Social Policy and the family in Global Context

Table of Contents

Last Updated on November 13, 2025 by Karl Thompson

Globalisation has reshaped family life in profound ways. Migration, urbanisation, declining fertility, population ageing, and cultural change all affect how families are formed, maintained, and supported. At the same time, governments use social policy to regulate and support families, balancing economic needs, cultural norms, and political priorities.

This article explores the relationship between social policy, family and globalisation, focusing on five key areas of policy intervention:

Marriage and partnership laws
Divorce and separation policies
Adoption, surrogacy and assisted reproduction
Child welfare policies
Population policies

By examining these through a global lens, we can see how family policy reflects both national contexts and global pressures.

1. Marriage and Partnership Policies

Marriage remains a central focus of family policy worldwide, though its meaning and regulation vary greatly.

Encouraging marriage

Some states actively promote marriage as a foundation for stable families. For example:

Singapore provides housing priority for married couples, making marriage a key route into affordable accommodation.

United States federal tax codes include the “marriage bonus,” where some couples pay less tax jointly.

These policies assume marriage reduces social risks and benefits children.

Expanding legal recognition

Globalisation has encouraged legal recognition of diverse partnerships:

By 2024, 34 countries had legalised same-sex marriage, including South Africa (2006), Taiwan (2019) and Chile (2022).

Other states recognise civil partnerships without full marriage rights.

Recognition often comes through global human rights discourses, but is resisted in more conservative or religious contexts.

Declining marriage rates

Worldwide marriage rates are falling:

In the UK, marriage rates hit record lows in the 2010s.
In China, marriages fell by 44% between 2013–2022, partly linked to economic insecurity and changing attitudes.

Governments worry about declining marriage where it is tied to fertility and population growth.

map showing where marriage equality is legal — Source: https://www.hrc.org/resources/marriage-equality-around-the-world

2. Divorce and Separation Policies

Divorce laws show how states regulate family dissolution.

Liberalisation of divorce

Most countries now allow some form of no-fault divorce. Spain and Italy introduced it only in the late 20th century.
In England and Wales, “no-fault divorce” was introduced in 2022, speeding up separation and reducing blame.

Restrictive divorce regimes

Some countries still restrict divorce:

Philippines prohibits divorce entirely (except under Islamic law).
Malta only legalised divorce in 2011.

Global impacts

As divorce becomes easier, lone-parent families rise. In OECD countries, around 15% of children live in lone-parent households (OECD 2023). Divorce can increase child poverty risks, making child support enforcement a central policy concern.

3. Adoption, Surrogacy and Assisted Reproduction Policies

Globalisation has transformed how families are created beyond biological parenthood.

Adoption policies

International adoption peaked in the early 2000s at over 40,000 adoptions annually, but has since declined to fewer than 15,000 per year due to stricter regulations (Hague Convention). Countries like China and Ethiopia have restricted foreign adoptions, partly due to concerns about exploitation.

Surrogacy

Commercial surrogacy is legal in some countries (e.g. India, Ukraine, parts of the US), attracting “reproductive tourism.” But concerns about exploitation have led India (2015) and Thailand (2015) to ban foreign surrogacy.

Assisted reproduction (IVF and beyond)

Israel has some of the world’s most generous IVF policies, covering unlimited cycles up to two children.
In contrast, many African and Middle Eastern countries restrict or prohibit IVF for cultural or religious reasons.

These policies highlight tensions between individual reproductive rights, religious beliefs, and concerns about inequality and exploitation.

4. Child Welfare Policies

Protecting children is a universal policy concern, but how it is done varies across states.

Child protection

Most countries have legal frameworks for safeguarding children from abuse and neglect. Globalisation has increased international cooperation through the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), ratified by nearly every country.

Child benefits and allowances

Nordic states provide generous universal child allowances, reducing child poverty significantly.
UK child benefit is modest and means-tested through the High Income Child Benefit Charge.
In many low-income countries, child support is linked to conditional cash transfers (e.g. Brazil’s Bolsa Família, Mexico’s Prospera).

Education and health policies

Compulsory education and child healthcare are central to welfare provision. In sub-Saharan Africa, enrolment has expanded rapidly due to international aid and global education targets, though quality and retention remain challenges.

5. Population Policies

Globalisation has placed demographic concerns at the centre of family policy.

Pro-natalist policies

Many high-income countries face ageing populations and labour shortages. In response:

Hungary offers lifetime income tax exemption for women with four or more children.
Japan subsidises childcare and fertility treatments, though fertility remains below 1.4.
China ended its one-child policy in 2016 and now promotes three-child families.

Anti-natalist policies

In contrast, some low-income countries still face high fertility and rapid population growth:

Family planning programmes in countries like Bangladesh and Ethiopia have successfully reduced fertility through contraceptive provision and education.
Global agencies such as UNFPA promote reproductive rights, linking population control to women’s empowerment.

