2 days ago
UN Report Highlights Deep Contrasts Behind India's Population Numbers
Representative image of a woman with her children. Photo: PTI
New Delhi: A United Nations report argues that beyond India's population numbers lies a crisis of individuals unable to achieve their desired family size.
The UN Population Fund's (UNFPA) 2025 State of the World Population report found one in three adult Indians (36%) have faced an unintended pregnancy. Nearly a third (30%) have struggled with an unfulfilled desire for children. The report states 23% of Indians surveyed have experienced both.
The report, 'The Real Fertility Crisis,' calls for a shift from focusing on population figures. It states the 'real crisis… is not underpopulation or overpopulation,' but the failure of systems to support 'a person's ability to make free and informed choices about sex, contraception and starting a family.'
It also says that India's population is estimated to have reached 146.39 crore by April.
While India has a national replacement-level fertility rate of 2.0, the UNFPA highlights a 'high fertility and low fertility duality.' This reflects disparities, with states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh having higher fertility rates than states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The report links this to unequal access to economic opportunity, healthcare, education, and regional gender norms.
Findings from a YouGov survey across 14 countries show financial concerns are the primary obstacle for Indians, with nearly four in ten citing it. Job insecurity, housing constraints, and a lack of reliable child care also contribute. The survey found 19% of Indian respondents – the highest of any country – said their partner wanting fewer children was a key factor.
Andrea M Wojnar, the UNFPA India Representative, said : 'India has made significant progress in lowering fertility rates… thanks to improved education and access to reproductive healthcare. This has led to major reductions in maternal mortality… Yet, deep inequalities persist across states, castes, and income groups.'
Wojnar added: 'The real demographic dividend comes when everyone has the freedom and means to make informed reproductive choices. India has a unique opportunity to show how reproductive rights and economic prosperity can advance together.'
The report illustrates this with a story of three women from one family in Bihar. The grandmother, married at 16, had five sons due to social pressure and lack of contraceptive knowledge. Her daughter-in-law had six children despite wanting fewer. The granddaughter, a university graduate, has chosen with her husband to have only two children, citing the need for a secure future.
The UNFPA advocates for 'demographic resilience'—adapting to population change while upholding human rights. For India, it recommends a holistic, rights-based approach.
The report calls for expanded access to sexual and reproductive health services, including infertility care; investment in childcare and housing; inclusive policies for unmarried individuals and marginalised groups; better data on bodily autonomy; and social change to challenge stigma.
The UNFPA argues that focusing on population numbers misses the point, suggesting a nation's success is measured by whether its people can build the lives and families they desire.
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