World Bank Group2015-11-032015-11-032015-04-06https://hdl.handle.net/10986/22814Without appropriate policies to address the expected rise in the care burden, population aging can reduce womens access to economic opportunities and decelerate future growth, thereby threatening the agenda of poverty reduction and shared prosperity in Europe and Central Asia. Based on the analysis of existing and newly collected quantitative and qualitative data, several key policy recommendations can be formulated for policymakers consideration: (a) improvement of the accessibility, affordability, and quality of formal childcare and eldercare options offers a way to address challenges related to excessive reliance on informal care and to capitalize on current opportunities; (b) the design of future demographic, health, and education policy reforms should take into account any potential effects on informal care providers; (c) care leave (both paid and unpaid) can shape families choices about care and market work; (d) flexible work arrangements can function as effective alternatives to unpaid leave; and (e) care-related allowances (both in-kind and cash) aim to promote quality care for children and elders and recognize the work of caregivers but may have negative repercussions on caregivers labor force outcomes. Increased recognition of the critical role of care in aging societies and careful review of the policy environment related to formal and informal care provision can help governments to harness the full potential of demographics, thereby promoting poverty reduction and shared prosperity.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOLIVING STANDARDSRESIDENTIAL CARECAREGIVERSRISKSHOUSEHOLD SIZEIMPACT OF POPULATIONSOCIAL NORMSFUTURE GROWTHFERTILITY TRANSITIONECONOMIC GROWTHPEOPLECARE—FOR CHILDRENOLD AGECARE FOR CHILDRENBIG CITIESSOCIOECONOMIC STATUSSCHOOL ENROLMENTINFORMATION SYSTEMSPOUSEPSYCHOLOGYFEWER WOMENPREVENTIONFAMILY SUPPORTRURAL WOMENHOME CARELABOR FORCEDEVELOPING COUNTRIESPERSONS IN NEEDHEALTH CAREGENDER EQUITYLEGAL STATUSFOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONSFAMILY MEMBERSDROPOUTHEALTHPOLICY DISCUSSIONSPRESCHOOL CHILDRENYOUNG MOTHERSSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTMEDICAL SUPPORTFERTILITY TRENDSVULNERABILITYURBAN CENTERLONGER LIFEHOSPITALDAY CARELIFE EXPECTANCYKNOWLEDGEPUBLIC POLICYMATERNITY LEAVELABOR MARKETGENDER BALANCEWORKPLACEHOUSEHOLD RESPONSIBILITIESFAMILY POLICIESRISING DEMANDOCCUPATIONAL HEALTHTRAININGYOUNG COUPLESINTERVENTIONSERVICES FOR CHILDRENFOOD PREPARATIONBABYFERTILITY DECLINESDEMOGRAPHIC PROJECTIONSAGINGFAMILY RELATIONSMIGRATIONOBSERVATIONPRODUCTIVE AGESPOOR HEALTHHOUSEHOLD INCOMEDISSEMINATIONSERVICE PROVISIONFAMILY CARESOCIAL SECURITYJOB TRAININGVICIOUS CYCLEDEPENDENCY RATIOSPRIMARY SCHOOLLONE PARENTSINTERVIEWMENTAL HEALTHMORTALITYCHILD CARESOCIAL SUPPORTELDERLYWORKING MOTHERSRESPECTFERTILITY LEVELSEDUCATED WOMENNUMBER OF ADULTSUNEMPLOYMENTHOUSEHOLD LEVELHUMAN CAPITALSTAGES OF LIFEOLDER PEOPLEINCOME SECURITYLEISURE TIMEYOUNG AGEWORKERSPOLICIESQUALITY OF CAREAGEDPOPULATION STUDIESGENDER DIFFERENCESECONOMIC RESOURCESOLDER AGE GROUPSNURSEWOMANPENSIONSSKILL LEVELHEALTH POLICYPRODUCTIVE YEARSHEALTH EFFECTSSOCIAL POLICYHEALTH OUTCOMESSOCIAL ISOLATIONFAMILY INCOMELONG-TERM CAREURBAN AREASFAMILY PLANNINGSTRESSELDERLY CAREPROVISION OF CAREEARLY CHILDHOODDECISION MAKINGSCHOOL CHILDRENROLE OF WOMENSTATE RESPONSIBILITYNUTRITIONFAMILY LEAVEQUALITY SERVICESMOTHERYOUNG CHILDRENSUPPORT TO PARENTSQUALITY CONTROLFINANCIAL COMMITMENTELDERLY PEOPLEPOLICYQUALITY OF LIFESOCIAL POLICIESSOCIAL STATUSNUMBER OF WOMENSEXFIRST BIRTHPARTICIPATION OF WOMENCHILDRENLABOUR FORCELONG- TERM CAREPARENTAL LEAVERURAL AREASPOPULATION PROJECTIONSNUMBER OF CHILDRENISOLATIONYOUNG CHILDFEMALE LABOR FORCEILLNESSDISABILITYOLDER PERSONSPATERNITY LEAVELOWER FERTILITYPOPULATIONLABOR SUPPLYMARITAL STATUSINSTITUTIONALIZATIONLIVING CONDITIONSQUALITY ASSURANCEMARRIED WOMENGERONTOLOGYPRIMARY EDUCATIONFERTILITYHOUSEHOLD WORKSIBLINGSREGISTRATIONFAMILIESWOMENFERTILITY DECLINEHOSPITALSLABOR MARKETSINTERMEDIARIESOLDER RELATIVESTERTIARY EDUCATIONIMPLEMENTATIONGENDER RELATIONSFAMILY RELATIONSHIPSDEMANDS ON WOMENGENDER EQUALITYNURSINGSCHOOL AGENURSING HOMESMATERNAL CAREReportWorld Bank10.1596/22814