Why Are Global Birth Rates Falling So Fast? UN Report Reveals Alarming Answers
Among the key factors, skyrocketing living costs, persistent gender inequality, and growing uncertainty about the future are the biggest contributors.
The global fertility rate is dropping more rapidly than experts anticipated. While many believe this trend stems from people simply losing interest in having children, a recent UN report published in June 2025 highlights deeper and more unexpected factors behind the crisis.
According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the issue is not just a lack of desire to have children, it is that many people cannot build the larger families they dream of. The report, titled 'The Real Fertility Crisis: The Pursuit of Reproductive Agency in a Changing World', identifies several critical reasons for the decline in birth rates. Among the key factors, skyrocketing living costs, persistent gender inequality, and growing uncertainty about the future are the biggest contributors.
To support its findings, the UNFPA surveyed over 14,000 people across 14 countries on five continents, representing regions that account for 37% of the global population. Countries included in the study were South Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Mexico, the United States, Morocco, South Africa, and Nigeria.
Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the UNFPA, expressed concern over the results. 'Most people surveyed want two or more children," she said, adding that with rising costs of living, climate change, and growing instability, they don't feel it's possible to build the families they hope for. 'And that is the real crisis," she said.
'Whether the policies are coercive or not, there are real risks to treating fertility rates as a faucet to be turned on or off," said Dr Karem. She pointed out at how many countries that are seeking to increase fertility have earlier worked to lower such rates.
Interestingly, only 12% of respondents cited infertility or difficulty conceiving as a reason for not having children. A larger group, 19%, pointed to fears about the future, including the climate crisis and ongoing global conflicts. Economic instability was the biggest factor, cited by 21% of participants.
In response, the UNFPA has urged governments to avoid imposing harsh or coercive population policies. Instead, it recommends addressing the root causes that deter people from having children. These include improving access to affordable housing, secure employment, paid parental leave, and comprehensive reproductive healthcare.
Additionally, tackling gender inequality could empower individuals to make informed reproductive choices, allowing them to plan their families on their own terms.
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First Published:
July 23, 2025, 21:24 IST
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