東亞已開發國家的性別平等、家庭政策對生育之影響：對台灣的啟示

Influence of gender equality and family policies on fertility in developed countries in East Asia: lessons for Taiwan

許碧純(PI-CHUN HSU)

《台灣公共衛生雜誌》 39卷2期 (2020/04) Pp. 129-142

https://doi.org/10.6288/TJPH.202004_39(2).108085

摘要

持續的低生育率是諸多已開發國家共同面對的問題，儘管生育率都是低於人口替代水準，從晚近三十年的發展而言，北歐及西歐國家有止跌回升的趨勢，東亞及南歐國家則仍持續低迷。為何會有這樣的差異？本文從性別平等、家庭政策及外在環境不穩定等因素分析台灣、日本與南韓之低生育，企圖建立一個解釋東亞已開發國家低生育的分析架構，特別著重於分析台灣、日本及南韓低生育趨勢及政府相關政策的因應與挑戰，最後討論台灣低生育的現況，並進行反思。針對台灣持續的低生育問題，作者建議政府應更積極的投入支持性別平等及相關支持家庭的友善政策，以避免陷入低度生育的陷阱。

關鍵字

性別平等 ； 家庭政策 ； 生育 ； 已開發國家 ； 東亞

並列摘要

Persistent low fertility rate, especially below replacement level, is a critical problem in many developed countries. These rates have been reversed in Nordic countries and Western Europe, but rates have declined to all-time lows in East Asian and Southern European countries since the early 1990s. This study examined differences between the fertility rates of these groups of countries to analyze the factors underlying this difference. Gender inequality, flawed family policies, and macro-level uncertainties are the critical factors that have resulted in low fertility in Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. In this study, we developed a framework to explain the trend of low fertility in these three East Asian countries, with a particular focus on government responses to this challenge. This study also analyzed the current problem of low fertility in Taiwan to furnish prescriptions for the government. To mitigate the problem of low fertility in Taiwan, government policies should proactively support gender equality and work-life balance.

並列關鍵字

gender equality ； family policies ； fertility ； developed countries ； East Asia

參考文獻

駱明慶：台灣總生育率下降的表象與實際。研究台灣 2007；(3)：37-60。doi:10.6456/JTS.200712.0037。Louh MC. The appearance and reality of declining total fertility rates in Taiwan. J Taiwan Stud 2007;(3):37-60. doi:10.6456/JTS.200712.0037. [In Chinese: English abstract]

楊靜利：婦女勞動參與對生育率的影響。台灣社會學刊 1996；(19)：35-56。doi:10.6786/TJS.199603.0035。Yang CL. The effect of women ’s labor force participation on fertility in Taiwan. Taiwanese J Sociol 1996;(19):35-56. doi:10.6786/TJS.199603.0035. [In Chinese: English abstract]

Brewster KL, Ronald RR. Fertility and women’s employment in industrialized nations. Annu Rev Sociol 2000;26:271-96. doi:10.1146/annurev.soc.26.1.271

McDonald P. Low fertility and the state: the efficacy of policy. Popul Dev Rev 2006;32:485-510. doi:10.1111/j.1728-4457.2006.00134.x

Manson KO. Explaining fertility transition. Demography 1997;34:443-54. doi:10.2307/3038299