UN report: Declining birth rates linked to rising cost of living and concerns about future

Based on academic research and data from a UNFPA survey conducted in 14 countries, home to more than a third of the world's population, the report's authors concluded that one in five people in the world believes they will not be able to have as many children as they want.

Key reasons cited by respondents included the high cost of raising children, job insecurity, lack of affordable housing, concerns about the future of the world, and lack of a suitable partner. The report highlights that these factors are influenced by economic instability and sexist norms.

“Too many people cannot create the families they want,” said UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem. “The problem is not a lack of desire, but a lack of choice, and this has serious consequences for individuals and for society. This is a real fertility crisis. The answer is to meet people’s demands for paid family leave, affordable reproductive health care, and supportive partners.”

The figures in the report paint a worrying picture. More than half of respondents cited economic reasons as a barrier to having the number of children they wanted. One in three women had experienced an unplanned pregnancy. Forty percent of respondents over 50 said they were unable to have as many children as they wanted. Eleven percent said the uneven distribution of care responsibilities within the family undermined their ability to parent.

The problem is not a lack of desire, but a lack of choice.

The authors of the report warn countries against simplistic or even coercive measures to increase fertility – such as lump-sum payments at birth or the introduction of fertility targets. Such approaches are generally ineffective and can violate human rights.

Instead, UNFPA calls on governments to empower people, including by investing in affordable housing, creating decent jobs, introducing decent paid parental leave and providing a full range of reproductive health services.

It is also proposed to ensure equal access to parenthood for representatives of the LGBTQI+ community and single people.

In addition, UNFPA emphasizes the need to address all forms of gender inequality that hinder free decision-making within the family. These include, for example, labor regulations that push women out of the workforce, the lack of flexible paid leave for men and the stigma of involved fatherhood, the lack of affordable childcare services, restrictions on reproductive rights, including access to abortion and infertility treatment, and discrepancies in gender attitudes between young men and women that lead to loneliness.

Supporting families will require a tailored mix of economic, social and policy measures in each country. UNFPA stands ready to support policymakers in developing solutions that ensure rights and choices are upheld for all.