The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) released its flagship State of World Population report on Tuesday, cautioning that an increasing number of individuals are being denied the ability to start families due to rising living expenses, persistent gender inequality, and growing uncertainty about the future.
Titled The real fertility crisis: The pursuit of reproductive agency in a changing world, the report argues that the true threat is people’s freedom to choose when, or if, they want to have children.
The report is based on a recent UNFPA/YouGov survey of 14 countries, representing 37% of the global population.
Financial barriers were the primary factor, with 39% of respondents citing financial constraints as the main reason for having fewer children than desired.
Concerns about the future, from climate change to war, and job insecurity followed, cited by 19% and 21% of respondents, respectively.
Thirteen percent of women and eight percent of men identified unequal distribution of household labor as a factor in having fewer children than desired.
The survey also revealed that one in three adults experienced an unintended pregnancy, one in four felt unable to have a child at their preferred time, and one in five reported feeling pressured to have children they did not want.
The report cautions against simplistic and coercive responses to declining birth rates, such as offering financial incentives or setting fertility targets, which are often ineffective and may violate human rights.
Instead, UNFPA urges governments to increase choices by removing barriers to parenthood identified by their populations.
Suggested actions include making parenthood more affordable through investments in housing, decent work, paid parental leave, and access to comprehensive reproductive health services.
The agency also recommends that governments view immigration as a key strategy to address labor shortages and maintain economic productivity in the face of declining fertility rates.
In terms of gender inequality, the report calls for addressing stigma against involved fathers, workplace norms that disadvantage mothers, restrictions on reproductive rights, and widening gender gaps in attitudes among younger generations, which contribute to the rise in singlehood.