The Real Fertility Crisis: The Pursuit of Reproductive Agency in a Changing World

June 10, 2025

aerial view of a crowd of people

(UNFPA) – Millions of people around the world are unable to have the number of children they want – whether they want more, fewer, or none at all.

Recently, fertility declines are making headlines, with women all too often blamed for these demographic shifts. Some governments are employing drastic measures to incentivize young people to make fertility decisions in line with national targets.

But the real crisis is that the most consequential reproductive decision a human being can make – when, whether and with whom to have a child – is being undermined. (Read More)