Khaberni - The United Kingdom has experienced an unprecedented decline in fertility rates in recent years, in a trend that reflects broader demographic changes affecting most high-income countries, according to a recent analysis published by "Economic Observatory" and contributed to by a group of researchers.
According to the study, the total fertility rate in England and Wales decreased from 1.94 births per woman in 2010 to about 1.41 today, the lowest level ever recorded. This means that the number of children women are having is much lower than the population replacement rate of about 2.1 births per woman, which is necessary to maintain population stability.
This decline is not limited to Britain; most wealthy nations saw similar declines between 2010 and 2023, with significant differences between countries. In 2023, the fertility rate in France was 1.68, compared to just 0.72 in South Korea, reflecting a sharp disparity in global reproductive patterns.
The study divides the reasons for the decline into five main axes: higher education levels, increased economic costs of raising children, housing crisis, shifts in gender roles, as well as changes in preferences and lifestyles.
Survey data on generations and gender indicate that most individuals still want to have children, but this desire does not always translate into reality. Research consistently shows that people eventually have fewer children than they originally aspired to, revealing a gap between the desire and the actual ability to start a family.
The researchers warn that falling birth rates accelerate the aging of the population, which imposes long-term financial and social pressures on governments, particularly concerning pension systems and healthcare.
This concern has prompted several countries to launch policies encouraging higher birth rates, yet the study affirms that short-term solutions are insufficient.
The researchers believe that an effective response requires a comprehensive and long-term approach addressing the root of the problem by providing stable jobs, appropriate wages, and affordable housing, alongside policies that reduce the conflict between work and family life, and encourage men to share more equally in domestic care responsibilities and child-rearing.
In their analysis summary, Berington and Kolu call for shifting the focus from pursuing numerical fertility goals to promoting reproductive choice freedom. The success of policies should not be measured by an increase in birth numbers, but by how much they enable individuals to achieve their family aspirations and make their decisions freely and stably, as indicated by the analysis.
Between the desire to have children and the challenges of economic and social realities, the issue of fertility today serves as a mirror reflecting deeper transformations in contemporary lifestyle patterns, requiring precise handling that goes beyond traditional solutions.
