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News18
2 days ago
- General
- News18
How Family Aspirations Changed In India Over Decades? UN Report Tells Stories Of 3 Generations
Last Updated: Across India, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has plummeted from about 6 in 1960 to 2 today, as per the UNFPA report. India is moving from large, necessity-driven households to smaller, aspiration-led ones. The recent UNFPA's State of World Population 2025 report features a compelling story of three generations from a single family in Bihar, showcasing this journey of change and its broader implications Saraswati Devi, now 64, was married at just 16 in 1976. By age 30, she had five sons, reflecting a time when the average woman in India had six children, fewer than a quarter used contraception, and under half completed primary school. There was virtually no personal choice — childbearing was determined by tradition, utility, and family or community expectations. Schooling increased gradually and by the 1980s and '90s, more girls were finishing primary education and had slightly better access to contraception. But families still aimed for multiple children. Anita Devi, Saraswati's daughter-in-law, married at 18 in the late 1990s. She ended up having six children; four daughters and two sons. 'I initially wanted only one or two children, just one girl and one boy. We are poor, and raising a large family is difficult… But talking about family planning was not easy in my family, and my husband was against contraception," Anita was quoted as saying in the UNFPA report. But fertility rates began to decline, reflecting slow uptake of family planning and shifting norms. The UNFPA reports states that today, nearly 70 per cent of women use contraception, over 90 per cent complete secondary school, and the average fertility is around two children, down from six. A Story Echoed Across India – and the World This generational narrative is not isolated. Across India, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has plummeted from about 6 in 1960 to 2 today. The report links this shift to: A dramatic rise in female education (from less than 50 per cent primary completion in the 1960s to more than 90 per cent today) Contraceptive use climbing to nearly 70 per cent Women increasingly making independent decisions about their bodies and futures But the story isn't purely celebratory. The UNFPA warns it reflects a 'fertility aspirations crisis": one in three adult Indians (36 per cent) experience unintended pregnancies, and 30 per cent report having fewer — or more — children than they desired, with 23 per cent experiencing both. Why These Changes Matter India's TFR has fallen to 1.9–2.0, now below replacement level (2.1), placing it in the demographic trajectory of ageing nations. Replacement level is the average number of children a woman needs to have in order for a population to exactly replace itself from one generation to the next, without migration. The globally accepted replacement level is 2.1 children per woman. While nearly 68 per cent of the population is currently of working age — a potential economic boon — the window to harness this before an older population overtakes is closing. Reproductive autonomy vs structural support: Despite gains in choice, persistent economic burdens, gender inequality, and inadequate childcare or parental leave systems mean many cannot achieve their ideal family size — even if they want to, says the report. Turning Aspirations into Reality: A Policy Imperative UNFPA asserts that the focus must shift from controlling fertility to unlocking reproductive agency, where individuals can freely and confidently decide if, when, and how many children to have. For India, this translates into scaling up affordable childcare and parental leave, promoting gender-equitable domestic norms, ensuring accessible reproductive healthcare and family planning and supporting economic security through jobs and housing. India's journey from 'as many as possible" to 'as few as desired" mirrors broader global demographic shifts. The tale of three generations — from Saraswati's five to Pooja's deliberate two — captures how deeply family aspirations have evolved. But tellingly, many still cannot align their reproductive lives with their desires. As UNFPA concludes, the real challenge of fertility lies not in how few children are born, but in whether people have the freedom and support to reach their desired family size. Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 11, 2025, 14:14 IST News india How Family Aspirations Changed In India Over Decades? UN Report Tells Stories Of 3 Generations
The Print
2 days ago
- General
- The Print
India's fertility rate below replacement level, financial strain a key factor, finds UN report
'The number of people sharing our planet has more than tripled since 1950, while over that same period, the average fertility rate per woman has declined from 5 in 1950 to 2.25 (UN DESA, 2024),' reads the report released Tuesday. However, this phenomenon is not unique to India as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report, 'State of World Population 2025', highlights that fertility rates are coming down globally. New Delhi: India's fertility rate has come down to 1.9 below replacement levels of 2.1, implying that women in the country are having less children than what is required to maintain its population size. By 2050, the global fertility rate is expected to reach the replacement level of 2.1. The report highlights that India was able to slow down its population growth organically via education and awareness. India's population stood at 436 million in 1960 with an average woman having six children. However, over the years, access to reproductive healthcare, education and women empowerment helped bring down the fertility rate in India. 