1 in 5 people are having fewer children due to fear of the future: U.N.

A new study by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reveals that both men and women's fertility aspirations are hindered by various barriers, leading to declining birth rates globally. The study surveyed 14,000 people across 14 countries, representing a third of the world's population, and found that nearly one in five participants cited fear of the future as a reason for having fewer children than desired, with 39% citing financial limitations. The countries included in the study had varying fertility rates, with North Korea having the lowest and Nigeria having the highest. The study identified five factors affecting reproductive status, including health, changed desires, concerns over the future, and other reasons. The UNFPA executive director, Dr. Natalia Kanem, emphasized that the concerns warrant policy responses and are rooted in outdated notions around reproduction and economic security. The study's findings will inform a youth reproductive choices survey launching later this year, aiming to shape future global policy and programming. The report highlights that people are not choosing to have fewer kids, but rather, they are unable to have them due to various barriers. The study's results contradict the common assumption that women are solely responsible for declining fertility rates. The UNFPA report emphasizes the need for policy responses to address the concerns hindering people's fertility aspirations.