The article is focused on the study of the family image in the mass consciousness of the Belarusians. The main indicators of family stereotypes in Belarus are analyzed in the paper. Among them are the following: attitudes and factors that influence reproductive behavior; the attitude of Belarusians towards traditional and non-traditional forms of family relations; intergenerational and gender relations within the family; experience of living in a “civil” (unregistered) marriage; attitude towards the activities carried out by state bodies within the frame of family policy. A detailed sociological analysis with the identification of socio-demographic and territorial specifics was given to each of the revealed «markers».

Male and female age-specific mortality rates and their impact on life expectancy and longevity in Bulgaria over the period 1947-2015 are investigated by using the general framework of life tables. A comprehensive picture of the demographic ageing is presented considering the processes in their interconnections. We have used the normal length-of-life model, the modal age of death, and some indicators of death concentration around the modal age, in order to insight the trends in mortality change and survival at senior ages. Our calculations were based on demographic data from the Human Mortality Database and the Eurostat database. Since the end of the last century, the female and male life expectancy has increased again, after a long period of stagnation and decline. This increase has reached all ages, while maintaining gender differences in low and middle ages. It is more strongly related to decreasing mortality at senior ages (under 80) than to middle and young ages. However, the rate of increase in life expectancy is not fast enough to offset the previous long-term negative trends. The displacement of the modal age at death to older ages is more prominent for women. It is related to increasing deaths’ frequency and concentration around the modal age, while premature mortality is relatively stable. There is a growing gender gap due to the constantly increse in male premature death.

This article is aimed at pointing out the significance and the place of the professional education level of economically active population in modern society. Education and qualifications today turn to become factors attracting increasingly greater attention. The status of national economy and labour market have direct relations with the levels of knowledge, skills and qualifications of economically active persons and to the changes in these. In the same time effective using and distribution of available human resources, of their knowledge and skills is needed as well as improving of the educational and professional training of the population which is a main priority in all EC documents. Results of the analysis and evaluation of the trends in the professional and educational structures of registered unemployed aged to 24 are considered in the article. Size and structures of students in the mainstream and professional schools as well as the reasons for children dropping out of the education system are analyzed.

This paper presents the inferences from qualitative research on the relationship between Bulgarian Roma’s external migratory movement and the change of their values and attitudes towards the education. The relationship between the parental migration of Roma and children’s educational performance is also considered. I observed that the education is appreciated by the Roma with more modern values (in compare to the commonly observed ones in the Roma communities of the 5 terrains) in terms of gender relations and division of the roles in the family, women’s paid labour and gender equality. The value of the education (when observed) as well as the active behaviour in the pursuit for better life is witnessed before the migration. Although the qualitative research registered cases of educational attitudes evolution. The migrants accept the education gradually more and more as an instrument for better life achievement under certain conditions.

The study is focused on conceptual and systemic aspects of the contemporary development of population, economy, law and family. A systematic approach is leading in this study, especially concerning designing and implementation of current policies in the area of population development in connection and interrelation with the development of economy, equal treatment and free movement of population. Evolution of current integration processes, restructuring of economy, new technologies and development of free choice significantly determine a number of demographic processes. These and some other aspects are the grounds for the need of a new perspective and new policies for economic and demographic development, for reconciling demographic development and, above all, childbearing and development of children with equal rights and participation of women and men in population reproduction and in production of material and spiritual goods of society. This study aims at highlighting the need of a new approach in the search of solutions and in implementing interconnected policies for development of population and economy as well as policies for free movement and equal rights and opportunities of those different. The conclusions are drawn and the proposals are made for substantial changes to the focus and scope of demographic policies; for demographic policy aiming not only and not so much at the population size and the number of births but at development of population through universal and continuing education, at creation of growth potential in individuals and capacity building to handle the situation, at the access and participation of all in production, at reconciling of future development of economy and population with quality of population and labour force’s reproduction, at reconciling the participation in production and population reproduction with gender equality. On this basis, the need is justified of population development policies to be adequate to current and future evolution and to requirements with regard to man as well as to take the utmost account and ensure the rights of free movement, human and population development.