Latest news with #TheRealFertilityCrisis
India.com
a day ago
- General
- India.com
United Nations report reveals 68 percent of India's population is of working age..., fertility rate drops to...
United Nations report reveals 68 percent of India's population is of working age..., fertility rate drops to... According to a new demographic report of the United Nations, India will remain the most populous country in the world even in 2025. According to this report, the country's population is estimated to reach 1.46 billion in 2025. UNFPA has also come to know through this report that India may face a serious challenge in the coming days. The report states that India's fertility rate has fallen below the replacement rate. UNFPA has recently released a report titled State of World Population (SOWP) Report, The Real Fertility Crisis. The report points to significant changes in population structure, fertility and life expectancy rate, which is a sign of major demographic change. Decrease in fertility rate The report found that India's total fertility rate has declined to 1.9 births per woman, below the replacement level of 2.1. This means that Indian women, on average, are having fewer children than is needed to maintain the population size from one generation to the next. How many youth are there in India's population? Despite the decrease in birth rate in India, India has the highest youth population. 24 percent of India's population is youth in the age group of 0-14. Whereas 17 percent is in the age group of 10-19 and 26 percent is in the age group of 10-24. Apart from this, 68 percent of the country's population is of working age (15-64). How many percent are elderly? According to the report, the elderly population (65 and above) in India is currently seven percent. However, it may increase in the coming days with the improvement in life expectancy. According to the data of 2025, life expectancy at birth in India is estimated to be 71 years for men and 74 years for women.
The Wire
a day ago
- Politics
- The Wire
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. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
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First Post
a day ago
- Health
- First Post
Indian women are having fewer children. Is this good news or bad?
India's total fertility rate (TFR) has declined to 1.9 births per woman, below the replacement level of 2.1, as per a recent United Nations demographic report. This means women are having fewer children than required to maintain a stable population. But is it a cause of concern yet? read more Newborn babies are pictured inside a ward of a government hospital for women and children on the occasion of World Population Day, in Chennai on July 11, 2023. File Photo/AFP India's total fertility rate (TFR) has dipped below the replacement rate, according to a new United Nations demographic report. It also estimates that the South Asian country's population will touch 1.46 billion (146 crore) in 2025. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)'s 2025 State of World Population (SOWP) Report, titled 'The Real Fertility Crisis', calls for a shift from panic over declining fertility to addressing unfulfilled reproductive goals. It states that millions of people are unable to meet their real fertility goals, which is an actual crisis than under- or overpopulation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Is falling fertility a cause of major concern for India? Let's take a closer look. What UN report reveals India's total fertility rate has plunged to 1.9 births per woman, below the replacement level of 2.1, according to the UN's SOWP report. A replacement level is the average number of new births needed to maintain a stable population. The report predicts that India's population could reach 1.7 billion (170 crore) in the next 40 years, before it starts declining. While India's birth rate has slowed, its youth population remains significant, with 24 per cent in the 0-14 age bracket, 17 per cent in 10-19 group, and 26 per cent in the 10-24 age group. Why India's fertility rate has dropped The UN demographic report adds to previous reports that confirmed India's fertility rate was plummeting. A Lancet study last year found that the country's total fertility rate is declining irreversibly to 1.29, far below the replacement level. According to the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries and Risk Factors Study (GBD)-2021, India's fertility rate of 6.18 in the 1950s dropped to 4.60 in 1980 and further to 1.91 in 2021. The study also forecast that the TFR could fall further to 1.04 — just one child per woman — by 2100. There are various reasons behind India's falling fertility, which has sparked concerns, especially in southern states that fear the loss of parliamentary seats post the delimitation exercise. India has one of the oldest family planning programmes that encourages people to have a maximum of two children through incentives and disincentives. 