This report analyses four challenges relating to health in Spain: improving the population’s health, promoting healthy lifestyle habits, guaranteeing access to healthcare and the viability of services for dependency.

The 6th Dossier of the Social Observatory of “la Caixa” aims to provide elements for reflection on the diversity of family models in Spain and on how these can condition child welfare.

According to this study, following new additions to the family only 4% of fathers requested reduced working hours, versus 37.7% of mothers. 

A large difference exists between the productive activity of men and women, especially when the latter are mothers and devote considerable time to managing the household and caring for children and dependent elders.

Today, thanks to policies aimed at reconciling working life and family life, increasing numbers of men are taking parental leave to be able to raise their newborn children. These new policies represent progress towards gender equality, but in Spain a significant difference still exists between men and women in the usage they make of parental leave entitlements.