Why Fertility Rates Don't Tell the Whole Story About Youth and Parenthood

BusinessToday

11-07-2025

According to a statement from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Pio Smith, millions of young people across Asia and the Pacific still lack the information, support, and autonomy needed to plan their futures. More than 40 per cent of adolescent pregnancies in the region are unintended, putting the health and rights of young people at risk.
On World Population Day, Mr. Smith has called for systems that empower young people to make decisions about their futures. He stresses that parenthood should be a choice, not a risk or a burden.
Fertility rates are falling throughout Asia and the Pacific. While headlines warn of a looming 'population collapse,' young people are often blamed for turning away from parenthood. Yet the real crisis is not about having 'too many' or 'too few' births.
The real issue is whether young people can choose when and how to start or grow a family, on their terms. For many, the answer to the question 'Can I build the life I want?' is a resounding no.
In reality, young people across the region and the world are often either excluded from parenthood or pushed into it by systems that fail them. Girls are steered into early motherhood without access to contraception or education.
Young couples delay parenthood due to job insecurity, housing unaffordability, or entrenched gender roles. Others are shut out entirely because of their identity, who they love, or where they live.
A recent encounter with a 17-year-old mother in a remote part of Vanuatu highlights these challenges.
She had walked for hours to reach the nearest clinic—her first experience with healthcare as a young adult. She had no access to contraception or antenatal care, yet she dreamed of finishing school and becoming a teacher. Her aspirations are not unusual, but the obstacles she faces are.
Such stories are echoed throughout the region. Over 40 per cent of adolescent pregnancies are unintended, and fewer than one in four sexually active, unmarried adolescents use modern contraception.
Barriers are even higher in rural areas, conflict zones, and among marginalised groups, including migrants, LGBTQIA+ youth, young people with disabilities, and ethnic minorities.
Social stigma, legal restrictions, and outdated gender norms prevent many young people from accessing the care they need. In crisis-affected regions, health services are often overstretched or absent altogether. These are not just healthcare challenges — they are fundamental injustices.
Even where services are available, factors such as economic insecurity, unpaid care responsibilities, and social expectations continue to limit reproductive autonomy. According to UNFPA's State of World Population 2025 report, most people in Thailand want two or more children, yet the fertility rate has dropped to just 1.2 children per woman.
In the Republic of Korea, it's 0.8 — the world's lowest. These figures reflect not a rejection of parenthood, but a failure of the systems surrounding young people to support their goals.
Reproductive agency is about more than access to services. It means being able to make informed, free choices — without stigma, coercion, or discrimination. It means starting a family, or not, in safety, dignity, and hope.
Today's young people face a world marked by climate disasters, economic uncertainty, and rising conflict. Many feel they have inherited a fragile future shaped by decisions made without their input. When hope disappears, so too does the motivation to bring new life into the world. But this outcome is not inevitable.
To build stronger families and resilient societies, the conditions for choice and hope must be created. This means providing youth-friendly health services and comprehensive sexuality education, decent jobs, affordable housing, and parental leave.
It also requires building safe and inclusive digital spaces and education systems that equip young people to lead and thrive. Investment in youth-led solutions, mentorship, and civic leadership must be treated as priorities, not afterthoughts.
None of this can be achieved through one-off incentives or reactive policies. Sustained, long-term investment in systems that uphold rights and dignity is essential, regardless of fertility rates.
As Mr Smith puts it, we must stop trying to 'fix' fertility. The real issue lies in the systems that continue to fail young people.
A young contributor to the UNFPA report summed it up powerfully:
'Before I bring a child into this world, I have to fight for the right to do so on my terms. This isn't just my fight. It's the fight of billions of young people trapped in systems that deny them the rights and dignity they deserve.'
Post Views: 7 Related