The project entitled “Is gender equality an obstacle to decisions on family formation?” SEED Research Grant, financed by SAIGE (Serbia Accelerating Innovation and Growth Entrepreneurship) and the World Bank, was carried out from May 28 to September 27, 2024, at the Institute of Social Sciences. Milena Sekulić, research associate at the Center for Demographic Research of the Institute of Social Sciences, managed the project.
The project was motivated by the idea of looking at the transformation process of gender roles in heterosexual partnerships and partner unions of young people in Serbia. The goal is to bring the topic of family life and gender roles closer to youth, family and gender equality policies. Activities within the project included conducting qualitative research, in the form of interviews with 25 unmarried young women and men up to 35 years.
The research findings and main conclusions were presented in a printed brochure. A workshop with the same title was organized and attended by representatives from the public sector as well as the scientific and academic community. During the workshop, the main research results were presented, followed by a discussion. The workshop covered topics such as gender equality in partnerships and parenting, perceptions of gender roles, and the balance between work and family life. Additionally, it addressed the barriers young women and men face today when deciding to marry and have children, as well as the reasons for postponing these decisions.
The project results represent the basis for future research. For the Institute of Social Sciences, this project contributes to the understanding of current social issues and provides data for policies and programs to support young people in the decision-making process of family formation.
