On low fertility from the aspect of the economic activity of female population: Possibilities and restrictions in encouragement of childbearing
Authors: Sobot Ankica 
Published: January 2015

Below replacement fertility was the outcome of changes in the education and
socio-professional structure of women, as well as modifications in values and
life aspirations. On the other hand, economic strengthening of women and
encourage-ment of jobs which require greater dedication and more of their
time are important aspects of achieving gender equality. These two
circumstances gave rise to contemplations on the connection between economic
activities of female population and the level of births in postindustrial
societies. The aim of this article is to point out to the positive influence
of female employment on the fertility level, as a capacity for encouraging
births in Serbia. When observing the most developed European countries, it
can be noticed that greater birth rates are noted in those countries in which
there are greater economic activity and employment rates of female
population. Furthermore, a series of researches and comparative analyses
confirm the positive relation between female employment and fertility. The
differences regarding of birth rates among European welfare states are seen
as a result of the possibilities of female employment, reconciliation between
work and parenthood and the division of gender roles within the family. The
influence of economic activity on fertility levels is determined by an
institutional framework of family support and gender equality (Engelhardt and
Prskawetz, 2004, Neyer, 2006; Andersson and Scott, 2007; Rovny, A.E. 2011;
Seeleib-Kaise and Toivonen, 2011). During the first decade of the 21st
century, the birth rates in Serbia were by about 30% lower than in the
countries which had the highest fertility within European frameworks. The
traditional labor division in the household and parenthood produces conflicts
between families and employment, recognized in the practices of everyday life
(Blagojevic, 1997; Blagojevic-Hjuson, 2013) and standpoints on the relation
between parenthood and employment (Ignjatovic, et al., 2011). The gender
inequality on the micro level represents an unfavorable social framework for
making childbearing decisions due to relatively high economic activity of
women. Apart from that, high unemployment of both female and male population
in Serbia is yet another adverse circumstance for forming a family and making
decisions on births. Also, a challenge in reversal of low birth rates are
regional differences of socio-economic characteristics of the female
population. In that sense, the share of economically inactive among women of
reproductive age in Vojvodina and two regions in Central Serbia area
(excluding the region of Belgrade), as well as lower fertility of employed
and unemployed women in the Belgrade region, are imposed. Economic activity
and employment of female population form a positive framework in reproductive
behavior, if the conditions regarding the characteristics of gender regime
are fulfilled. In such circumstances fertility is around the replacement
rate, which represents the highest birth rate values in European welfare
states. Having in mind high valuation of family and parenthood on one hand,
and economic characteristics of the female population in Serbia on the other,
the question is whether the economic activity of women is the area where
encouragement of childbearing to more than two children could be influenced.
The reply requires more in-depth analysis of relevant data, as well as more
concrete empirical and better quality research.