A United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report indicates that political decisions hindering economic security and personal opportunities, rather than personal choice, are the root cause of the global demographic crisis. The report, based on academic research and survey data from 14 countries representing over a third of the world’s population, reveals that one in five people globally feel unable to have their desired number of children.

The UNFPA is urging governments to expand opportunities for people by investing in affordable housing, creating decent jobs, introducing decently paid parental leave, and providing comprehensive reproductive health services. The report advises against simplified or forced measures to increase birth rates, such as one-time payments or fertility targets, deeming them ineffective and potentially violating human rights.

According to the report, the key factors contributing to the demographic crisis include the high cost of raising children, labor market instability, a shortage of affordable housing, concerns about the future, and the absence of a suitable partner. These issues are exacerbated by economic instability and sexist norms.

Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director, stated that the issue isn’t a lack of desire, but a lack of choice, emphasizing that many individuals are unable to create the families they desire. Over half of survey respondents cited economic factors as an obstacle to having the number of children they wanted.

Further findings show that 24% of respondents attributed their inability to have children to health problems and a lack of accessible solutions. Another 19% expressed a fear of the future due to wars, climate change, and pandemics. Additionally, 11% of respondents cited the uneven distribution of care responsibilities within the family as a barrier to parenting.

The UNFPA emphasized the importance of eliminating all forms of gender inequality, including labor norms that push women out of work, a lack of flexible paid leave for men and the stigmatization of involved fatherhood, and the absence of affordable childcare services.

The survey encompassed residents of South Korea, Thailand, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Mexico, the United States, India, Indonesia, Morocco, South Africa, and Nigeria.

The report also notes the declining birth rate and increasing proportion of older generations as key demographic trends, including in Russia, where the situation is characterized as “demographic autumn.”