GGP
Generations and Gender Programme
The GGP (Generations and Gender Programme) is an international research infrastructure that provides high-quality, cross-nationally comparable longitudinal data to address significant scientific and societal challenges related to population and family dynamics. Demographic changes are a key factor shaping European societies, and the demand for comparable data on population and families remains high. The GGP's vision is to establish itself as a permanent infrastructure with regular data collection cycles, capturing major demographic and family changes both in Europe and globally. The goal is to provide the empirical evidence necessary for policymaking and to maintain the GGP's leading-edge status for demographic research.
Infrastructure and User Services
The GGP includes in its archive comparable data about more than 350,000 individuals from 30 countries in Europe and beyond, and for a period spanning more than 30 years. These data provide rich information on the life trajectories of individuals especially in terms of the occurrence, timing and sequencing of demographic events. The GGP data also capture an important gender dimension, including the gender division of paid and unpaid work, as well as information on the reconciliation of work and family responsibilities, sexual and reproductive health, and inter-generational relationships. The data come mainly from the GGP’s own survey, but also from other comparable surveys which have been post-harmonized into the GGP’s data format to facilitate cross-national analysis.
All these data are available free of charge, via a single access point on the GGP’s website. Scientists can download the individual (micro) data upon registration, while the public and other users can browse all data online via a web interface. The services provided include (a) support for national nodes in charge of collecting data using the Generations and Gender Survey - this is offered throughout the data life cycle (incl. a standardized coded survey questionnaire, advice on sampling, pre-testing, data collection monitoring, and post-fieldwork tasks like processing, harmonization, and publication); and (b) support for users including access to full documentation, metadata, and micro-level data, as well as easy-to-use datasets, syntax, and guides.
Examples/description of the type of research
The GGP data have led to scientific advances in our understanding of: (a) the transition to very low fertility rates and increasing childlessness; (b) the large changes and inequalities in young adults' transition to adulthood; (c) the shifts in gender roles, as well as the unequal speed and magnitude of these changes across different countries; and (d) the evolution of inter-generational support systems. These contributions have had a profound impact not only on the field of demography but also on other disciplines such as sociology, economics, psychology, and public health. Moreover, the GGP data are also being used to advance the field of survey methodology. Further, the GGP data have been used to provide empirical evidence informing policy discussions regarding demographic changes, societal inequalities (including among young adults), and well-being. The data also measure two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): one on gender autonomy and another on unmet needs for family planning. In several countries the GGP is the only source of data to measure these SDGs.
How to access the infrastructure?
Following the principle “as open as possible, as closed as necessary”, access to GGP micro-data is controlled to protect respondent privacy given the sensitive nature of the data, while supporting broad academic use. To access the micro-level data, users need to register in the GGP Data Portal, provide personal and institutional details, and accept the terms of usage and conditions (including non-commercial use, no redistribution, and proper citation). Students must name an academic supervisor who co-signs the request. Once submitted, the Central Hub reviews the application—usually within 1–2 working days—and grants access to download de-personalized datasets.