Financial issues among top barriers to reproductive freedom in India: UN report

Reproductive freedom is more important than studying overpopulation or underpopulation in fertility crisis, highlights a new landmark report released by United Nations.The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has released The State of World Population (SOWP) 2025 report, titled "The Real Fertility Crisis", asking policymakers to focus not on numbers, but on enabling reproductive freedom: the ability of individuals to make free and informed choices about sex, contraception, and family planning.advertisementDrawing on a survey from 14 countries, including inputs from India, the report dispels simplistic narratives of 'population explosion' or 'population collapse'.
Instead, it points to a more nuanced and pressing issue: millions of individuals globally, including in India, are unable to realise their desired fertility outcomes due to a complex web of structural, social, and economic barriers.This is the real crisis, not underpopulation or overpopulation.FERTILITY RATES HIDE INEQUALITYIndia, the report notes, has achieved replacement-level fertility, defined as 2.1 births per woman, with the national figure now standing at 2.0.This achievement has been credited to advances in education, improved access to reproductive healthcare, and a robust family planning framework.'India has made significant progress in lowering fertility rates, from nearly five children per woman in 1970 to about two today, thanks to improved education and access to reproductive healthcare. This has led to major reductions in maternal mortality, meaning a million more mothers are alive today, raising children and building communities," said Andrea M. Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative.advertisementWhile India may have reached replacement-level fertility of 2.0, many people, especially women, still face barriers to making free and informed decisions about their reproductive lives.The report also highlights gaps across regions and states.These barriers create what the report identifies as India's 'high fertility and low fertility duality.'States such as Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh continue to report higher fertility rates, while southern and urbanised regions like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi have sustained below-replacement levels.This duality, the UN researchers say, reflects enduring disparities in economic development, access to quality healthcare and education, and the persistence of patriarchal social norms.According to the survey findings, one of the biggest barriers to reproductive freedom is financial insecurity.Nearly 40% of respondents said they are unable to have the number of children they desire due to economic limitations.Other cited factors include:Housing constraints (22%)Job insecurity (21%)Lack of affordable childcare (18%)Poor general health (15%)Infertility (13%)Limited access to pregnancy-related care (14%)Besides this, emotional and societal pressures are shaping reproductive decisions.About 19% of the respondents said they experienced partner or family pressure to have fewer children than they personally wanted.Rising concerns over climate change, political instability, and an increasingly uncertain future were also reported as deterrents to childbearing.advertisementThe report highlights that modern fertility decisions are not merely medical or biological choices, they are shaped by the complex realities of contemporary life."The real demographic dividend comes when everyone has the freedom and means to make informed reproductive choices. India has a unique opportunity to show how reproductive rights and economic prosperity can advance together," Wojnar stated.NEW CHALLENGESBeyond traditional barriers, the report draws attention to emerging social realities such as the rise in loneliness, shifting relationship dynamics, and the difficulty many face in finding supportive partners.The social stigma around reproductive choices, especially among unmarried individuals, LGBTQIA+ persons, and those choosing non-traditional family paths, continues to hinder reproductive freedom.One concern is the rising expectation of "intensive parenting", a phenomenon placing disproportionate pressure on women and reinforcing unequal caregiving roles and influencing decisions about if and when to have children.These expectations, the report argues, not only discourage parenthood but also limit the personal and professional agency of women.In response to these challenges, the UNFPA has proposed a five-pronged framework to guide India toward demographic resilience,advertisementUniversal access to sexual and reproductive health services: Including contraception, safe abortion, maternal healthcare, and infertility treatment.Removing structural barriers: Through investments in childcare, education, housing, and workplace flexibility.Promoting inclusivity: By extending healthcare and reproductive services to unmarried individuals, LGBTQIA+ communities, and marginalised populations.Enhancing data and accountability: Going beyond fertility statistics to track unmet needs and bodily autonomy.Driving social transformation: Via community-led campaigns that challenge stigma and improve reproductive health literacy.'The real fertility crisis is not how many children people are having, but that so many are unable to have the children they want, if and when they want them," the report concludes.

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