UN Reports India Fertility Falls Below Replacement Amid Financial Constraints

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) 2025 State of World Population report highlights a global fertility crisis characterized by declining birth rates and unmet reproductive aspirations. India’s fertility rate has fallen below replacement level to 1.9 children per woman, attributed to increased access to education, reproductive healthcare, and women's empowerment, with the population expected to peak around 1.7 billion before declining by 2065. Despite this, many individuals worldwide face financial constraints, job insecurity, and fears about the future—such as climate change and geopolitical instability—that limit their ability to have their desired number of children. Surveys reveal that nearly 20% of reproductive-age adults believe they cannot achieve their fertility goals, with a significant proportion revising their family size plans due to economic and social barriers. UNFPA criticizes existing policies like lump sum payments and short-term childcare subsidies as insufficient and advocates for expanded reproductive choice and inclusive support, emphasizing the need to empower marginalized groups and support work-family balance. The real crisis, according to UNFPA, is not population decline itself but the lack of reproductive agency enabling people to freely make informed decisions about childbearing.