Latest news with #StateofWorldPopulation
Sinar Daily
6 days ago
- General
- Sinar Daily
Malaysia's birth rate decline isn't about choice - it's about constraints
"MALAYSIA records fewest births ever, fuelling population decline concerns' 'Only three states in Malaysia produce enough babies to replace their populations' 'Malaysia's labour shortage due to declining birth rates' These media headlines capture common narratives around fertility rates. However, what they often obscure are the harsh realities individuals and couples grapple with when making decisions about their fertility, familiesand futures. Why is it that people all over the world, not just in Malaysia, are having fewer children? What are the reasons or conditions that are leading couples to have smaller families? Do people these days even want to have children? The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) recently commissioned an online survey to shed light on this issue, and the key finding is that people do want children. Most desire two or more, yet one in five said they do not expect to be able to form the families they desire or have the number of children they aspire to have. Why? Why are fertility aspirations not being met? The top three responses given to the survey were economic and financial hardships, gender inequality and worries about the future. The issue at hand is therefore not that people don't want to have children, but rather, they feel they can't due to the conditions surrounding them. The crisis is not about dropping fertility rates, declining birth rates or too few babies being born. The crisis is one of too little reproductive agency. Too many do not have the capacity to exercise informed, empowered decision-making over their reproduction. Too many are unable to realise their fertility aspirations. Too many are constricted in their choices. And choice extends beyond the ability to say yes or no to having children. Real choice is about having access to a full range of conditions that enables one to make a free and informed decision about whether to have children, and if yes, with whom, when, and how many. Barriers to reproductive agency The UNFPA survey, conducted by YouGov on more than 14,000 people across 14 countries, forms the basis of the latest edition of UNFPA's annual flagship State of World Population report, entitled The Real Fertility Crisis - the pursuit of reproductive agency in a changing world. UNFPA appreciates that this year's publication was launched in Malaysia by Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad, the Deputy Minister for Women, Family and Community Development, on behalf of the Minister, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, during a World Population Day commemoration event by the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN). We could not agree more with the Deputy Minister's acknowledgement that young people want to have families but face real social and economic challenges. We further echo Minister for Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri's statement on the need for a supportive ecosystem that addresses obstacles to family formation. Economic Constraints In every one of the 14 countries surveyed for the 2025 UNFPA report, people cited economic constraints as the number one barrier to their reproductive agency. And while Malaysia was not part of this survey, the findings have much relevance to the prevailing context here. Almost two in five said financial limitations had led or were likely to lead them to have fewer children than initially desired. One in four said unemployment or job insecurity was a factor. One in four cited housing limitations, whether a lack of space or high costs, as a factor. Eleven years ago, in Lembaga Penduduk dan Pembangunan Keluarga Negara (LPPKN) Malaysian Population and Family Survey 2014, many surveyed said they were unable to fulfil their fertility desires. That survey found that the average number of children desired by married women was four, but their actual number of children was two to three. Similar to the UNFPA study, the LPPKN survey found that the number one barrier stopping Malaysian couples from having more children was financial constraints. LPPKN's 2024 survey is presently underway, and we eagerly await the results. Gender Inequity A second common thread was how gender inequality, specifically the unequal division of care work, deepens the fertility crisis. Across the 14 countries, one in 10 said that a lack of sufficient childcare options was a barrier. One in 10 also said having a partner who was not involved enough in housework or childcare led them to have fewer children. In the 2014 LPPKN study, 'childcare problems' was the biggest reason why Malaysian women respondents said they left the workforce. More than 34 per cent of working women said they needed childcare centres at their workplace. Last year, an Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) policy paper estimated that three million women had dropped out of the workforce or reduced their work hours to take care of children and/or older persons. Insufficient childcare facilities are causing women all over the world to cut short their careers while also holding them back from fulfilling their fertility aspirations. Anxiety about the Future A third theme in the UNFPA report survey was