{"id":34089,"date":"2026-07-07T17:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T21:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/young-people-value-partnership-and-parenthood-but-barriers-block-their-dreams\/"},"modified":"2026-07-07T17:20:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T21:20:00","slug":"young-people-value-partnership-and-parenthood-but-barriers-block-their-dreams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/young-people-value-partnership-and-parenthood-but-barriers-block-their-dreams\/","title":{"rendered":"Young people value partnership and parenthood but barriers block their dreams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

That\u2019s\u00a0among the findings of a major new survey by the UN reproductive and sexual health agency, UNFPA<\/a>, which\u00a0also\u00a0challenges myths\u00a0surrounding\u00a0the so-called \u201cglobal baby bust\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u202fDemographic Futures Survey<\/a>\u00a0is among the largest and most geographically broad surveys of its kind.\u00a0\u00a0More than\u202f108,000 Internet-connected adults aged 18 to 39\u202ffrom\u202f73 countries\u00a0and territories\u00a0were\u00a0asked\u00a0their views on relationships,\u00a0children\u00a0and the future.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Remove the barriers<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

Across regions,\u00a0they\u00a0showed\u00a0remarkable\u00a0agreement\u00a0over\u00a0the biggest obstacles to partnership and parenthood, namely\u202ffinancial security, stable\u00a0employment\u00a0and housing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYoung people carry an inspiring sense of hope and a clear vision for their families and futures<\/strong>,\u201d\u202fsaid Diene Keita, Executive Director of UNFPA.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we break down financial barriers and support their agency, they can make the choices that are right for them. By investing in their dreams today, we are building a more resilient and thriving tomorrow.\u201d\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n

What young people want<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

The survey suggests that public debate surrounding fertility and demographic change has often focused on the wrong question. Rather than asking whether young people value family life, it asks what conditions are necessary for them to build the relationships,\u00a0families\u00a0and futures they want.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0report\u00a0debunks some of the myths around declining fertility rates.\u00a0UN data shows<\/a>\u00a0that\u00a0the average number of births per woman has declined from around five in the 1950s\u00a0and 1960s to just above two in 2024 and is projected to\u00a0fall to\u00a01.8 by 2100<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

More than half of all countries and areas, 55 per cent, now have fertility levels below 2.1 live births per woman \u2013 considered the\u00a0level for a population to replace itself over time with low mortality and no migration.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0UNFPA\u00a0survey\u00a0suggests\u00a0that public debate\u00a0on the issue is\u00a0often\u00a0rooted in\u00a0misconceptions,\u00a0speculation\u00a0and misogyny.\u00a0Instead, it shows\u00a0why so many\u00a0young people\u00a0cannot realize their aspirations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Partnership then parenthood<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

More than two thirds of respondents said\u00a0they want to marry or live with\u00a0a\u00a0partner,\u00a0and almost\u202f80 per cent\u202fsaid partnership was an important precondition for becoming a parent.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yet, among\u00a0those\u00a0aged 25 to 39,\u00a0about\u00a0a\u00a0quarter said they wanted a partner but were single and not dating, with men more likely than women to report this<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Moreover, 57 per cent of respondents said the\u00a0biggest\u00a0barriers to marriage or a stable cohabiting relationship were economic and housing constraints.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The findings mirror\u00a0testimony UNFPA\u00a0has gathered through its youth work.\u00a0\u00a0As one young woman from India\u00a0stated,\u00a0\u201cfinding the right partner is important because I believe that raising a child should be a shared responsibility with emotional and financial support from both parents.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Feminism\u00a0not\u00a0a factor<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

The survey also challenges claims\u00a0that feminism\u00a0is responsible for\u00a0fertility decline.\u00a0As\u00a0UNFPA noted,\u00a0many women still lack agency over their bodies and\u00a0reproduction.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

For example,\u00a0roughly one\u00a0tenth are unable to make choices about contraception, one quarter cannot make decisions about their own healthcare, and\u00a0one quarter\u00a0are unable to say no to sex.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0findings show that\u00a0attitudes to family-related choices were broadly similar among men and women, although women consistently rated barriers to having children\u00a0\u2013 such as financial concerns,\u00a0infertility\u00a0and chronic health issues \u2013\u00a0as more important than men did.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Birth misconception<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