Migration policies

Migration is increasingly central to population strategy. Countries like Canada and Australia use immigration to offset low fertility and ageing, reshaping family forms transnationally.

Globalisation, Social Policy and Families: Key Themes

Across all five policy areas, several themes emerge:

Convergence and divergence: Globalisation spreads ideas (e.g. human rights, gender equality), but national cultures, religions and politics still shape family policy.
Inequality: Wealthier countries can afford generous family support, while poorer countries depend on international aid or restrict provision.

Gender roles: Policies can reinforce or challenge traditional gender divisions.
State vs market: Families are shaped not only by welfare states, but also by private markets (e.g. fertility tourism, childcare industries).

Updated Global Data

OECD Family Database tracks child poverty, childcare, leave, fertility and household structures across 40+ countries.

World Bank data shows global fertility rates dropped from 4.9 (1960) to 2.3 (2021).
UNICEF reports around 1 billion children worldwide suffer some form of deprivation in health, education or housing.
Global household size declined steadily from 1970–2020, especially in Asia and Latin America (Esteve et al. 2024).

Conclusion

The relationship between social policy, family and globalisation reveals both common challenges and sharp contrasts.

Marriage, divorce, reproduction, child welfare and population policies are central levers through which states shape family life.
Globalisation accelerates policy borrowing but does not erase national differences rooted in culture, religion and economics.

Fertility decline, ageing, and migration will continue to put pressure on governments to adapt family policies.

For sociology students, this is a rich field where theory meets current affairs. Understanding these policies globally deepens analysis of the family as both a private institution and a public concern.

References & Further Reading

Esteve, A. et al. (2024). A global perspective on household size and composition, 1970–2020. Genus. Open Access

Furstenberg, F. (2019). Family Change in Global Perspective: How and Why. PMC
OECD (2023). OECD Family Database.
UNFPA (2022). World Population Dashboard. UNFPA.org

Social Policy and the family in global context: Summary Grids

Grid 1: Global Family Policies by Area

Policy Area	Typical State Approaches	Global Examples	Key Challenges
Marriage & Partnerships	Promote marriage, recognise diverse unions	Singapore (housing priority for married couples); Same-sex marriage legal in 34 countries	Declining marriage rates; cultural/religious resistance
Divorce & Separation	Liberalise divorce laws, regulate custody	UK: no-fault divorce (2022); Philippines: divorce still prohibited	Lone-parent poverty; enforcement of child support
Adoption & Reproduction	Regulate adoption, surrogacy, IVF access	Israel: generous IVF; Ukraine: commercial surrogacy hub; China: restrictions on international adoption	Exploitation risks, inequality in access
Child Welfare	Child benefits, education, protection laws	Nordic states: universal child benefits; Brazil: Bolsa Família	Poverty reduction, child protection in low-income states
Population Policies	Pro- or anti-natalist, migration policies	Hungary: tax breaks for large families; China: three-child policy; Bangladesh: family planning drives	Ageing societies vs rapid population growth

Grid 2: Global Trends Shaping Social Policy and the Family

Trend	Effect on Families	Policy Response	Example
Fertility Decline	Smaller families, ageing populations	Pro-natalist incentives, childcare support	Japan: childcare subsidies; Hungary: lifetime tax exemption for mothers of 4+ children
Migration	Transnational families, remittances, care gaps	Immigration policies, migrant rights	Canada: points-based immigration; Gulf states: restrictions on migrant family reunification
Globalisation of Rights	Spread of equality norms (e.g. gender, LGBTQ+)	Expansion of legal marriage & adoption rights	Taiwan (2019): same-sex marriage legalised
Economic Insecurity	Delay in marriage/parenthood, lower fertility	Family allowances, conditional cash transfers	Mexico: Prospera; UK: Child Benefit
Ageing Populations	Rising elder care burdens	Expansion of pensions, social care policy	South Korea: elder allowances, community care reforms

How does globalisation affect family policy?

Globalisation spreads ideas about human rights, gender equality, and child welfare across borders. It encourages policy “borrowing” (e.g. parental leave models), but policies are always adapted to fit local culture, politics, and economic resources.

Why are governments worried about declining fertility?

Falling birth rates create ageing populations, with fewer workers supporting more dependents. This threatens welfare sustainability. Policies like childcare subsidies, tax breaks and parental leave are used to encourage childbearing.

Which countries have the strictest divorce laws?

The Philippines still prohibits divorce entirely (except under Islamic law), and Malta only legalised divorce in 2011. In contrast, most OECD countries now allow no-fault divorce.

What role does child welfare policy play in global development?

Child welfare policies (like education access, healthcare, and cash benefits) reduce poverty and inequality, while also promoting human capital for economic growth. Global agencies like UNICEF and the World Bank encourage governments to prioritise child welfare.

What is the link between migration and family policy?

Migration reshapes family structures, creating “transnational families.” Some states (e.g. Canada, Australia) use migration to offset low fertility, while others restrict family reunification for migrants, leading to care gaps and long-distance parenting.