The 2025 State of World Population report by the United Nations Population Fund presents a bold rethinking of fertility concerns worldwide. Rather than sounding alarm bells over population decline, the report argues for a focus on reproductive empowerment — the freedom to decide if, when, and how many children to have.
This year’s report is titled as ‘The real fertility crisis: The pursuit of reproductive agency in a changing world’.
Rethinking The Fertility Crisis
- Reproductive Agency as the Core Issue: The report emphasizes that the real issue is not population decline but the widespread inability of individuals to meet their fertility preferences.
- New Global Survey Data: Insights are based on data from a UNFPA–YouGov survey across 14 countries, including India, highlighting reproductive constraints globally.
- Mismatch Between Desires and Reality: One in five individuals worldwide expect to have fewer children than they desire, pointing to deeper systemic issues rather than a simple demographic decline.
- Barriers to Parenthood: Key deterrents include high child-rearing costs, insecure employment, unaffordable housing, lack of partners, and broader uncertainties about the future.
- Health and Societal Pressures: Health issues such as poor general wellness (15%), infertility (13%), and inadequate access to maternal care (14%) also prevent many from starting families.
India’s Fertility And Population Dynamics

- Population Size and Growth: India’s population is projected to be 1.46 billion in 2025, continuing as the world’s largest. It is expected to rise to 1.7 billion before eventually declining by the 2060s.
- Decline in Fertility Rates: India’s total fertility rate has fallen to 1.9, which is below the replacement level of 2.1 — a critical marker for generational population sustainability.
- Demographic Profile: India’s youth population remains large with 24% under 14, 17% between 10–19, and 26% in the 10–24 age group. Meanwhile, 68% of the population is of working age (15–64).
- Rising Elderly Population: The elderly (65+) account for 7% in 2025, a number set to grow with life expectancy estimated at 71 years for men and 74 for women.
Challenges To Reproductive Freedom In India
- Economic Constraints: Nearly 40% of Indians cite financial hardship as a major reason for not having children, despite the desire to do so.
- Job and Housing Insecurity: Employment uncertainty (21%), lack of affordable housing (22%), and unreliable childcare services (18%) further hinder reproductive choices.
- Regional and Social Inequities: Barriers vary widely across states, income groups, and social categories, leading to a “high fertility–low fertility” divide within the country.
- Lag in Autonomy and Rights: While women’s rights and access to education have improved since the 1960s, many still lack full autonomy over reproductive decisions today.
Progress, Inequality, And The Way Ahead

- Historical Progress: Fertility in India has dropped from nearly six children per woman in 1960 to two today — a shift supported by better education and reproductive health access.
- Impact on Maternal Mortality: Declining fertility and better healthcare have significantly reduced maternal deaths, empowering more women to raise families and contribute to communities.
- Persistent Gaps: Despite gains, substantial disparities continue across caste, region, and income. This limits the ability of many to make informed reproductive decisions.
- Opportunity for Inclusive Growth: India’s demographic advantage can be fully realized only if reproductive rights are expanded and economic policies enable all individuals to make free choices.
Key Terms Related To Population
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) functions as a specialized agency under the UN General Assembly, playing a central role in promoting sexual and reproductive health worldwide. Its operations span across more than 150 countries, collectively representing around 80% of the global population.
Historical Background
- Founded in 1969 as the United Nations Fund for Population Activities.
- Renamed in 1987 as the United Nations Population Fund, acronym UNFPA retained.
- Guided by the 1994 ICPD Programme of Action and 2019 Nairobi Statement, emphasizing gender equality, reproductive rights, and youth empowerment.
Mission and Goals
UNFPA envisions a world where:
- Every pregnancy is intentional
- Every childbirth is safe
- Every youth reaches their full potential
It contributes toward the following Sustainable Development Goals:
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 4: Quality Education
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
Transformative Goals by 2030:
- Eliminate unmet need for family planning
- Eradicate preventable maternal mortality
- End gender-based violence and harmful practices (e.g., child marriage, FGM)
Institutional Structure
- Guided by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
- Reports to a joint Executive Board (shared with UNDP), comprising 36 member states
- Collaborates with WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, and UNAIDS for integrated development outcomes
Funding Mechanism
- UNFPA does not receive funding from the UN’s core budget
- Depends entirely on voluntary contributions from governments, private sector, and civil society organizations
UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Q1. In the context of any country, which one of the following would be considered as part of its social capital? (2019)
(a) The proportion of literates in the population
(b) The stock of its buildings, other infrastructure and machines
(c) The size of population in the working age group
(d) The level of mutual trust and harmony in the society
Ans: (d)
Q2. India is regarded as a country with “Demographic Dividend”. This is due to (2011)
(a) Its high population in the age group below 15 years
(b) Its high population in the age group of 15–64 year
(c) Its high population in the age group above 65 years
(d) Its high total population
Ans: (b)
Q3. The total fertility rate in an economy is defined as: (UPSC CSE 2024)
(a) the number of children born per 1000 people in the population in a year.
(b) the number of children born to couple in their lifetime in a given population.
(c) the birth rate minus death rate.
(d) the average number of live births a woman would have by the end of her child-bearing age
Read More Economy Notes
- India To Update GDP Base Year After A Decade
- World Bank Revises Global Poverty Estimates For 2025
- Purchasing Power Parity As A True Measure Of Economic Strength
- India Becomes The World’s Fourth Largest Economy
- Dark Pattern Practices Undermining Digital Consumer Rights
- How The Reserve Bank Of India Earns Its Income
- Understanding Headline And Core Inflation: Concepts, Differences, And Policy Implications