'During that time, the system required a lot of effort to change the mindset of the Indian population. Slowly, that behaviour change started showing up. Infant mortality declined substantially (because of various maternal and child health-related programmes and successful immunisation) meaning child survival was guaranteed. Small families became the norm,' Prof Anjali Radkar, head of the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy and dean of academic affairs, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, told Indian Express last year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Men sit next to a board displaying information about the different family planning methods available, during a sterilisation camp set up at a primary health care centre in Belwa village, Kishanganj district, Bihar, March 20, 2023. File Photo/Reuters The increase in female literacy and women's participation in the workforce are other big factors behind a steady fall in fertility rates. Amid little help from their husbands in raising the child, women are no longer ready to sacrifice their careers for motherhood. They are also increasingly exercising their agency in choosing whether to even have a child or not, instead often picking career and financial independence. As more and more young Indians move to foreign countries for higher studies and jobs and settle there, migration could be another factor for a fall in fertility levels. 'India has made significant progress in lowering fertility rates, from nearly five children per woman in 1970 to about two today, thanks to improved education and access to reproductive healthcare,' Andrea M Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative, said, as per PTI. '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,' she added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD '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,' Wojnar stated. Is India's falling fertility a cause for worry? A decline in fertility rates results in demographic transition, such as an ageing population and a reduction in the young workforce. 'By 2050, the share of senior citizens in India will be more than 20 per cent, that is one in five people. This is what China is already showing signs of as a consequence of the one-child family policy,' Dr Radkar told Indian Express last year. Many southern states in India that have effectively managed their population are already facing the consequences of slowing birth rates. As per The Hindu, fertility has dropped below the replacement level in 31 states and Union Territories. However, it continues to be high in Uttar Pradesh (2.7), Bihar (3.0) and Meghalaya (2.9). Last year, the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu urged people to have more children . Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat also expressed concerns about India's falling fertility rate and advocated for at least three children. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, demographers say there is no need for alarm yet. 'As a demographer, I don't think states should be overly concerned about these issues. They can be resolved through constructive negotiations between federal and state governments,' Srinivas Goli, a professor of demography at the International Institute for Population Sciences, told BBC last year. Instead, demographers say India's rapidly ageing population is concerning, as states have limited resources to support the elderly. As fewer children are born, it would increase the gap between the elderly and young people required to care for them. Demographers warn that India's healthcare, community centres and old-age homes are not equipped to deal with the demographic shift. 'Robust investments in prevention, palliative care, and social infrastructure are urgently needed to look after the ageing,' Goli said to BBC. Experts also say that worry about labour shortages due to declining fertility is misplaced. This challenge can be overcome by promoting migration and focusing on extending the healthy years of the elderly. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The other challenge is to create decent full or part-time work for people in the age group of 60 to 75 years. Presently, their work participation is higher than most developing countries and the world because household survival strategies force them to enter the labour market. The imperative, instead, should be to relieve them from the drudgery of work while also providing decent employment. The country's healthcare system needs to improve and building old age homes for the elderly single and couple is long overdue,' Amitabh Kundu, Professor Emeritus at L J University, Ahmedabad, wrote for Indian Express last year. He argued that the demographic changes could push more women into the workforce and 'take their place in the labour market'. 'For women to be able to manage careers with motherhood, it would be crucial for men to take greater responsibility for household and care work. Economic policies that stimulate growth and job creation, alongside social security and pension reforms, will also be essential in adapting to and mitigating the impacts of declining fertility rates,' Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director of Population Foundation of India, told the newspaper. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Hans India
a day ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Population touches 1.46 bn, fertility drops below replacement rate
