About GGP > Situation

Changing families and populations are presenting growing challenges for industrialized societies. As a result of low fertility levels prevailing for a long time, many countries are now expected to face labour shortages simultaneously with the demand to support a rapidly growing number of retired persons. At the same time, younger generations tend to postpone marriage and parenting. Increased prevalence of consensual unions, decreasing stability of co-residential partnerships and the emergence of non-residential partnerships are other trends that can be seen in many countries. Multifaceted family change requires that governments and other social partners monitor and, when necessary, step in to help families preserve and strengthen the ties that bind their members. To successfully meet these and other challenges, the UNECE Population Activity Unit launched the Generations & Gender Programme (GGP) to equip policy makers with a better understanding of the causes underlying recent developments and their consequences, with particular attention given to the relationships between children and parents (generations) and between partners (gender).