that one in five said worries and anxiety about the future had led or would lead them to have fewer children than desired. People, especially young people, who are optimistic about the future are more likely to pursue the lives they want for themselves and their families. However, global conflicts, economic instability, and climate disasters are causing many to fear that their world, and the world their children will inherit, will be less hopeful than the one their parents lived in. Beyond the conditions to enable them to make free and informed reproductive choices, people need to have trust in government and institutions, and hope that the future will be one where their choices are supported. Asking what matters Across modern history, governments have attempted to control fertility by demanding individuals align their reproductive decisions with the needs of the state, and of late they have opted for the 'baby bonus' financial incentives to encourage childbearing. What those incentives resulted in, our report found, is couples bringing forward the timing of births. In the long term, the strategy has not resulted in more births or reverse the downward trend of fertility rates. The desire for children remains high, as data from our report survey shows, and government interventions need to go beyond short-term solutions and one-off incentives. The emphasis and investment need to be directed towards addressing the fundamental misalignment of systems, environments, and policies with the lived realities of individuals. Baby bonuses do little to ensure long-term financial security, job security, income stability and adequate housing conditions - essential considerations when it comes to family formation. This is why UNFPA calls on governments to expand their focus beyond total fertility rates and fertility targets, and focus efforts instead on designing strategies that provide an enabling environment for fertility aspirations to be achieved. This entails, firstly, asking individuals, especially young people, about their desires and concerns. Leaders and policymakers then need to listen to their voices, understand their concerns, recognise their realities, and let that inform policymaking. We believe that Malaysia would benefit from a survey similar to the one in our 2025 State of World Population report. A survey asking young people - tomorrow's mothers and fathers - about their reproductive aspirations, their attitudes towards family planning, and what barriers are standing in the way of their family formation goals. Because, again, the first step to building trust around reproductive agency is to ask and listen. Only then can we design interventions to target the right issues without being misguided by assumptions. Malaysia, as the Asean chair and recently elected host of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) secretariat, is incredibly well poised to demonstrate its leadership in enabling reproductive agency for all. Reproductive agency for all On a recent trip to a Jakun Orang Asli village, our team met 17-year-old Riah at a literacy programme on sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender-based violence prevention. Riah's story was that she had dropped out of secondary school during the Covid-19 pandemic after she did not have the means to keep up with online lessons. At 14, she found herself pregnant and later married her child's then 16-year-old father. Pregnant with her second child when we met her, the programme was Riah's first time learning about bodily autonomy, consent, gender stereotypes, contraception, common menstrual and reproductive health conditions, where to get help in the case of gender-based violence, and what the law says about all these issues. She was among the most engaged and enthusiastic participants, and told us she was 'very, very happy' to learn about things so relevant to her fertility, family and future. Riah's story underscores how life-transforming comprehensive sexuality education can be, and the importance of UNFPA's life-course approach. The life-course approach means investing early in age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education and then providing access to sexual and reproductive health and rights at reproductive age. At working age, individuals need to be able to access family planning and family-friendly policies. With this lifetime of reproductive agency, as they age, individuals would have accumulated the health, skills, and resources needed to age healthily and productively in their older years. As Malaysia navigates its demographic transitions and 13th Malaysia Plan goals, reproductive agency must be seen as central to the nation's development. This is because the pursuit of such agency, and not prescriptive fertility targets, is what will unlock both demographic resilience and individual wellbeing. As demonstrated in the 2025 State of World Population report, the pathway to reproductive agency lies in addressing economic and gender barriers, and in creating an enabling and trusting environment so that young people like Riah feel supported to have the families and futures they want. Dr Julitta Onabanjo is the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Representative Malaysia and Country Director for Thailand. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of Sinar Daily.
