Today, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, which is the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, is releasing findings from its Demographic Futures Survey, one of the largest, most geographically comprehensive surveys to date exploring what young adults want for their reproductive futures. Over 108,000 Internet-connected young adults, aged 18 to 39 from 73 countries, were asked what they want when it comes to relationships, children and the future – and what they feel is standing in their way. These young adults, from every geographical region showed remarkable agreement over what is keeping them from forging partnerships and having children: money and housing. This finding, and many more, can help us put to rest some of the misconceptions surrounding fertility decline. Below, we start with five of the biggest.
1. Myth: Feminism is responsible for birth rate declines.
This claim has been repeated in headlines and hot takes around the world. Yet UNFPA has decades of evidence – from its work with health providers and survivors of gender-based violence, and from its data collection for the Sustainable Development Goals – showing that women are actually often unable to exercise agency over their bodies and reproduction. About a tenth of women are unable to make choices about contraception, a quarter are unable to make decisions about their own healthcare, and a quarter are unable to say no to sex. This information alone gives us reason to question the claim that global fertility decline is the fault of feminism or women’s empowerment.
Fact: Today, the Demographic Futures Survey brings us one of the most robust and current bodies of evidence on this topic – and it shows us that most people, men and women, want children.
1. Myth: Feminism is responsible for birth rate declines.
This claim has been repeated in headlines and hot takes around the world. Yet UNFPA has decades of evidence – from its work with health providers and survivors of gender-based violence, and from its data collection for the Sustainable Development Goals – showing that women are actually often unable to exercise agency over their bodies and reproduction. About a tenth of women are unable to make choices about contraception, a quarter are unable to make decisions about their own healthcare, and a quarter are unable to say no to sex. This information alone gives us reason to question the claim that global fertility decline is the fault of feminism or women’s empowerment.
Fact: Today, the Demographic Futures Survey brings us one of the most robust and current bodies of evidence on this topic – and it shows us that most people, men and women, want children.
Two is the ideal number in most parts of the world, and in some regions, people on average want more than two. Women are not refusing to have children. They – and men, too – face obstacles to having them. And the most commonly cited obstacles are financial security, stable employment and housing. Furthermore, the survey found that attitudes around family-related choices are actually relatively consistent between men and women. While there are some differences – such as men being more likely than women to disapprove of parents divorcing while having young children, and all respondents being more disapproving of mothers with young children working full-time jobs compared to fathers of young children – these gaps tend to be minimal. On the other hand, women’s rating of barriers to childbearing was consistently higher; every single barrier to having children (financial concerns, infertility, chronic health issues, etc.) was considered more important by women than by men. Again, this suggests that declining fertility rates are not the “fault” of feminism or women’s attitudes, but the burdens that all young adults face, which are often disproportionately heavy for women.
2. Myth: Young people are rejecting marriage and parenthood.
From kitchen tables to think tanks to parliaments, many assume that young people are refusing both marriage and children. Solutions, the thinking goes, should involve promoting marriage and childbearing.
Fact: The Demographic Futures Survey shows us that marriage and parenthood are still widely held goals. Over two thirds of respondents see marriage as their ideal.
But the path to marriage and parenthood is challenging. Almost 80 per cent of respondents say partnership is an important precondition for becoming a parent, the survey finds. This mirrors what UNFPA has seen in its youth programmes: “Finding the right partner is important because I believe that raising a child should be a shared responsibility with emotional and financial support from both parents,” a young woman from India shared with us last year.
Yet not everyone is finding a partner. Out of all respondents aged 25 to 39, approximately one quarter say they want a partner but are currently single and not dating. Men were more likely to say this than women.
What are the biggest barriers to getting married or being in a stable, cohabiting relationship? The largest proportion of people, 57 per cent of respondents, cited economic and housing constraints.
3. Myth: “Collapsing” teen birth rates are a problem for societies.
This myth is often expressed in alarmist tones. Some even claim falling adolescent pregnancy rates threaten humanity with extinction. Is there any merit to this claim? No.
