UN Survey of 14,000 People in 14 Countries
Financial Constraints Cited as Main Reason for Not Having Children
South Korea Has the Highest Proportion Giving Up on Childbirth Due to Economic Reasons
As the issue of low birth rates becomes increasingly serious worldwide, a UN survey report has found that many people are giving up on having children due to financial difficulties and other reasons. In particular, 58% of respondents in South Korea cited financial reasons for giving up on childbirth, the highest among the 14 countries surveyed.
According to the "State of World Population 2025" report released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on June 10 (local time), a survey of 14,000 adults in 14 countries, including South Korea and the United States, found that a significant number of respondents said they were unable or would be unable to have as many children as they wished due to economic and social reasons. The countries surveyed included advanced economies such as South Korea, Germany, and Italy, as well as high-fertility countries like Nigeria in Africa.
The report revealed that, even as the global birth rate continues to decline overall, most respondents still expressed a desire to have at least two children. However, a substantial portion said they had given up or would have to give up on having children for practical reasons.
Among respondents of childbearing age, 18% said they believed they would not be able to have as many children as they wanted, and 11% said they expected to have fewer children than their ideal number. Among respondents aged 50 and older, who are past childbearing age, 31% reported having fewer children than they would have ideally wanted, according to the UNFPA.
The main reason cited for not having the desired number of children was economic. The most frequently selected factor for having fewer children than originally wanted, or for expecting to do so in the future, was "financial constraints" (39%). Among South Korean respondents, 58% cited financial constraints as the reason for giving up or planning to give up on childbirth, the highest among the countries surveyed. This was followed by job loss and employment instability (21%), housing issues (19%), and a lack of adequate childcare options (12%).
Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA, stated, "The world has entered an era of unprecedented decline in birth rates," adding, "The main reason for falling birth rates is that many people feel they cannot build the families they want, and this is the real crisis." She continued, "The problem is not a lack of willingness to have children, but a lack of options. The solution lies in responding to what people say they need, such as paid parental leave, affordable infertility treatment, and support from partners."
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