Business Recorder
12-07-2025
- General
- Business Recorder
World Population Day: Message from Dr Natalia kanem, UNFPA executive director
Create choices, not barriers, for young people to thrive. Our human population is the subject of growing interest - and intensifying anxiety. The concerns that draw most attention are declining fertility rates, ageing and workforce shortages, while many still argue that the greatest threat to the planet is overpopulation. The real fertility crisis, however, is lack of reproductive agency. Young people are too often unable to create the families they want, while at the same time being blamed for low fertility rates and saddled with the expectation of resolving them. It is often assumed or implied that fertility rates are the result of free choice. Unfortunately, that is not the whole picture. Financial stress, health concerns, backlash against women's rights, global conflicts and concerns about climate change are among the many reasons why young men and women today are not having the number of children they would like, according to UNFPA's recent State of World Population report. UNFPA surveyed 14,000 people around the world and found that 1 in 5 people under age 50 expect to end up with a family size different from their ideal - and most of them expect they will have fewer children than desired. Of those over age 50, almost a third of respondents said they'd had fewer children than they wanted. Misguided assumptions-for example, that young people are prioritizing careers over children, or that"selfishness" is leading them off the path to parenthood - can influence policy decisions that often worsen issues they are intended to solve. We see this, for instance, when countries restrict the availability of contraceptives, leading to more unintended pregnancies. Starting on this World Population Day, let's listen to what young people want and need and create conditions that enable them to exercise their rights, make their own choices and enjoy a hopeful future. As one youth activist from Lebanon told UNFPA, "Young people are not just thinking about their future children - they are thinking about the world those children will inherit." Secure jobs and sufficient income for housing and other living costs would help young people feel financially stable and broaden their choices about when and whether to have children. Family-friendly policies - including affordable and accessible childcare, generous and flexible parental leave, and promotion of fathers'participation in care-giving - can help prospective parents balance career and family goals. Investing in comprehensive sexuality education is another imperative that supports informed choices. Intergenerational understanding is crucial to build trust and strengthen solidarity and fairness across generations. Only shared solutions, grounded in human rights, will meet the demands of a demographically diverse world. Ensuring access to sexual and reproductive health and rights is a cornerstone for sustainable, inclusive societies. Let's create the circumstances where people who deeply want to experience the joys and rewards of parenting can meet their fertility goals, where they have hope for a better tomorrow that is supportive of their choices and protective of their rights, one where they and their children will thrive. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
A Population Policy differentiated by States is what India needs
Drop Cap The recently released State of World Population (SOWP) 2025 by UNFPA estimates that India's estimated population is little over 1.46 billion in 2025, which is approximately 17.8% of the total world population. The population of India crossed that of China in mid-2023, making her the most populous country in the world. India's young population is still significantly large despite falling birth rates. About 24% fall in the age bracket of 0-14, 17% in 10-19 bracket, and 26% in 10-24 bracket. India's 68% population falls in the working age group of 15-64 bracket. With 2.4% of the earth's total landmass, it supports more than 17% of the global population. On this World Population Day (July 11), we need to pause and think about this issue seriously. Most of the policy thinkers seem to be too impressed with the phrase 'demographic dividend'. It is true that in demographic transition, a stage comes when the working age population becomes large and it is possible to take advantage of that moment. Many countries have taken advantage of this demographic dividend and progressed fast. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 60년 묵은 혈관 찌꺼기 ,,, '이것." 하나면 다른건 하지 않아도 됩니다! 면역력 Rg3의 비결 더 알아보기 Undo To our minds, the Harvard Professors knew but did not tell that this advantage can be taken only till the threshold or the tipping point (limited by the carrying capacity of a system) has not been breached. Beyond that a rising population becomes a burden and creates a drag which pulls back. This is the time when we should debunk the myth of demographic dividend. Any system has a carrying capacity beyond which the overload starts causing all kinds of problems. The concept of demographic dividend suits the developed countries to get cheap skilled and unskilled manpower from the developing countries. They welcome migration when required and stop it when they don't need them. This is somewhat true for intra-country migration also where highly populated and poor states have become cheap suppliers of labour for industries, agriculture, construction and service sectors like security, retail, drivers, domestic work etc. This sometimes gives rise to tension between the local people and the migrants as employment opportunities are limited. The recent rift in several states over use of local language is a subtle reflection of that. With the advent of AI, jobs are shrinking and are further going to shrink. Microsoft has done two rounds of retrenchment recently, laying off thousands of employees including the Director of AI! Ford CEO Jim Farley has warned that 50% of all white-collar jobs in the US could be lost to artificial intelligence. There have been large scale layoffs in India also in the recent past in the IT and other sectors. If less people are required to do the same work due to AI, where will young Indians find jobs? Migration will also not remain an option. There is a perceptible fall in fertility rates across the countries. The total