'While women in India, and every other country, have more rights and choices today than their mothers or grandmothers did, they still have a long way to go before they are empowered to have the number of children they want – if any – when they want them,' the report states. India's population is estimated to have reached 146.39 crore by April and expected to grow to 170 crore before starting to dip in about 40 years, according to the report. The UNFPA report was compiled after surveying 14,000 people across 14 countries, including India that accounts for 37 percent of global population by YouGov, an international online research and analytics group It states that two-thirds (68 percent) of India's population are aged between 15-64 years which is the working age, thereby highlighting its potential demographic dividend. Whereas, people above the age of 65 years are only 7 percent. The UN report is in line with the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 5 results stating that India's fertility rate stood at 2.0 in 2022. The NFHS highlighted that decline was more prominent in rural areas where the fertility rate stood at 2.1 (3.7 in 1992-93), while in urban areas it came down to 1.6 from 2.7 in 1992-93. Among the states that had fertility rates higher than national average were Bihar (2.98), Meghalaya (2.9), Uttar Pradesh (2.35), Jharkhand (2.26), and Manipur (2.2). Also Read: What is 'One state, One Regional Rural Bank' & why it may be a step in the right direction Financial limitations are impacting fertility decisions The report mentions that 51 percent of all Indian women aged between 15-49 years are using contraceptives, while its prevalence rate is 68 percent among married women. 41 percent of women respondents stated that two children should be ideal, while 12 percent women responded having more than two children as being ideal. The survey also highlights the difference between ideal and expectations. Nearly 7 percent of respondents below 50 years of age state that they expect fewer children than ideal. The survey asked respondents on the reasons that impact their decision to have fewer children than desired. The answer varies across health, economy, future concerns and family influences. In India, 38 percent of respondents stated financial limitations as a reason for having fewer children, while 21 percent stated job insecurity or unemployment being a factor. This is not only limited to India, as across 14 nations, 39 percent on average cited financial limitations as the reason for having fewer children. Family influence plays a key role in women's decision of bearing children. 19 percent of respondents state 'partner' wants fewer children, while 15 percent highlight the reason as partners not providing assistance in household or childcare work. The role of healthcare professionals was also found to have an impact on underachieving fertility goals. 'In India, 14 percent of respondents said pressure from doctors or health workers had led, or would lead, to them having fewer children than they wanted,' the report states. Udit Bubna is an intern who graduated from ThePrint School of Journalism. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Why flagship PM Internship Scheme is off to a stuttering start with low turnout, high attrition
India.com
2 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
India's Birth Rate Hits Historic Low – What It Really Means For The Future
New Delhi: In a country that once worried about having too many mouths to feed, a quieter and more unexpected concern is now surfacing. Indian families are choosing to have fewer children, and it is starting to show. A recent UN report reveals that India's fertility rate has dipped below the replacement level, meaning that, on average, women are now having fewer children than needed to maintain the population size over time. While the total population is still growing and currently stands at 1.46 billion (the largest in the world), the nature of that growth is changing. So what is happening, and why should you care? Back in 1960, the average Indian woman had nearly six children. At that time, India was grappling with rapid population growth, limited access to education for women and almost no reproductive healthcare. Fast forward to today. The average woman now has fewer than two children. According to the UNFPA's State of World Population 2025 report, India's total fertility rate has fallen to 1.9, below the 'replacement rate' of 2.1 – the threshold needed for a stable population without migration. This is a important milestone. It means that India is now part of a global shift that is quietly reshaping societies, fewer babies, aging populations and a new set of economic and social challenges. Not a Crisis The UN is not calling this a crisis. In fact, it warns against the fear-driven headlines about 'population collapse'. What is more urgent, the report argues, is the unmet desire of millions of people who still do not have the power to decide if, when or how many children they want. In simple terms – this is not only about numbers. It is about choice. As Andrea Wojnar, UNFPA's India head, puts it, 'The real demographic dividend comes when everyone has the freedom and means to make informed reproductive choices.' Despite falling birth rates, India still has one of the youngest populations in the world – nearly a quarter of its citizens are under 14 and two-thirds are of working age. This is both an opportunity and a responsibility. With the right investments in jobs, education and healthcare, India could harness this 'youth bulge' for massive economic growth. But it is a narrow window. As life expectancy rises (now 74 for women, 71 for men), the proportion of elderly citizens will grow too. In the coming decades, India will face a very different problem – how to care for an aging population without enough younger workers to support them. What's Behind the Shift? The drop in fertility did not happen overnight. It is the result of decades of progress – better education for girls, wider access to contraception, urbanization and changing social norms. More women are staying in school, working and making decisions about their lives. That empowerment, experts say, is what is really driving the change. Still, the report warns that inequality runs deep. In some states and communities, access to reproductive healthcare remains limited. Many women, especially in rural or low-income areas, still have little say in reproductive decisions. India is not alone in facing these changes. Many countries, from South Korea to Spain, are seeing similar patterns – fewer births, smaller families and longer lives. The takeaway? Falling fertility is not failure. It is a sign that more people are making decisions on their own terms. The real challenge now is making sure that freedom extends to everyone, regardless of where they live, what they earn or who they are.
