본 연구는 출산율 변동에 젠더관계가 미치는 영향을 살펴보고자 저출산 현상에 대한 국가의 정책적 개입 방향과 출산율과의 상관관계를 유럽의 저출산 정책을 통해 분석하였다. 유럽의 출산 관련 정책을 공/사 영역에서의 성별분업에 대한 지향에 따라 성별분업 해체(스웨덴), 성별분업 부분적 변형(프랑스), 성 중립(영국), 전통적 성별분업 유지(독일, 스페인)로 분류하여 분석하였다. 그 결과, 여성의 일/가족 양립이 어려운 전통적 성별 분업 유지 유형에서는 이를 해소할 수 있는 정책적 지원이 부족하여 출산율이 급격히 하락한 반면, 성별 분업 해체 유형에서는 출산율이 비교적 안정된 것으로 나타났다. 이에 유럽에서는 여성의 노동 참여를 장려하고 여성과 남성이 일과 가족을 양립할 수 있는 정책 시행이 출산율 제고에 효과적이었음을 볼 수 있었다. 이를 통해 한국이 현재 당면한 저출산 현상과 관련하여 인구학적 변화나 사회 경제적 측면에서 병렬적으로 이를 분석되는 것에서 나아가 젠더 관계의 갈등을 진단하고 이를 해소할 수 있는 정책 방향 도입을 고려할 필요가 있음을 시사하고자 한다.

The causes of the low fertility have been regarded with the increase of marriage age and first birth age or the decrease of the marriage rate and increase of the divorce rate. The raise of the women's participation in higher education and in employment sector is also considered as a major factor causing the avoidance of bearing children in married couple. This paper is to analyze the causes of the low fertility from the gender-sensitive perspective and to explore the implication for policies enhancing the fertility rate. It is assumed that the decrease of fertility rate is the result of conflict gender relationships between the public sphere and private sphere. While the dual-earner family increases, the policies for women being able to be compatible with work and family, such as the public child care facilities or parent childcare leave, are not sufficiently provided. Dual parenting or men's participation in domestic labor are still far way to be fulfilled in individual families. We divide family policies in Europe into four types in accordance with how extent each policy aims to overcome the gender division of labour in public/private sphere. It proves that the policy type which aims explicitly to achieve the gender equality is effective in stabilizing the fertility. Policies for providing the public child-care facilities under 3 and full-paid long term parental leave as well as parity-specific family allowances are to be recommended for achieving the high fertility rate and the norm of equality between gender. It implicates that policies for the low fertility require the transformation of gender division of labor and challenge the norm of traditional family and marriage.

The causes of the low fertility have been regarded with the increase of marriage age and first birth age or the decrease of the marriage rate and increase of the divorce rate. The raise of the women's participation in higher education and in employment sector is also considered as a major factor causing the avoidance of bearing children in married couple. This paper is to analyze the causes of the low fertility from the gender-sensitive perspective and to explore the implication for policies enhancing the fertility rate. It is assumed that the decrease of fertility rate is the result of conflict gender relationships between the public sphere and private sphere. While the dual-earner family increases, the policies for women being able to be compatible with work and family, such as the public child care facilities or parent childcare leave, are not sufficiently provided. Dual parenting or men's participation in domestic labor are still far way to be fulfilled in individual families. We divide family policies in Europe into four types in accordance with how extent each policy aims to overcome the gender division of labour in public/private sphere. It proves that the policy type which aims explicitly to achieve the gender equality is effective in stabilizing the fertility. Policies for providing the public child-care facilities under 3 and full-paid long term parental leave as well as parity-specific family allowances are to be recommended for achieving the high fertility rate and the norm of equality between gender. It implicates that policies for the low fertility require the transformation of gender division of labor and challenge the norm of traditional family and marriage.

low fertility, family policies, gender analysis, gender equality