United Nations Radio

If you're happy and you know it, then you'll probably have more children.

That's the finding of a UN-backed survey of more than 150,000 people in 15 European countries, at a time when the population is ageing and there are fewer births on the continent.

European policy makers and scientists are meeting in Geneva this week to address issues related to work and family life, and the role of public policy in these areas. Francesco Billari is a professor who researches social dynamics at the Luigi Bocconi University in Italy.

"In countries where individuals are on average happier, they have more children. It may not be too surprising, but if we think about the traditional attitude towards thinking about fertility and fertility policies, it was the other way around. We have evidence that happier individuals are more likely to intend to have children."

The Generations and Gender Survey, coordinated by the UN Economic Council for Europe, found that people believe children bring a higher joy, happiness and satisfaction to their lives.

It also revealed that contrary to the past, fertility is higher in countries where more women are working. And furthermore, that fertility has increased in places with more diverse family structures, such as cohabitation.

For UN Radio, I'm Dianne Penn.

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