Demographic problem under the spotlight
In response to Greece’s growing demographic problem, experts are proposing, among other things, the operation of properly functioning all-day schools and the implementation of alternative models such as neighborhood nannies, support for housing policy, and measures to facilitate the entry into the labor market of couples with children, as well as free and easy access to healthcare without huge waiting lists and exhausting formalities.
All agree that any measures implemented must target the Greek family as a whole and not be limited to vulnerable groups. They also note the need for structural and comprehensive changes that should not only concern the distribution of benefits.
According to demography professor at the University of Thessaly Byron Kotzamanis, no one will say no to a 2,000-euro allowance for the birth of a child but also that “no one will decide to have a child because the state gives them a one-off allowance.” Demographic changes need policies that can pay off decades later, which is why they are not a priority for politicians, he pointed out.
“A necessary factor for the development of the family is security in a number of areas, such as the economy, health, education, housing,” said Maria Iliopoulou, former president of the Municipal Nursery Schools of Athens, specialized in pedagogical psychology, referring to research data suggesting young people do not have children because they are pessimistic about the future and have difficulty finding a job. What’s more, if they were to find a job, they would not have anywhere to leave the children as circumstances have changed and the traditional grandmother raising her grandchildren is too often out of the frame because she remains active in the labor market.
“It is obvious what needs to be done: to fill Greece with high-quality free nurseries for all couples without exception,” said Manos Matsaganis, associate professor at the Athens University of Economics and Business, noting this will produce continuous benefits over the next 50 years.