Fact: Adolescent fertility rates are declining – this is a public health success. It means more girls are able to complete school and avoid the health consequences of early pregnancy; many of them will still go on to become mothers.
Declining adolescent fertility has significantly contributed to overall global fertility declines, research shows. But that does not mean it is a problem, nor does it mean we should encourage more adolescent parenthood. After all, the goal should not be to change people’s minds about when and whether to become parents, but to create the conditions that enable them to responsibly realize their aspirations on their own terms. “Bringing a child into the world is only one step. The real challenge is raising them,” a young man in Paraguay told UNFPA.
Here is where data from the Demographic Futures Survey give critical insight. What is keeping people from having the children they want? Financial security, stable employment, and psychological and emotional readiness are the top three most important preconditions for parenthood, the survey finds. This offers specific areas, from education policies to community health services to job security and work protections, where policymakers can take action to meet people’s own stated needs.
4. Myth: Young adults are too selfish to have children.
5. Myth: People are not sufficiently incentivized to become parents.
These last two myths are linked. The first assumes that young adults are simply too focused on themselves – too busy having fun, perhaps – to undertake the hard but necessary work of parenting. The second assumes that the rewards of parenting should be material. If people do not require children for labour or eldercare, and if children are expected to simply consume their parents’ resources before moving away, the thinking goes, then people will naturally forgo parenthood. Both presume selfish motives for having or not having children.
Fact: The Demographic Futures Survey shows that the most common reason respondents gave to become a parent is the joy and happiness children bring.
Most of the survey respondents already have children, and the vast majority of those without children by ages 35 to 39 (79 per cent of men and 72 per cent of women) still want to become parents. Most people are not selfishly refusing to become parents, nor are they waiting for babies to promise a better return on investment. Among all respondents, of all ages, 80 per cent said the joy of parenthood is a key factor. Having children for utilitarian reasons, such as government encouragement or because children are needed for the future workforce, was the least motivating for prospective parents. Handwringing over the partnering and parenting choices of young people (especially young women) is an age-old pastime. But the survey released today offers a more productive and positive path forward for policymakers – one responding to people’s stated goals and concerns, one based on evidence instead of assumptions.
2. Myth: Young people are rejecting marriage and parenthood.
From kitchen tables to think tanks to parliaments, many assume that young people are refusing both marriage and children. Solutions, the thinking goes, should involve promoting marriage and childbearing.
Fact: The Demographic Futures Survey shows us that marriage and parenthood are still widely held goals. Over two thirds of respondents see marriage as their ideal.
But the path to marriage and parenthood is challenging. Almost 80 per cent of respondents say partnership is an important precondition for becoming a parent, the survey finds. This mirrors what UNFPA has seen in its youth programmes: “Finding the right partner is important because I believe that raising a child should be a shared responsibility with emotional and financial support from both parents,” a young woman from India shared with us last year.
Yet not everyone is finding a partner. Out of all respondents aged 25 to 39, approximately one quarter say they want a partner but are currently single and not dating. Men were more likely to say this than women.
What are the biggest barriers to getting married or being in a stable, cohabiting relationship? The largest proportion of people, 57 per cent of respondents, cited economic and housing constraints.
3. Myth: “Collapsing” teen birth rates are a problem for societies.
This myth is often expressed in alarmist tones. Some even claim falling adolescent pregnancy rates threaten humanity with extinction. Is there any merit to this claim? No.
Fact: Adolescent fertility rates are declining – this is a public health success. It means more girls are able to complete school and avoid the health consequences of early pregnancy; many of them will still go on to become mothers.
Declining adolescent fertility has significantly contributed to overall global fertility declines, research shows. But that does not mean it is a problem, nor does it mean we should encourage more adolescent parenthood. After all, the goal should not be to change people’s minds about when and whether to become parents, but to create the conditions that enable them to responsibly realize their aspirations on their own terms. “Bringing a child into the world is only one step. The real challenge is raising them,” a young man in Paraguay told UNFPA.
Here is where data from the Demographic Futures Survey give critical insight. What is keeping people from having the children they want? Financial security, stable employment, and psychological and emotional readiness are the top three most important preconditions for parenthood, the survey finds. This offers specific areas, from education policies to community health services to job security and work protections, where policymakers can take action to meet people’s own stated needs.
