UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK – A new report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has found that declining birth rates worldwide do not necessarily reflect a decline in young people’s desire to marry, form partnerships, or have children.
The report, titled “Lives, Choices and Futures: What young people want and what shapes their decisions about relationships and parenthood,” is based on the Demographic Futures Survey 2026, one of the largest global studies examining young people’s aspirations. The survey collected responses from 108,926 internet-connected young adults aged 18–39 across 73 countries and territories.
The study reveals a growing gap between what young people want for their futures and what they are able to achieve due to economic pressures, particularly the high cost of housing, financial insecurity, and unstable employment.
Economic security remains a top priority
According to the survey, economic security and physical health are the two highest-rated life goals, with 90% of respondents considering each as important.
Family life also remains a major priority, with 73% of young adults saying that having a partner and children is important to their future plans.
However, young people are facing increasing concerns about the future. Globally, conflict, security risks, economic insecurity, and inequality were among the main concerns, with more than three-quarters of respondents describing them as worrying.
Despite these challenges, 66% of respondents said they feel positive about the future, although optimism varies significantly between regions.
Financial barriers delay partnerships
The survey found that marriage remains an important goal for many young people. More than 70% of respondents said their ideal relationship path includes marriage, either directly (36%) or after a period of living together (34%).
However, financial conditions are affecting young people’s ability to build partnerships.
Among single adults aged 25–39 who want a partner, 25% remain single and are not dating. This situation is more common among men, with 30% saying they are single despite wanting a relationship, compared with 19% of women.
The survey identified financial security as the most important factor for forming a partnership, with 81% of respondents highlighting it as a key condition.
Meanwhile, 57% of young people said economic and housing difficulties are the main barriers preventing them from marrying or living with a partner.
Young people want children but face obstacles
The report challenges the idea that young people are simply choosing not to have children.
Across almost all regions, two children remain the preferred family size. However, the number of children people actually have is often lower than what they wanted.
“The question is not whether young people value these life goals, but whether they have the conditions to realize them,” said Diene Keita, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNFPA Executive Director.
The survey found that among adults aged 35–39, the actual number of children is lower than their desired number across all regions studied.
In high-income regions, including Western Europe, North America, and Australia, many adults remain without children despite wanting them. The report found that 49% of men and 41% of women aged 35–39 have no children in these regions.
Among those without children, many said this was not their preferred choice. Around 73% of men and 62% of women reported that they would ideally like to have children but have not been able to do so.
Stable jobs and housing seen as conditions for parenthood
The survey showed that young people are delaying parenthood until they feel financially and emotionally prepared.
The main conditions they identified for feeling ready to have children were:
• Financial security (88%)
• Stable employment (87%)
• Emotional readiness (85%)
Economic and housing challenges were the biggest obstacles, with 72% of respondents identifying them as major barriers to having children.
UNFPA calls for policies supporting young families
UNFPA said that addressing declining birth rates requires governments to focus not only on demographic trends but also on the daily realities facing young people.
The agency called for policies that improve young people’s ability to build the families they want, including:
• Expanding access to affordable housing
• Increasing childcare support
• Providing fair parental leave policies
• Promoting flexible work arrangements
• Strengthening social protection systems
UNFPA stressed that supporting young people’s economic stability and ensuring gender equality can help societies create conditions where individuals can achieve their family goals when they are ready.
