World fertility rates in 'unprecedented decline': UN report
What's the story
A recent United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report has revealed that the world is witnessing an "unprecedented decline in fertility rates."
The report, based on a survey of 14,000 people across 14 countries, found that one in five respondents have not had or do not expect to have their desired number of children.
Financial constraints, health issues, and lack of time were cited as major reasons for this trend.
Key findings
'World has begun an unprecedented decline in fertility rates'
UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem said, "The world has begun an unprecedented decline in fertility rates."
"Most people surveyed want two or more children. Fertility rates are falling in large part because many feel unable to create the families they want. And that is the real crisis."
The countries surveyed include South Korea, Thailand, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Mexico, the US, India, Indonesia, Morocco, South Africa, and Nigeria.
Barriers to fertility
Financial constraints, lack of time major barriers
The survey revealed that 39% of respondents across all countries cited financial limitations as a barrier to having children.
The highest percentage was in Korea (58%) and the lowest in Sweden (19%).
Only 12% of respondents cited infertility or difficulty conceiving as a reason for not having the number of children they wanted, with higher figures in Thailand (19%), the US (16%), South Africa (15%), Nigeria (14%), and India (13%).
Policy implications
UN's focus on low fertility issues a significant shift
The UNFPA's focus on low fertility issues marks a significant shift from its previous emphasis on women having more children than they wanted.
Prof. Stuart Gietel-Basten, a demographer at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, noted this change, saying, "This is the first time...[the UN] have really gone all-out on low fertility issues."
However, he warned against "panicky policies" in response to low fertility rates, citing past concerns over high populations in countries like China, Korea, Japan, and Thailand.
Answer
What can be done
The report acknowledges that the situation necessitates political intervention but cautions against policies that are frequently short-term remedies or aimed at persuading people to use or not use contraception.
"Whether the policies are coercive or not, there are real risks to treating fertility rates as a faucet to be turned on or off," the report said.
"Many of the countries that are today seeking to increase fertility have, within the last 40 years, sought to decrease birth rates."
Example
5 countries have fertility rates below 2 children
Citing an example, the report said that China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and Türkiye all reported in 1986 an intention to lower their national fertility rates through policy interventions, deeming their respective fertility rates at that time as 'too high.'
"By 2015, however, all five countries had switched to policies designed to boost fertility. Today all five have total fertility rates below two children per woman," it added.