fertility rate (TFR) of India has reduced to 2.0 which is below the replacement level fertility of 2.1, which means that we are gradually moving near the peak. TFR falling below 2.1 does not mean that our population will start falling immediately. Due to a phenomenon known as 'population momentum', the population will keep growing for several more decades. Newton's second law of motion applies to population dynamics too and it takes some time after applying the force (rendered by reduction in total fertility rate) to lose this momentum and become stable. As per the estimate of UN population division, it is expected that in a medium variant scenario, India's population may peak by 2064 at approximately 1.7 billion after which it will start to fall. D espite India being poised to become the fourth largest economy by the year end, she remains on the 122nd position in terms of per capita GDP on purchasing power parity. As per IMF data, in terms of nominal per capita GDP, India ranks 136th out of 188 countries at 2,878 USD. If the denominator is huge then ratio will always get affected adversely. Doctors per thousand, policemen per thousand, teachers per thousand etc. will remain woefully short from the international standards. Therefore, other than raising the supply side, it is important to control the demand (denominator) also. India is too huge to have one policy for every state. An analysis of Sample Registration System data for the year 2021 tells us that the TFR of states of India ranges from 1.4 to 3. While the TFR of West Bengal is at 1.4, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab at 1.5, Karnataka and Telangana at 1.6, which are all below the replacement level of 2.1, we have Bihar at 3.0, UP at 2.7, MP at 2.6 and Rajasthan at 2.4. Therefore, we need to have population policies differentiated by states, which are at different stages of demographic and fertility transition and have different needs in terms of fertility trajectory. Especially UP and Bihar with high population density need to be bold in their policy objective and applied tools of population stabilization. While the overall population of the country is expected to peak by 2064, the population of UP and Bihar will continue to rise many years even after that. During all big festivals of UP and Bihar, one can see pictures of long queues of migrants trying to get a seat in the trains carrying them home at various railway stations and stampede like situations. Do you remember any such pictures in the newspapers during South Indian festivals like Pongal or Onam? (Amit Mohan Prasad is a retired IAS officer who served as additional chief secretary, health in Uttar Pradesh during Covid pandemic. Akaash Mohan, an engineer, is a data enthusiast. Views expressed are personal.)
India Today
04-07-2025
- General
- India Today
India's fertility paradox
Fewer children may help defuse a population explosion, but that should be based on a couple's free and voluntary choice, not something thrust on them. This is the message coming from the latest United Nations Population Fund's 2025 State of World Population report, 'The Real Fertility Crisis'. It states that although India will remain the world's most populous country, its total fertility rate has fallen below the replacement level. It's not advocating panic—rather, calling attention to unmet reproductive needs, the report notes that millions are unable to achieve their desired fertility goals. The solution, it adds, lies in greater reproductive agency—the ability of individuals to make free, informed choices about sex, contraception and starting a family. - Ends advertisement
Scoop
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
UNFPA Report: Fertility Crisis Is Rooted In Denied Choices, Not Birth Rates
BANGKOK, 25 June, 2025 – The real fertility crisis gripping countries across Asia and the Pacific is not about birth rates being too high or too low – it is about people being denied the power to make choices about their own bodies, futures, and families. This is the core message of UNFPA's 2025 State of World Population report, ' The real fertility crisis: The pursuit of reproductive agency in a changing world ', launched in Asia and the Pacific at the Third Asia and the Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in Bangkok, today. 'This isn't a crisis of 'too many' or 'too few' births – it's a crisis of denied choice,' said Pio Smith, UNFPA Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. 'We cannot assume that birth rates reflect people's desires when so many are held back by gender inequality, economic pressure, or lack of access to healthcare, information, and services. Fertility rates may fluctuate, but the universal right to reproductive freedom must remain constant.' The global report finds that rising economic insecurity, unaffordable housing, and unpaid care burdens are deterring people from having the number of children they want, even in countries with accessible health services. In contrast, early marriage, lack of contraceptive access, and social stigma still drive unintended pregnancies across Asia and the Pacific. UNFPA warns against both simplistic and coercive responses to population shifts, such as baby bonuses and fertility targets, noting that these measures are not only ineffective but violate human rights by denying individuals and couples the right to reproductive freedom and choice. Instead, governments are urged to focus on rights-based solutions by: Investing in affordable housing, decent jobs, and parental leave Expanding access to the full range of reproductive health services and accurate information Offering better choices for parenthood to single people and discriminated groups, including people with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ individuals Tackling restrictive workplace norms and gender stereotypes Gender inequality also remains a persistent barrier to reproductive autonomy. Women are often pushed out of the workforce due to caregiving responsibilities, while men face stigma for taking on active parenting roles. A tailored mix of economic, social, and political measures is needed across countries to help people start or grow the families they want. As countries across Asia and the Pacific navigate complex demographic shifts, UNFPA stands ready to support with evidence, technical expertise, and a shared commitment to realizing rights and choices for all.
