In early October, Eurostat, the European Union's statistical body, released its latest study on the issue of "The Life of Women and Men in Europe".

The results of this study are interesting and important, especially for those who study how the institution of the family is developing and for those who develop programmes to help families. It is also very important for those involved in pastoral work with families.

The study noted that the average age at first marriage has risen sharply in Europe in the past two decades. In the 15 EU countries, average age at marriage for men in 1999 was 30.3 years, compared with 26 in 1980. For women the age rose to 28.1 from 23.3 over the same period. The biggest increase was in France, at more than six years for both men and women. The smallest increase, around two years, took place in the United Kingdom, Portugal and Greece.

The age at which women have children is also on the rise. Almost 60 per cent of the children in Spain are born to the over-30s. Britain and Spain, with Italy a close third, are the European countries where women wait the longest to bear their first child, at an average age of 29.

The author of the study, Margarita Delgado, says that a number of factors account for these trends. Not only are women dedicating more years to their studies, but they also wish to enter the workforce. The high cost of housing and the difficulty of combining work and having children also affect the decision to start a family.

She noted that many women say they would have more children, if it were not for these difficulties. Indeed, over 25 per cent of women would like more children than they actually have, according to a study published in 2000 by the Spanish National Institute of Statistics.

A superficial, and consequently wrong, conclusion from these studies is that this is a women's problem if not a problem caused by women. Such an attitude to the situation does a great injustice to all concerned. More serious studies show how it is important to consider the husband's role in the family and in child rearing.

The work environment is part of the problem. A study published in Britain by the Work Foundation showed that most working fathers will not take time off to look after their children because they think their bosses discriminate against men who show interest in child care. The report found a widespread fear among men that sharing equally in parenting responsibilities would lead to "career death".

Government data show that 59 per cent of married or cohabiting mothers with preschool children also hold down a job. But, says the report, the implications for men "have not yet registered on the corporate radar. As a result, men are nervous about taking paternity leave - even when this is readily available - or asking for time off for flexible working to help them manage their child-care responsibilities."

An earlier study, published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation as part of the UK Work-Life Balance Week, revealed that almost one in three fathers works over the 48-hour-a-week limit set by the EU Working Time Directive.

Social class has, also, a big influence and this variable should be considered seriously in any analysis or search for a solution. According to the Rowntree Foundation, the study, Happy Families? Atypical Work and Its Influence on Family Life, showed that the problem of work-family conflicts was particularly present for parents in lower socio-economic groups. Those parents were more likely than those in professional jobs to feel they had no option but to work at atypical times.

Long working hours and Sunday work seem to cause the greatest disruption to family life: Parents with these working patterns were more likely than others to say that work limited their engagement in family activities.

These problems and other related ones were discussed in November 2000 during a conference organized by the Pontifical Council for the Family on Globalisation, Economics and the Family. An interesting contribution was made by Frank Hanna, managing director of US-based HBR Capital. He noted that the business world "can place on our families demands that are literally inhuman". He recommended that businesses think of their "human resources" as persons and not just assets.

It is very important that we in Malta tackle this issue basing ourselves on sound studies. It is important that the trend established in recent years, i.e. that the social and economic role of families be given more attention, continues.

The family is a basic factor in social, human and economic development and it should not be ignored in society. Governments should continue to actively help families, creating conditions for them to develop and fulfil their role in bringing up the next generation. With society's future in the balance, finding the right mix between work and home is a must-do priority.