UN: Young People Willing to Marry and Have Children if Financially Secure

Young people around the world are willing to marry and have children if they are financially secure, according to a new United Nations report released on Wednesday. More than two-thirds of young adults favour an ideal relationship and living arrangement that includes marriage, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report stated, citing findings from its 2025-2026 Demographic Futures Survey. The survey encompassed over 108,000 people aged 18 to 39 connected to the internet in 73 countries and territories. In most regional groupings, a family with two children was the most commonly reported ideal family size. Larger ideal family sizes tended to be more frequent in West and Central Africa, as well as in East and Southern Africa, according to the report titled ‘Lives, Choices and Futures: What young people want and what shapes their decisions about relationships and parenthood’. The prerequisites deemed most important for feeling ready to become a parent were financial security (88 per cent), stable employment (87 per cent), and emotional readiness (85 per cent). Female respondents, on average, rated each of these prerequisites as more important than male respondents did. The joy and happiness that children bring was the most important reason for having children, with 80 per cent of respondents rating it as an important reason. This pattern was observed among both respondents who have children and those who do not. The survey showed that reasons related to government appeals and contributing to the future workforce were the least cited reasons for having children. Economic and housing constraints were considered the greatest barriers to having children, with 72 per cent of respondents rating these obstacles as important factors. The absence of a suitable partner and health and reproductive issues were the next highest barriers. ‘These findings are striking: the majority of young people aspire to form relationships and become parents,’ said UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita at the report’s launch. ‘Some have suggested that the younger generation is rejecting marriage and family life. However, our data shows that this assumption is simply not true.’ Yet, many young people feel that current conditions do not support achieving these goals, she added. ‘They are demanding conditions that enable choice: decent jobs, affordable housing, healthcare, sexual and reproductive health services, childcare support, parental leave, and gender equality at work and at home.’ Simply put, the factor making young people hesitant about starting a family is uncertainty, not unwillingness, Keita said. ‘The distinction matters. If we misdiagnose the problem, we risk designing the wrong solutions.’ A rights-based response to demographic change means ensuring every person has the capability, support, and opportunity to make some of the most personal and important decisions of their lives, Keita stated. ‘More than 100,000 young people have spoken. Now it is time to listen. In a fragmented world with dwindling resources, we need to ensure all future generations can thrive, for the sake of humanity and the planet.’