United News of India
3 days ago
- Health
- United News of India
UNFPA report flags hidden fertility crisis in India
New Delhi, June 10 (UNI) Atleast one in three Indian adults — roughly 36% of the population — experiences unintended pregnancies, while 30% report unmet desires regarding the number of kids they wish to have. Alarmingly, 23% of individuals face both challenges, according to the UNFPA's State of World Population 2025 report released here on Tuesday. Dr Natalia Kanem, executive director of UNFPA, told media at a virtual media conference that vast numbers of people are unable to create the families they want. 'The issue is lack of choice, not desire, with major consequences for individuals and societies. That is the real fertility crisis, and the answer lies in responding to what people say they need: paid family leave, affordable fertility care, and supportive partners.' Titled 'The real fertility crisis: The pursuit of reproductive agency in a changing world,' the report urges a shift in focus — from concerns about declining birth rates to addressing the gap between people's reproductive goals and their ability to achieve them. It argues that the true crisis is not about overpopulation or under-population, but about unmet reproductive needs and limited autonomy, said a statement from the UN body. The report is based on a UNFPA-YouGov survey spanning 14 countries including India, and highlights that achieving reproductive decisions — the ability to make free and informed choices about sex, contraception, and childbearing — is key. It questions the dominant global narratives of 'population explosion' versus 'population collapse,' emphasising that India, while having achieved replacement-level fertility (around 2.0 births per woman), still struggles with unequal access to reproductive choices. Women, in particular, face major hurdles in exercising their reproductive rights, with significant disparities between states, as per the statement. Fertility has fallen below the replacement level (2.1) in 31 states/UTs, but remains high in Bihar (3.0), Meghalaya (2.9), and Uttar Pradesh (2.7). In Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Delhi, many couples delay or skip childbirth due to costs and work-life conflict, especially among educated middle-class women, says the report. Clearly, the imbalance is tied to differences in education, healthcare access, economic opportunities, and social norms, as per the report. In fact, financial insecurity is the most common barrier to having the desired family size. Nearly 40% cite financial limitations, followed by job insecurity (21%), inadequate housing (22%), and lack of childcare (18%). Health-related challenges like general poor health (15%), infertility (13%), and limited maternal healthcare (14%) also play a role. In addition, anxieties about the future—such as climate change and political instability—are discouraging people from having children. Nearly one in five respondents also said they felt pressured by family or partners to have fewer children than they wanted, said the statement citing the report. UNFPA India Representative Andrea M. Wojnar praised India's progress, noting that fertility has dropped from nearly five children per woman in 1970 to about two today, due to better education and healthcare. 'This has led to major reductions in maternal mortality, meaning million more mothers are alive today, raising children and building communities. Yet, deep inequalities persist across states, castes, and income groups. '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 also notes changing societal dynamics—like growing loneliness, shifting relationship norms, difficulty finding supportive partners, stigma around reproductive choices, and entrenched gender roles—as influential factors in fertility decisions. Expectations of intensive parenting and unequal caregiving burdens further deter many, particularly women, from having children. To address these challenges, the report has recommended a rights-based approach built on five pillars: expanding access to sexual and reproductive healthcare (including contraception, safe abortion, maternal health, and infertility services); removing structural barriers through investments in education, childcare, housing, and flexible work environments; and creating inclusive policies for unmarried individuals, LGBTQIA+ people, and other marginalised groups.
