / Professor of Demographics, University of Stockholm: Work-family balance policy is essentially designed on the premise of a stable society. The main problem with this policy at the moment is not the policy itself, but its connection to the labor market. In the current situation where the flexible job market is spreading, these welfare policies are not working well enough.]
Sweden's successful welfare policy that enabled work-family balance.
However, it is time for a new approach to adapt to the changing social environment and overcome uncertainty.
YTN World Ikira in Stockholm, Sweden.
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Nordic Sweden, which has been in the spotlight early on for its welfare and gender equality policies, is not free from low birth problems, with the fertility rate falling to around 1.5.
Experts point out that the uncertain future is the main reason for childbirth and that the priority is to create conditions to raise children systematically.
Reporter Ikira covered the local situation in Sweden
.
[Reporter]
Swedish dads dragging strollers and enjoying the daytime with latte coffee.
These so-called 'latte papa' are symbols of Sweden's parenting culture.
Latte Papa has become a daily routine in Sweden thanks to Sweden's "one family" balance policy, which has been in effect since the 1970s.
The Swedish government played a role in maintaining a relatively high fertility rate by systematically setting up an environment where parents can work and child care at the same time, such as paid maternity leave and parental leave quotas.
[Goran Kosik / Stockholm, Sweden: The main Swedish policy my family has experienced is paid maternity leave. I'm a father of three children, and I've been at home spending time with them for almost a year. Even if it's paid, it's not a big enough amount to get rich with that money, but I think the time spent with my family is the most important thing.
However, despite this successful policy, Sweden has also failed to avoid the low birth rate problem.
The total fertility rate, which once exceeded two, fell to 1.5 as of 2023, and last year continued a similar trend.
Experts point to the overall uncertainty experienced by modern society as the main reason for Sweden's declining birth rate.
[Ansophie Duvander / Professor of Demographics, University of Stockholm] The main reason our demographers think is uncertainty. This is because one's own future is uncertain, and it is difficult to predict the future in society as a whole.]
In particular, the unpredictability of the workforce market is cited as a major reason for the ineffectiveness of Swedish welfare policies.
[Ansophie Duvander / Professor of Demographics, University of Stockholm: Work-family balance policy is essentially designed on the premise of a stable society. The main problem with this policy at the moment is not the policy itself, but its connection to the labor market. In the current situation where the flexible job market is spreading, these welfare policies are not working well enough.]
Sweden's successful welfare policy that enabled work-family balance.
However, it is time for a new approach to adapt to the changing social environment and overcome uncertainty.
YTN World Ikira in Stockholm, Sweden.
※ 'Your report becomes news'
[Kakao Talk] YTN Search and Add Channel
[Phone] 02-398-8585
[Mail] social@ytn.co.kr
[Copyright holder (c) YTN Unauthorized reproduction, redistribution and use of AI data prohibited]
