Status of Women Releases Statistics on Nova Scotia Families
STATUS OF WOMEN--Status of Women Releases Statistics on Nova Scotia Families
The Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women has just released Family Matters. This publication brings together statistics on Nova Scotia's demography and families.
"Nova Scotians take pride in the closeness of their families, but with the fundamental changes in our population and family structure, our family life is going to see big changes as well," said council chair Rita Warner.
Young Nova Scotian women and men are delaying marriage and childbirth and are having fewer children. In fact, Nova Scotia's fertility rate is now 1.45, substantially below the replacement rate of 2.1, which would keep the population steady. Since we do not attract large numbers of immigrants, the province is facing a population decline.
The percentage of common-law families with children has increased by 169 per cent in the last 15 years, and 20 per cent of families with children -- more than in any other province -- are headed by female lone-parents.
The lone-mother families are at very high risk of poverty. Over half, 57.5 per cent, of Nova Scotia's poor children live in lone- parent families. Most lone mothers are not teenagers and they need significant educational upgrading and skills training to enable them to earn a living for themselves and their children.
The proportion of seniors is growing, and is expected to reach 25 per cent of the total population. Women are disproportionately affected, both because they outlive men and because they provide unpaid care for aging spouses and parents more often than men.
The Advisory Council on the Status of Women and the Maritime Centre of Excellence for Women's Health are leading a major study of paid and unpaid work and its impact on health status. The Family Matters report provides baseline information for this work.
As family networks shrink, every governmental system and service faces major challenges.
"Whether we look at declining tax dollars or expanding health care needs, we should all be involved in public awareness, debate and policy concern about these absolutely fundamental issues," said Ms. Warner. "The position of women in this changing scenario is critical, and we will continue working for equality, fairness and dignity for all women in the new family contexts facing Nova Scotians."
Family Matters is available on the Advisory Council on the Status of Women Web site, at www.gov.ns.ca/staw , with a backgrounder providing a summary of key results.