Namrata Nangia, a working mother from Mumbai, has been toying with the idea of expanding her family for years, ever since her five-year-old daughter was born. However, like many others across the globe, her decision comes down to one pressing question: “Can we afford it?” For Namrata and her husband, who works at a tire company, the costs of raising a child already feel overwhelming. From school fees, the school bus, and swimming lessons to even routine doctor visits, the expenses add up quickly, making the idea of another child seem like an impossible financial burden.
Namrata reflects on the stark difference between her own childhood and the current reality for parents. “We just used to go to school, nothing extracurricular, but now you have to send your kid to swimming, you have to send them to drawing, you have to see what else they can do,” she says. The added pressures of keeping up with these modern-day expectations weigh heavily on her family’s budget, and they are not alone in feeling this strain. According to a recent report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Namrata’s situation is increasingly becoming the global norm.
The UNFPA’s new findings highlight the growing challenge faced by millions of people worldwide who find themselves unable to have the number of children they desire. High living costs, financial instability, and lack of support are just some of the barriers preventing individuals from expanding their families. In their extensive survey, which included 14,000 people across 14 countries, the UNFPA revealed a troubling trend: one in five people had either not had, or did not expect to have, their desired number of children.
The countries surveyed in the report — South Korea, Thailand, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Mexico, the US, India, Indonesia, Morocco, South Africa, and Nigeria — represent a mix of low, middle, and high-income nations. Together, these countries make up one-third of the global population, and their experiences reflect a broader, worldwide fertility decline.
Dr. Natalia Kanem, head of UNFPA, noted that the data reflects a dramatic shift in the global fertility landscape. “The world has begun an unprecedented decline in fertility rates,” Kanem said, adding that most people in the survey still wanted two or more children. The reason fertility rates are falling is not just because people no longer want children, but because they feel increasingly unable to create the families they desire. The cost of living, lack of financial security, and a scarcity of support for working parents are key contributors to this growing crisis.
Demographer Anna Rotkirch, who has studied fertility intentions in Europe, added that the findings show more people are “undershooting” their fertility ideals rather than “overshooting.” In other words, more people are having fewer children than they planned. She expressed surprise at the 31% of respondents over the age of 50 who reported having fewer children than they had initially wanted.
The survey also revealed that financial limitations were the most common reason for not having children. In all the countries surveyed, 39% of people cited money as a barrier to starting or expanding their family. The highest percentage was seen in South Korea, where 58% of people said financial concerns were preventing them from having children. In Sweden, which has robust social support systems for parents, the figure was much lower at just 19%. Despite these financial concerns, only 12% of respondents cited infertility as a reason for having fewer children than they desired.
The survey marks a shift in the UNFPA’s focus. In the past, the agency primarily addressed the issue of women having more children than they wanted, often due to a lack of access to contraception or family planning resources. Now, the organization is focusing on the opposite issue: the struggle of individuals and couples who want more children but are unable to have them due to economic constraints.
While UNFPA’s findings provide valuable insight into the fertility challenges faced by people in both high-income and low-income countries, the report also urges caution when addressing the issue of low fertility. Kanem warned against the panic-driven policies that have often followed similar concerns in the past. “Right now, what we’re seeing is a lot of rhetoric of catastrophe, either overpopulation or shrinking population, which leads to exaggerated responses,” she explained. She cited examples from countries like China, Korea, and Japan, which, in the 1980s, were concerned about overpopulation but by 2015 were eager to boost fertility rates.
Prof. Stuart Gietel-Basten, a demographer at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, also cautioned against using low fertility rates as an excuse to implement divisive policies. He highlighted the rise of nationalist and anti-migrant rhetoric in some countries, noting that low fertility rates are sometimes used to justify gender conservative policies. The challenge, according to experts, is finding a balance between addressing fertility concerns without resorting to harmful or exclusionary tactics.
Interestingly, the UNFPA survey identified an even greater barrier to having children than financial limitations: time. Namrata, like many working parents, struggles with the demands of her job and the expectations placed on her as a mother. With a long daily commute and a demanding work schedule, Namrata often feels exhausted by the end of the day. She feels guilty that she does not spend enough time with her daughter, let alone have the energy to consider having another child. “After a working day, obviously you have that guilt, being a mom, that you’re not spending enough time with your kid,” she admits.
Time, or the lack of it, is a critical factor preventing many parents from having more children. Work-life balance, or the lack thereof, is one of the most common struggles that modern parents face. In many countries, long working hours, high childcare costs, and a lack of family-friendly policies contribute to the decision to have fewer children or delay having children altogether. The inability to find a suitable work-life balance, coupled with the financial strain of raising children, creates a daunting barrier for many families.
Namrata’s decision to focus on her one child rather than having another is a reflection of these broader global trends. The costs and pressures of modern parenting have created an environment where many people feel unable to grow their families. But Namrata’s story is far from unique. Across the world, families are grappling with similar concerns about affordability, time, and the feasibility of having more children.
For countries and governments concerned about fertility rates, the focus needs to be on creating an environment where families can thrive. This means improving access to affordable childcare, ensuring work-life balance, and providing financial incentives for families who want to have children. More importantly, it requires changing the societal expectations around parenting, where the focus is not just on individual families but on a broader societal commitment to supporting families and children.
The findings from the UNFPA’s report are a wake-up call to the global community. The unprecedented decline in fertility rates is not just an isolated issue; it is a reflection of deeper economic, social, and cultural trends that need to be addressed if we are to support families and create sustainable futures for generations to come. Whether in Mumbai or anywhere else in the world, the challenges facing modern parents are real, and they cannot be ignored.
As Namrata and many others face this difficult decision, the global conversation must shift towards finding solutions that help families grow and thrive in today’s complex world. Only then can we ensure that future generations will have the opportunity to flourish, just as Namrata hopes for her own daughter.
