New York, United States (Enmaeya News) — Economic insecurity is a major driver behind falling fertility rates worldwide, according to the United Nations Population Fund’s 2025 State of World Population report.
The report finds that financial concerns, including job instability, rising housing prices and high childcare costs, are pushing many people to delay or decide against having children. The findings are based on a survey of 14,000 individuals across 14 countries, representing nearly 40% of the global population.
More than half of respondents cited economic insecurity as a primary reason for limiting their family size. Health-related concerns, including difficulties conceiving, were mentioned by 25% of participants, while 19% cited worries about the future, such as climate change.
The highest levels of economic concern were recorded in South Korea (58%), South Africa (53%), Thailand and Morocco, the report shows.
UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem said the issue is not that people no longer want children, but that economic realities are leaving them without options.
“Vast numbers of people are unable to create the families they want,” Kanem said, emphasizing the need for supportive policies that give individuals real choice.
The report characterizes the global decline in birth rates as a “crisis in reproductive agency” — referring to the ability of individuals to make free, informed and voluntary choices about their reproductive lives.
UNFPA cautions against simplistic or coercive government responses, such as offering baby bonuses or setting fertility targets. These measures, the report notes, are often ineffective and may infringe on human rights.
Instead, the agency calls for comprehensive strategies that include investments in affordable housing, decent employment, paid parental leave and accessible reproductive health services.
By addressing these structural challenges, UNFPA argues, governments can empower individuals to make reproductive choices freely and support those who wish to build families.
