World Population Day: Empowering Youth to Build the Families They Want

Global fertility rates are falling, prompting warnings about “population collapse.” But the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)’s State of World Population report shows the real issue is a lack of reproductive agency—many people, especially youth, are unable to have the children they want.

World Population Day 2025 highlights this challenge, focusing on the largest-ever generation of young people. The theme, “Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world,” calls for ensuring youth have the rights, tools, and opportunities to shape their futures.

To respond to global population trends effectively, leaders must prioritize young people’s needs and voices. They need more than services—they need hope, stability, and a future worth planning for.  

 “Young people are not just thinking about their future children—they are thinking about the world those children will inherit.” Supporting their rights is key to sustainable development, peace, and human dignity.