Families in Upheaval WorldwideMothers Are Carrying Increasing ResponsibilityBy Tamar LewinNew York Times ServiceNEW YORKAround the world, in rich and poor countries alike, the structure of family life is undergoing profound changes, a new analysis of research from numerous countries has concluded.2 "The idea that the family is a stable and cohesive unit in which father serves as economic provider and mother serves as emotional care giver is a myth," said Judith Bruce, an author of the study. "The reality is that trends like unwed motherhood, rising divorce rates, smaller households and the femi-nization of poverty are not unique to America, but are occurring worldwide." : The report, "Families in Focus," was released Tuesday by the Population Council, an international nonprofit group based in New York that studies reproductive health. It analyzed a variety of demographic and household studies from dozens of countries around the world.Among the major findings: - Whether because of abandonment, separation, divorce or death of a spouse, marriages are dissolving with increasing frequency. In many developed countries, divorce rates doubled between 1970 and 1990, and in less-developed countries, about a quarter of first marriages end by the time women are in their 40s.: Parents in their prime working years face growing burdens caring for children, who need to be supported through more years of education, and for their own parents, who are living longer.: Unwed motherhood is increasingly common virtually everywhere, reaching as many as a third of all births in Northern Europe, for example. ~ Children in single-parent householdsusually families with only a mother presentare much more likely to be poor than those who live with two

parents, largely because of the loss of support from the fathers.8 Even in households where fathersare present, mothers are carrying increasing economic responsibility forchildren.9 The idea that families are changingin similar ways, even in very differentcultures, should bring about new thinking on social policy, experts say, andin particular on the role governmentshould play in supporting families.10 The Population Council report says women around the world tend to work longer hours than men, at home and on the job.11In studies of 17 less-developed countries, women's work hours exceededmen's by 30 percent. Data from 12 industrialized countries found that formally employed women worked about20 percent longer hours than employedmen.12Women's economic contributionsalso are becoming increasingly important. 13 In Ghana, the report said, a third of households with children are maintained primarily by women.14 In the Philippines, women werefound to contribute about a third ofhouseholds' cash income, but 55 percent of household support if the economic value of their activities at home,such as gathering wood or growingfood, is included.15 In the United States, a Louis Harrissurvey released earlier this monthfound that nearly half of employedmarried women contribute half or moreof their family's income.16 While the reason for entering thework force may vary from country tocountry, women everywhere are finding that to give their children an adequate life, they must earn more money,said Ms. Bruce, one of the report's authors.17 "In traditional Bangladesh, it may bebecause the husband was much older,and died while the children were stillyoung," she said. "In sub-Saharan Af-

rica, a woman might have a baby premaritally and have no strong connection with the father, or she might have a husband who goes on to another polygamous marriage and supports the children of that union."18 "In Asia," she added, "the husbandmay have migrated for better economicopportunities and stopped sendingmoney after a year or two. And everywhere, parents are finding that there arefewer jobs that pay enough to supporta family."19 Even among rural people in less-developed countries, Ms. Bruce said, theneed for a cash income is becomingmore pressing.20 "Parents all over the world have anincreasing awareness that their childrenwill need literacy and numeracy," Ms.Bruce said. "That means that insteadof having their 6 year old working withthem in the fields, they have to pay forschool fees, uniforms, transportationand supplies."21 The fact that many developing countries have cut their spending for publiceducation as part of their debt-reduction plans creates further pressure onfamilies, she said.22 One apparent exception to the general trends is Japan, where single-parent households and unwed motherhoodhave remained relatively rare.2 3 The Population Council report, written by Ms. Bruce, Cynthia B. Lloyd and Ann Leonard, found that while most countries have extensive data on women as mothers, there has been little research on men as fathers.24 But studies have found that althoughfathers' income usually exceeds mothers' income, women usually contribute a larger proportion of their earnings to their household, while men keepmore for their personal use.25 Collecting child support is also difficult. Among divorced fathers, three-quarters in Japan, almost two-thirds inArgentina, half in Malaysia and two-fifths in the United States do not paychild support, the report said.News / Features