Women all over the world, especially in nations with a strong western influence, are seriously thinking twice about fulfilling the traditional role of the female gender. While some women are choosing to totally reject the idea of producing offspring, many are in situations where children are not ideal due to their economic and/or social circumstances. The majority of the remaining women are preferring to challenge their biological clocks by delaying motherhood by up to twenty years. This significant change in the attitudes of women has become increasingly accepted by society over the last two decades.
Women would just prefer an education, a career and maximum freedom over the burden of motherhood. However, this trendy choice of postponing or turning down motherhood is taking its toll on the population of our society. This change is the cause of a significant decline in birth rate and natural increase and there is strong indication that the rate of fertility decline will further increase. On average, the Australian birth rate is already below replacement level. The average number of children per woman in 1975 was 2. 3. Today it is approximately 1. 6.
Not only are women producing fewer children, there is a large increase in the percentage of women having no children at all. It is estimated that about 20% of women now in their twenties will never have a child. But what does this all mean to our society? The continuation of this trend will confront Australia, along with many other nations, with the issue of an ageing population. This new burden will put extra pressure on public institutions, particularly the healthcare and welfare systems. The challenges of paying for Medicare, aged care and pensions will only increase as the baby boomers grow older.
At the same time, a smaller workforce would have serious economic consequences. Therefore parents who are raising children are indirectly working for all of us. The nation’s society, welfare and economy depend on a vibrant, young generation. I firmly believe that young people bring diversity, creativity, innovation, vitality and hope into the community. However, most women do not have children to increase the birth rate of Australia. There are several significant factors which influence the decisions modern women make about children.
In the 1960s and the 1970s, there was a movement in liberal democracies to elevate social structures which encouraged individual freedoms. The most important change was the redefinition of the lives of women and its consequent implications for the family. The family life is still currently showing signs of change. The age of marriage has risen, the number of children has fallen, the rate of divorce has increased, and the idea of living together without being married is well established. Also, fairer education and employment has led to women being financially independent of men.
This in turn has made the option for not having a partner or leaving an unsatisfactory marriage quite feasible. A couple of decades ago, it was acceptable for women to have jobs, as long as they could simultaneously manage their maternal duties. Today, most women do not want jobs. They want careers. They want to expand their educational qualifications until they achieve the best. Women with more resources and good access to education and information are highly advantaged in seeking employment. Most women eventually want a family with one or two children, but not at the expense of their careers.