4. Myth: Young adults are too selfish to have children.
5. Myth: People are not sufficiently incentivized to become parents.
These last two myths are linked. The first assumes that young adults are simply too focused on themselves – too busy having fun, perhaps – to undertake the hard but necessary work of parenting. The second assumes that the rewards of parenting should be material. If people do not require children for labour or eldercare, and if children are expected to simply consume their parents’ resources before moving away, the thinking goes, then people will naturally forgo parenthood. Both presume selfish motives for having or not having children.
Fact: The Demographic Futures Survey shows that the most common reason respondents gave to become a parent is the joy and happiness children bring.
Most of the survey respondents already have children, and the vast majority of those without children by ages 35 to 39 (79 per cent of men and 72 per cent of women) still want to become parents. Most people are not selfishly refusing to become parents, nor are they waiting for babies to promise a better return on investment. Among all respondents, of all ages, 80 per cent said the joy of parenthood is a key factor. Having children for utilitarian reasons, such as government encouragement or because children are needed for the future workforce, was the least motivating for prospective parents. Handwringing over the partnering and parenting choices of young people (especially young women) is an age-old pastime. But the survey released today offers a more productive and positive path forward for policymakers – one responding to people’s stated goals and concerns, one based on evidence instead of assumptions.
Follow the conversation with the hashtags #WorldPopulationDay; #11july, #sustainablefuture, #programmeofaction, #population, #LeaveNoOneBehind, #CountEveryone #megatrends, #icpd30.
EVENT: On Saturday, July 11th, a webinar to mark the World Population Day 2026 will be held. The report entitled "Lives, Choices and Futures." published on 7 July, just ahead of World Population Day – a timely opportunity to place evidence at the centre of global discussions on demographic change, reproductive rights and sustainable development. Register to participate and Watch the livestream!
Statement by UNFPA Executive Director on World Population Day 2026; July11th.
We are living through a time of profound demographic change. Some countries have historically large numbers of young people. Others are experiencing rapid population ageing. And many are navigating both. Societies and economies are being reshaped by intersecting crises, rising inequalities and disruptive technologies. At the same time, information and misinformation are redefining how we perceive the world around us.
How do young adults see their lives, ambitions and futures in a world of constant change? This is the question at the heart of UNFPA’s recent Demographic Futures Survey. The survey is one of the largest bodies of evidence to date on young people’s life goals with respect to relationships and families.
What we found is that most still hope for partnership and parenthood, yet many feel they may never see these dreams materialize. Today, fragile labour markets, widening inequalities and protracted conflict have left many young people struggling to imagine how they can build the families and futures they want.
Some people assume that younger generations have given up on marriage and children altogether. Our survey tells a different story. Most respondents say their ideal relationship involves marriage. Yet among those who want a partner, many are single and not dating. Economic and housing constraints were the most commonly cited barriers to partnership. Most of those surveyed also want children – and across most regions, two is the most common ideal family size. But many question whether they will have the stability and security to house and care for them.
In short, it is uncertainty, not unwillingness, that has young people questioning whether they can start the families they want.
In response to changing demographic trends, including ageing and low fertility, governments are exploring a wide range of policies. But policies will not succeed if they pressure people towards particular choices or fail to address the barriers young people themselves identify.
As one young community leader told us, “This isn’t just about choosing to have fewer children. It’s about having fewer choices.”
What young people are telling us is clear: They need a sense of security to plan for their future, and the agency to carry that plan out. The onus is on leaders everywhere to support these aspirations.
With smart, forward-looking investments in their rights and choices – from housing and healthcare to parental leave and childcare support, young people can exercise autonomy over their bodies and their lives and build the futures they want. They can realize the right to make the most intimate, consequential decisions of their lives.
The world today is full of opportunities, not only challenges. Communities and economies will innovate, develop resilience and thrive when young people can, too.
Young people – from North to South, from East to West – have spoken. It’s time to listen. And it is time to help create the conditions that allow them to make real choices, create the families they want and realize their hopes and aspirations.
