Some of the brief’s highlights include:
- Israel has the highest birth rates in the developed world (3.0 children per woman vs. the OECD average of 1.7) with a variety of government policies encouraging fertility.
- The country provides a relatively supportive environment for working mothers that yield relatively high employment rates among Israeli women ages 25–44 with and without children.
- One of the biggest challenges facing Israeli families is poverty, as one in five Israeli households and one in three Israeli children live below the poverty line. The problem is particularly pronounced for Arab-Israelis and Haredim – with differences in the challenges experienced by each of these groups.
The special edition 2014 UN publication Family Futures, featuring the Taub Center article, was published to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family (initially celebrated in 1994). Other authors include heads of state, national government ministers, academics and civil society representatives. The Taub Center was the sole invited contributor from Israel.
The Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel, headed by Professor Dan Ben-David, is an independent, non-partisan institution for socioeconomic research based in Jerusalem. The Center provides decision makers, as well as the public in general, with a big picture perspective on economic and social areas. The Center’s interdisciplinary Policy Programs – comprising leading academic and policy making experts – as well as the Center’s professional staff conduct research and provide policy recommendations in the key socioeconomic issues confronting the State.
For details, or to arrange an interview, please contact Gal Ben Dor, Director of Marketing and Communication 054-464-2333.