New Delhi: India's population is estimated to reach 1.46 billion in 2025, continuing to be the highest in the world, according to a new UN demographic report, which also revealed the country's total fertility rate has fallen below the replacement rate. UNFPA's 2025 State of World Population (SOWP) Report, The Real Fertility Crisis, calls for a shift from panic over falling fertility to addressing unmet reproductive goals. Millions of people are not able to realise their real fertility goals, it asserts. This is the real crisis, not underpopulation or overpopulation, and the answer lies in greater reproductive agency - a person's ability to make free and informed 150 per cent choices about sex, contraception and starting a family, it says. The report also reveals key shifts in population composition, fertility, and life expectancy, signalling a major demographic transition. The report found that India's total fertility rate has declined to 1.9 births per woman, falling below the replacement level of 2.1. This means that, on average, Indian women are having fewer children than needed to maintain the population size from one generation to the next, without migration. Despite the slowing birth rate, India's youth population remains significant, with 24 per cent in the age bracket of 0-14, 17 per cent in 10-19, and 26 per cent in country's 68 per cent of the population is of working age (15-64), providing a potential demographic dividend, if matched by adequate employment and policy support. The elderly population (65 and older) currently stands at seven per cent, a figure that is expected to rise in the coming decades as life expectancy improves. As of 2025, life expectancy at birth is projected to be 71 years for men and 74 years for women. According to the UN estimates, India's population at present stands at 1,463.9 million. India is now the world's most populous nation, with nearly 1.5 billion people – a number expected to grow to about 1.7 billion before it begins to fall, around 40 years from now, the report said. Behind these numbers are the stories of millions of couples who decided to start or expand their families, as well as the stories of women who had few choices about whether, when or how often they became pregnant, the report said. In 1960, when India's population was about 436 million, the average woman had nearly six children. Back then, women had less control over their bodies and lives than they do today. Fewer than 1 in 4 used some form of contraception, and fewer than 1 in 2 attended primary school (World Bank Data, 2020), the report said. But in the coming decades, educational attainment increased, access to reproductive healthcare improved, and more women gained a voice in the decisions that affected their lives. The average woman in India now has about two children. 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 wantthem.
Hans India
a day ago
- Politics
- Hans India
India's population hits 1.46 bn, sees decline in fertility rate
New Delhi: India's population is estimated to reach 1.46 billion in 2025, continuing to be the highest in the world, according to a new UN demographic report, which also revealed the country's total fertility rate has fallen below the replacement rate. UNFPA's 2025 State of World Population (SOWP) Report, The Real Fertility Crisis, calls for a shift from panic over falling fertility to addressing unmet reproductive goals. Millions of people are not able to realise their real fertility goals, it asserts. This is the real crisis, not underpopulation or overpopulation, and the answer lies in greater reproductive agency - a person's ability to make free and informed 150 per cent choices about sex, contraception and starting a family, it says. The report also reveals key shifts in population composition, fertility, and life expectancy, signalling a major demographic transition. The report found that India's total fertility rate has declined to 1.9 births per woman, falling below the replacement level of 2.1. This means that, on average, Indian women are having fewer children than needed to maintain the population size from one generation to the next, without migration. Despite the slowing birth rate, India's youth population remains significant, with 24 per cent in the age bracket of 0-14, 17 per cent in 10-19, and 26 per cent in 10-24. The country's 68 per cent of the population is of working age (15-64), providing a potential demographic dividend, if matched by adequate employment and policy support. The elderly population (65 and older) currently stands at seven per cent, a figure that is expected to rise in the coming decades as life expectancy improves. As of 2025, life expectancy at birth is projected to be 71 years for men and 74 years for women. According to the UN estimates, India's population at present stands at 1,463.9 million. India is now the world's most populous nation, with nearly 1.5 billion people – a number expected to grow to about 1.7 billion before it begins to fall, around 40 years from now, the report said. Behind these numbers are the stories of millions of couples who decided to start or expand their families, as well as the stories of women who had few choices about whether, when or how often they became pregnant, the report said. In 1960, when India's population was about 436 million, the average woman had nearly six children. Back then, women had less control over their bodies and lives than they do today. Fewer than 1 in 4 used some form of contraception, and fewer than 1 in 2 attended primary school (World Bank Data, 2020), the report said. But in the coming decades, educational attainment increased, access to reproductive healthcare improved, and more women gained a voice in the decisions that affected their lives. The average woman in India now has about two children. 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 UN report placed India in a group of middle-income countries undergoing rapid demographic change, with population doubling time now estimated at 79 years. "India has made significant progress in lowering fertility rates – from nearly five children per woman in 1970 to about two today, thanks to improved education and access to reproductive healthcare," said Andrea M Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative. This has led to major reductions in maternal mortality, meaning millions 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.'