Around the world, demographic change is prompting urgent debate about fertility, family life and the future. Lives, Choices and Futures, UNFPA’s report on the findings of the 2025-2026 Demographic Futures Survey brings together one of the most geographically diverse bodies of evidence on how young adults’ hopes and decisions about relationships, parenthood and the future take place in an uncertain world. Through the voices of over 108,000 Internet-connected people aged 18 to 39 across 73 countries, this report shows that many young people continue to value partnership and parenthood, but the conditions to realize these aspirations often feel out of reach.
The findings reveal:
Launch of the World Population Highlights 2026: Youth by the United Nations Population Division.
Young people are a vital driving force in all societies, contributing energy, innovation and creativity to national development and to the achievement of the Goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Yet, many continue to face significant barriers that limit young people’s ability to realise their full potential and to participate meaningfully in society. The World Population Highlights 2026: Youth provides sound, comparable and timely data on global youth population trends, including changes in size and geographical distribution and key dimensions of youth well-being. The report identifies priority actions to reduce disparities, promote sustainable livelihoods, improve health outcomes — including sexual and reproductive health — and strengthen the protection of young people’s rights. The findings of this report can help policymakers, youth advocates and civil society to integrate population foresight into the formulation of policies and programmes and to ensure that demographic change contributes to a more equitable, inclusive, resilient and sustainable future for current and future generations. The report supports Youth2030, the United Nations system-wide youth strategy guiding global action with and for young people. Read full report the Ten Key Messages, get the social media cards and the SDG Blog: Demographic change and the transformative force of youth.
The Secretary-General's message for the 2026 United Nations Population Award Ceremony, to be delivered by the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Diene Keita
The United Nations General Assembly established the United Nations Population Award in resolution 36/201 on 17 December 1981. The Award is presented annually to an individual or individuals, or to an institution or institutions, or to any combination thereof, for the most outstanding contribution to the awareness of population questions or to their solutions.
Each year, the Committee for the United Nations Population Award honours an individual and/or institution in recognition of outstanding contributions to population and reproductive health questions and to their solutions. The Award was established by the General Assembly in 1981, in resolution 36/201, and was first presented in 1983. It consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a monetary prize.
The Committee for the United Nations Population Award is comprised of 10 UN Member States, with United Nations Secretary-General and UNFPA Executive Director serving as ex-officio members. Nominations for the award are accepted through 31 December of each year.View less
Related Sites and Documents: Website.
EVENT: On Saturday, July 11th, a webinar to mark the World Population Day 2026 will be held. The report entitled "Lives, Choices and Futures." published on 7 July, just ahead of World Population Day – a timely opportunity to place evidence at the centre of global discussions on demographic change, reproductive rights and sustainable development. Register to participate and Watch the livestream!
Statement by UNFPA Executive Director on World Population Day 2026; July11th.
We are living through a time of profound demographic change. Some countries have historically large numbers of young people. Others are experiencing rapid population ageing. And many are navigating both. Societies and economies are being reshaped by intersecting crises, rising inequalities and disruptive technologies. At the same time, information and misinformation are redefining how we perceive the world around us.
How do young adults see their lives, ambitions and futures in a world of constant change? This is the question at the heart of UNFPA’s recent Demographic Futures Survey. The survey is one of the largest bodies of evidence to date on young people’s life goals with respect to relationships and families.
What we found is that most still hope for partnership and parenthood, yet many feel they may never see these dreams materialize. Today, fragile labour markets, widening inequalities and protracted conflict have left many young people struggling to imagine how they can build the families and futures they want.
Some people assume that younger generations have given up on marriage and children altogether. Our survey tells a different story. Most respondents say their ideal relationship involves marriage. Yet among those who want a partner, many are single and not dating. Economic and housing constraints were the most commonly cited barriers to partnership. Most of those surveyed also want children – and across most regions, two is the most common ideal family size. But many question whether they will have the stability and security to house and care for them.
In short, it is uncertainty, not unwillingness, that has young people questioning whether they can start the families they want.
