By Amin Kef-Ranger
On the occasion of World Population Day on July 11, 2025, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director, Dr. Natalia Kanem, issued a powerful statement urging Governments and societies worldwide to focus on enabling young people to thrive by creating choices rather than barriers around family planning and reproductive rights.
Dr. Natalia Kanem highlighted growing concerns about global demographic trends such as declining fertility rates, ageing populations and workforce shortages. However, she emphasized that the real crisis is not low fertility itself, but the lack of reproductive agency among young people, who often cannot have the families they desire.
“Too often, young men and women are blamed for low fertility rates and expected to resolve these demographic challenges, while they face financial stress, health concerns, backlash against women’s rights, conflicts and climate change worries,” Dr. Natalia Kanem said. She referenced findings from UNFPA’s recent State of World Population report, which surveyed 14,000 people worldwide. The report revealed that one in five people under 50 expect to have fewer children than they ideally want and nearly a third of those over 50 admitted to having fewer children than planned.
The Executive Director cautioned against misguided assumptions that young people prioritize careers over parenthood or are “selfish” in their family planning choices. Such assumptions, she noted, can lead to harmful policy decisions, such as restricting contraceptive access, which often worsen rather than solve the problems.
Dr. Natalia Kanem urged Governments to listen carefully to young people’s needs and to create conditions that support their rights and choices. She pointed out the importance of secure jobs, adequate income, family-friendly policies including accessible childcare, flexible parental leave and promoting fathers’ involvement as well as comprehensive sexuality education to help young people make informed decisions.
“As one youth activist from Lebanon said, ‘Young people are not just thinking about their future children; they are thinking about the world those children will inherit,’” Dr. Natalia Kanem reflected.
She concluded by underscoring the necessity of intergenerational understanding and solidarity to address demographic challenges fairly and sustainably. “Ensuring access to sexual and reproductive health and rights is fundamental to building inclusive societies where all can thrive,” Dr. Natalia Kanem said.
World Population Day 2025 thus calls for a renewed commitment to empowering young people with the freedom and support to shape their futures and families on their own terms.