Another myth claims that \u201ccollapsing\u201d teen birth rates are a problem for societies.\u00a0UNFPA stressed\u00a0that\u00a0declining\u00a0adolescent\u00a0fertility\u00a0rates are a public health success, not a demographic threat.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fewer adolescent pregnancies mean more girls\u00a0remain\u00a0in school and avoid the health risks\u00a0of\u00a0early pregnancy. Moreover, many\u00a0will\u00a0still become\u00a0mothers\u00a0later<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The survey data gave critical insight into what is keeping people from having the children they want, with financial security, stable employment and psychological and emotional readiness being the top three preconditions for parenthood.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBringing a child into the world is only one step. The\u00a0real challenge\u00a0is raising them,\u201d said a young man in Paraguay.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n

Children bring joy<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

The\u00a0survey\u00a0also\u00a0addressed two myths that are linked, namely that young adults are too selfish to have children\u00a0and that\u00a0people are not sufficiently incentivized to become parents.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The findings showed\u00a0that the most common reason respondents gave for wanting to become parents was the joy and happiness children bring.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

In fact, most respondents already have children. Furthermore, among\u00a0those\u00a0aged 35 to 39\u00a0who do not have children,\u202f79 per cent of men<\/strong>\u202fand\u202f72 per cent of women<\/strong>\u202fstill said they wanted to become parents.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As UNFPA stated, \u201cmost people are not selfishly refusing to become parents, nor are they waiting for babies to promise a better return on investment.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

That\u2019s\u00a0among the findings of a major new survey by the UN reproductive and sexual health agency, UNFPA, which\u00a0also\u00a0challenges myths\u00a0surrounding\u00a0the so-called \u201cglobal baby bust\u201d.\u00a0 The\u202fDemographic Futures Survey\u00a0is among the largest and most geographically broad surveys of its kind.\u00a0\u00a0More than\u202f108,000 Internet-connected adults aged 18 to 39\u202ffrom\u202f73 countries\u00a0and territories\u00a0were\u00a0asked\u00a0their views on relationships,\u00a0children\u00a0and the future.\u00a0\u00a0 Remove the barriers\u00a0 Across […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34090,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11611],"tags":[24120,230,9093,4268,6200,788,640],"class_list":["post-34089","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spyballoon-global-news","tag-barriers","tag-block","tag-dreams","tag-parenthood","tag-partnership","tag-people","tag-young"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",0,0,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",0,0,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",0,0,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",150,150,false],"medium":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",300,300,false],"large":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",1024,1024,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",1536,1536,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",2048,2048,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",370,265,false],"kava-thumb-s":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",150,85,false],"kava-thumb-s-2":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",230,230,false],"kava-thumb-m":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",400,400,false],"kava-thumb-m-vertical":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",370,500,false],"kava-thumb-m-2":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",570,450,false],"kava-thumb-l":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",1170,650,false],"kava-thumb-xl":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",1920,1080,false],"kava-thumb-masonry":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",600,999,false],"kava-thumb-justify":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/28-03-2024-UNIC-UNFPA-Indonesia-04.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",640,640,false],"kava-thumb-justify-2":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/servic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GLOBAL NEWS<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"That\u2019s\u00a0among the findings of a major new survey by the UN reproductive and sexual health agency, UNFPA, which\u00a0also\u00a0challenges myths\u00a0surrounding\u00a0the so-called \u201cglobal baby bust\u201d.\u00a0 The\u202fDemographic Futures Survey\u00a0is among the largest and most geographically broad surveys of its kind.\u00a0\u00a0More than\u202f108,000 Internet-connected adults aged 18 to 39\u202ffrom\u202f73 countries\u00a0and territories\u00a0were\u00a0asked\u00a0their views on relationships,\u00a0children\u00a0and the future.\u00a0\u00a0 Remove the barriers\u00a0 Across…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34089","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34089"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34089\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34091,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34089\/revisions\/34091"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34089"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34089"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34089"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}