The planet is still on track to nearly 10 billion people by 2050, yet most families are having fewer children than they want. Longer lives, lower fertility and uneven migration now demand a rethink of how societies support parents and care for an ageing population.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) projects that global population will grow another 20-30% from 2020 to 2050 before starting to level off around 2100.
Behind the headline figure, average fertility has plunged from five children per woman in the 1950s to 2.3 today and is expected to reach the “replacement level” of 2.1 by mid-century.
Two-thirds of humanity already lives in low-fertility contexts, where economic pressure, costly housing and education, unequal care duties and patchy reproductive-health services keep birth rates below what couples say they would like.
Short-term fixes such as baby bonuses rarely work, UNFPA warns. Instead, evidence shows that affordable childcare, flexible work, shared parental leave, gender equality and secure incomes help families reach their desired size while preparing economies for older populations.
The report also said that countries which overhaul pensions, healthcare and workplace rules early can turn demographic change into an opportunity rather than a crisis.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was not ready to make what he called the "right deal" with Washington as tensions persisted over th...
A large-scale drone attack has hit Russia's Samara region, damaging facilities and disrupting operations at an Ozon logistics complex, accordin...
Pakistan says it has added 12 sites to its UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, taking the total from 25 to 37 and widening the country's r...
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Russia is open to listening to new proposals on how to reach a settlement on the Ukraine conflict, a senior Russian diplomat said, but any proposals should reflect the "realities on the ground".
A large-scale drone attack has hit Russia's Samara region, damaging facilities and disrupting operations at an Ozon logistics complex, according to regional authorities and the company.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was not ready to make what he called the "right deal" with Washington as tensions persisted over the war and the Strait of Hormuz.
Türkiye said on Thursday it would continue helping Syria strengthen its military, despite rising tensions with Israel over Ankara’s role in the country.
Tunisian authorities have recovered the bodies of four migrants after a boat carrying 15 people capsized off the southeastern coast, with search operations continuing for those still missing, according to a migrant rights group.
A large-scale drone attack has hit Russia's Samara region, damaging facilities and disrupting operations at an Ozon logistics complex, according to regional authorities and the company.
The United States has imposed 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods after Washington and Ottawa failed to reach a new trade agreement, with both sides accusing the other of derailing negotiations at the final stage.
Türkiye has asked Interpol to issue a red notice for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a criminal case linked to Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said on Friday.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 22nd of August, covering the latest developments.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment