UNFPA Report Highlights India’s Reproductive Freedom Gap Amid Fertility Crisis

The United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) newly released State of World Population 2025: The Real Fertility Crisis report reveals systemic barriers obstructing reproductive freedom, highlighting India as a case in point. While global attention alternates between fears of population explosion or collapse, the report identifies the core issue as a mismatch between individuals’ fertility aspirations and their lived realities. It calls for empowering people with the means and autonomy to realize their reproductive goals.

In India, the study found that the country has reached the replacement-level fertility mark—roughly two births per woman. Yet, deep-seated regional disparities endure states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh continue to record high fertility rates, while Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi are already below replacement level. These divergences reflect uneven distribution in healthcare availability, educational attainment, income levels, and prevailing socio-cultural norms.

A major concern is unintended pregnancies, which affect over one-third (36%) of adult Indians surveyed. Meanwhile, nearly 30% reported being unable to fulfill their desired family size—whether it be having more or fewer children. Alarmingly, 23% found themselves experiencing both unintended and unmet fertility aspirations simultaneously. These figures underline a fundamental gap: women and couples lack sufficient control over their reproductive choices.

The report emphasizes key enablers for addressing the crisis: comprehensive access to contraception, inclusive sex education, robust family planning services, and social support systems that align with personal life choices. Without these, people face unwanted pregnancies or barriers to conceiving at preferred times—resulting in adverse outcomes for maternal and child health.

India’s unequal progress in reproductive health surfaces in stark regional differences. High-fertility states struggle with limited access to services and educational opportunities, inhibiting informed reproductive decisions. On the contrary, states with advanced healthcare and literacy have fertility rates well below replacement levels.

The UNFPA report posits that the "real fertility crisis" is not demographic imbalance but the unmet reproductive needs and aspirations of individuals. It calls for targeted policy interventions with a rights-based approach to reproductive health—prioritizing equitable access, informed consent, and the social infrastructure to support parenthood.

For India, the findings point to a critical inflection point. Having attained replacement-level fertility, the nation must now shift focus from controlling population growth to ensuring reproductive justice. Closing the gap requires empowered decision-making for couples—supportive systems for both aspiring parents and those aiming to avoid pregnancy.

UNFPA’s insights challenge prevailing narratives focused solely on population size. Instead, they emphasize quality and autonomy in reproductive experiences: ensuring that every pregnancy is planned, wanted, and aligned with individual life goals. Addressing this “fertility freedom gap” is crucial not only for individual wellbeing, but also for advancing broader social development.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sakshi Thakar/MSM)