In response to changing demographic trends, including ageing and low fertility, governments are exploring a wide range of policies. But policies will not succeed if they pressure people towards particular choices or fail to address the barriers young people themselves identify.
As one young community leader told us, “This isn’t just about choosing to have fewer children. It’s about having fewer choices.”
What young people are telling us is clear: They need a sense of security to plan for their future, and the agency to carry that plan out. The onus is on leaders everywhere to support these aspirations.
With smart, forward-looking investments in their rights and choices – from housing and healthcare to parental leave and childcare support, young people can exercise autonomy over their bodies and their lives and build the futures they want. They can realize the right to make the most intimate, consequential decisions of their lives.
The world today is full of opportunities, not only challenges. Communities and economies will innovate, develop resilience and thrive when young people can, too.
Young people – from North to South, from East to West – have spoken. It’s time to listen. And it is time to help create the conditions that allow them to make real choices, create the families they want and realize their hopes and aspirations.
Ms. Diene Keita, UNFPA Executive director.
PUBLICATION: What young adults want and what shapes their decisions about parenthood and relationships. Findings from the Demographic Futures Survey 2026.
Around the world, demographic change is prompting urgent debate about fertility, family life and the future. Lives, Choices and Futures, UNFPA’s report on the findings of the 2025-2026 Demographic Futures Survey brings together one of the most geographically diverse bodies of evidence on how young adults’ hopes and decisions about relationships, parenthood and the future take place in an uncertain world. Through the voices of over 108,000 Internet-connected people aged 18 to 39 across 73 countries, this report shows that many young people continue to value partnership and parenthood, but the conditions to realize these aspirations often feel out of reach.
The findings reveal:
- More than two thirds of respondents want to marry or live with a partner.
- Two children is the most commonly reported ideal family size in five out of seven regional groupings.
- Economic and housing constraints constitute the most common obstacles to forming partnerships.
- Financial security is the top consideration for entering a partnership (81%) and parenthood (88%).
- Young respondents also consider stable employment (87%) and emotional readiness (85%) as important preconditions for becoming parents.
- Two thirds feel somewhat or very positive about the future despite worries about conflict, economic insecurity and inequality.
Young people are a vital driving force in all societies, contributing energy, innovation and creativity to national development and to the achievement of the Goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Yet, many continue to face significant barriers that limit young people’s ability to realise their full potential and to participate meaningfully in society. The World Population Highlights 2026: Youth provides sound, comparable and timely data on global youth population trends, including changes in size and geographical distribution and key dimensions of youth well-being. The report identifies priority actions to reduce disparities, promote sustainable livelihoods, improve health outcomes — including sexual and reproductive health — and strengthen the protection of young people’s rights. The findings of this report can help policymakers, youth advocates and civil society to integrate population foresight into the formulation of policies and programmes and to ensure that demographic change contributes to a more equitable, inclusive, resilient and sustainable future for current and future generations. The report supports Youth2030, the United Nations system-wide youth strategy guiding global action with and for young people. Read full report the Ten Key Messages, get the social media cards and the SDG Blog: Demographic change and the transformative force of youth.
LIVESTREAM: United Nations Population Award 2026 Ceremony.
The aim of the UN Population Award Ceremony is to celebrate the achievements of laureates and their contributions to the development and/or implementation of solutions to issues and questions related to population and development.
The United Nations General Assembly established the United Nations Population Award in resolution 36/201 on 17 December 1981. The Award is presented annually to an individual or individuals, or to an institution or institutions, or to any combination thereof, for the most outstanding contribution to the awareness of population questions or to their solutions.
Each year, the Committee for the United Nations Population Award honours an individual and/or institution in recognition of outstanding contributions to population and reproductive health questions and to their solutions. The Award was established by the General Assembly in 1981, in resolution 36/201, and was first presented in 1983. It consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a monetary prize.
The Committee for the United Nations Population Award is comprised of 10 UN Member States, with United Nations Secretary-General and UNFPA Executive Director serving as ex-officio members. Nominations for the award are accepted through 31 December of each year.View less
Related Sites and Documents: Website.
