Economic and health barriers holding back parenthood, UNFPA claims

Millions of people are unable to have the number of children they want due to barriers related to economic and health factors, according to a new United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report.
The study reveals that a lack of choice, not desire, is what is stopping people from having the families they want, defying claims of people rejecting parenthood.
"Reproductive agency is more than just freedom from coercion or improved access to services, it is the full range of conditions that enable people to exercise their reproductive rights and ensure true choice, including gender equality, economic stability, decent health and confidence in the future," said Natalia Kanem, executive director at UNFPA.
UNFPA and YouGov conducted an online survey of more than 14,000 adults, both men and women, across 14 countries that together are home to over 37% of the global population.
The majority of both men and women in the four EU member states - Italy, Hungary, Germany and Sweden - analysed in the study indicated that two children is their ideal number.
Among these four EU countries analysed in the study, factors such as infertility and difficulty conceiving, as well as poor general health or chronic illnesses, impact Italy the most, with 15% and 13% respectively.
Germany and Sweden also reported similar issues.
Financial limitations are also one of the main issues keeping these countries from having more children, with Hungary reporting the highest rate at 34%.
Germany and Sweden have also pointed out financial limitations as a primary concern regarding their desired number of children.
Meanwhile, Italian respondents struggled the most with unemployment or job insecurity at 30%.
Concerns regarding the current political or social landscape were noted as a barrier by 19% of respondents in Italy.
Italian, Swedish, and Hungarian respondents were also concerned by the lack of a suitable partner, at 17%.
Only 15% of those surveyed in Germany shared this concern.
Police in the United Kingdom are searching for suspects and the military is reviewing its security procedures after pro-Palestinian activists broke into a Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire and damaged two planes with red paint, officials said on Friday.
The group Palestine Action said two members entered RAF Brize Norton, some 110 kilometres west of London, on Wednesday and used electric scooters to approach the Voyager jets, which are used for air-to-air refuelling.
The duo sprayed red paint into the planes' turbine engines with repurposed fire extinguishers. They caused further damage with crowbars, according to the group, which released video footage appearing to show an individual approach a jet and spray paint into the engine.
The activists left the base without being detained, Palestine Action said.
The group said in a statement that "despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets."
The Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident, saying: "We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets."
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the vandalism "disgraceful" in a post on X.
Thames Valley Police said in a statement that it had "received a report of people gaining access to RAF Brize Norton and causing criminal damage."
Officers were working with staff at the base and military police to arrest the perpetrators, the force said.
The government said two planes were being checked for damage and that the vandalism had not stopped any planned aircraft movements or operations.
"A full security review is underway at Brize Norton," Starmer's office said. "We are reviewing security across the whole defence estate."
Planes from RAF Brize Norton regularly fly to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, Britain's main air base for operations in the Middle East.
The UK has sent more Typhoon fighter jets and Voyager tankers to Cyprus since the Israel-Iran conflict started a week ago for what Starmer called "contingency support."
Iran has threatened to attack US, French and British bases in the region if those countries help Israel fend off Iranian strikes.

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