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Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Financial limitation one of biggest barriers to reproductive freedom in India: UN study
New Delhi, Financial limitation is one of the biggest barriers to reproductive freedom in India with about 38 per cent respondents saying this is stopping them from having the families they want, according to a UN study released on Tuesday. The findings were shared in UNFPA's 2025 State of World Population Report, The Real Fertility Crisis, which is an online poll conducted across 14 countries including India with 14,000 respondents out of which 1,048 adults were from India. The study listed financial limitations as one of the biggest barriers to reproductive freedom with 38 per cent of the respondents in India saying financial limitations are stopping them from having the families they want. Job insecurity , housing constraints , and the lack of reliable childcare are making parenthood feel out of reach, the report said. Also, health barriers like poor general wellbeing , infertility , and limited access to pregnancy-related care add further strain, the report said. The UNFPA said many are also holding back due to growing anxiety about the future - from climate change to political and social instability while 19 per cent faced partner or family pressure to have fewer children than they personally wanted. The SOWP 2025 underlined millions of individuals are not able to realise their real fertility goals. "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," the report said. It said many people, especially women, still face significant barriers to making free and informed decisions about their reproductive lives and significant disparities persist across regions and states. The report said states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh continue to experience high fertility rates, while others, like Delhi, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, have sustained below-replacement fertility. "This duality reflects differences in economic opportunities, access to healthcare, education levels, and prevailing gender and social norms," it said. "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 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," she said. Beyond traditional barriers, emerging social realities are reshaping reproductive decisions. The report identified a complex web of modern challenges: the growing loneliness pandemic, shifting relationship patterns, difficulties in finding supportive partners, social stigma around reproductive decisions, and deeply entrenched gender norms. Rising expectations around intensive parenting place disproportionate pressure on women, reinforcing unequal caregiving burdens and influencing decisions about if and when to have children, the report said. The report underscored that the real crisis lies not in population size, but in the widespread challenges to support individuals' right to decide freely and responsibly if, when, and how many children to have.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
India witnessing silent elderly crisis amid rapid demographic shift
NEW DELHI: India is witnessing a silent but profound demographic shift as its elderly population (aged 60 and above) grows at an unprecedented rate, now making up over 10% of the total population. This figure is projected to double to nearly 20%—or 34.7 crore people—by 2050. Yet the surge is unfolding against the backdrop of economic insecurity, eroding family support systems, and glaring healthcare gaps. These findings come from a report, 'India's Ageing Society: The Landscape Today' by Give Grants India', which draws on data from the India Ageing Report 2023 (jointly prepared by UNFPA India and the International Institute for Population Sciences), along with research from NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Only 29% of elderly receive pensions, leaving the vast majority financially vulnerable, the report says. Traditional family-based care structures, particularly in urban settings, are under strain, leaving ageing adults to fend for themselves with limited income and inconsistent access to healthcare.
