Datanomics: UN bats for choice in Freedom vs Population control debate

The report also highlights India's stark "high fertility-low fertility duality," with Bihar and Uttar Pradesh showing high fertility, while Kerala and Tamil Nadu remain well below replacement levels

The UNFPA’s 2025 State of World Population report, ‘The Real Fertility Crisis’, shifts the focus from population numbers to reproductive agency — the freedom to make informed childbearing choices. In India, about 60 per cent of women and 61 per cent of men face barriers to this agency. The report highlights a fertility divide: High rates in North like Bihar and UP, and below-replacement levels in South like Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It calls for rights-based, gender-sensitive policies over demographic panic.

Barriers to reproductive freedom

Across India, US, and Brazil, economic concerns are key barriers to parenthood. Nearly 4 in 10 people cite financial limitations, while job insecurity (21 per cent), housing constraints (22 per cent), and lack of quality childcare (18 per cent) also play major roles especially in India. Health-related issues and shifting personal desires such as a partner wanting fewer children also weigh heavily, while broader anxieties over politics, climate change, and pressure from health providers reflect how reproductive choices are shaped by both private and public pressures. 

Autonomy concerns

The data reveals a widespread disconnect between reproductive intentions and outcomes. In India, 36 per cent of respondents reported an unintended pregnancy, while 30 per cent were unable to fulfill their desire for a child with 23 per cent experiencing both. These patterns are mirrored in Brazil and US, highlighting the global need for better access to contraception, fertility care, and reproductive autonomy.