America News Agency

The agency took its strongest stance yet on the fertility decline, warning that hundreds of millions of people cannot have the number of children they desire due to the high cost of parenting and difficulty in finding a suitable partner.

UNFPA surveyed 14,000 people in 14 countries about their fertility intentions. One in five said they have not had or do not expect to have the number of children they want.

The survey included citizens from South Korea, Thailand, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Mexico, the USA, India, Indonesia, Morocco, South Africa, and Nigeria – accounting for a third of the world’s population.

These countries represent a mix of low-, middle- and high-income nations, as well as both low- and high-fertility countries.

UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem said, "The world has entered an unprecedented decline in fertility rates."

"Most survey participants want two or more children. Fertility rates are declining largely because many people feel they cannot have the families they desire. And that is the real crisis," she said.