Generations and Gender Survey

Since the middle of the 1960s the pattern of relation and family formation in western countries has changed radically. In 1999 on the initiative of the 'Population Activity Unit' of the 'United Nations Economic Commission for Europe' the 'Generations and Gender Programme' (GGP) has been developed to provide insight into the dynamics behind those changes. In particular the attention goes to the relations between partners on the one hand (gender) and the relation between parents and children on the other hand (generations). The Belgian 'Generations and Gender Survey' (GGS) takes part in this large, multidisciplinary and internationally comparative project. In 2007 a representative sample of the 18 to 79 year old population will be questioned about a range of social-economic, demographic and cultural characteristics. In 2010 and 2013 the same persons will be questioned a second and third time. Besides individual characteristics contextual factors also play an important role in the choices that people make. Therefore information is gathered about contextual characteristics to account for the influence of contextual factors (for example the household policy and the legislation) on the individual choices. The survey is organised by the 'Directorate-general Statistics Belgium' in close collaboration with the statistical institutions of the communities and regions. In Flanders the project is supported by the 'Administratie Planning en Statistiek' (APS) and in Wallonia by the 'Institut wallon de l'évaluation, de la prospective et de la statistique' (IWEPS). The development phase of the Belgian project is supported by a scientific team of various universities and research institutes. It is financed by the 'Federal Council for Science Policy'.