Asia-Pacific’s future depends on giving young people hope, says UNFPA official

July 14 (Daily Mirror) - The future of Asia and the Pacific will be shaped not by fertility rates or population trends alone, but by whether young people have reason to hope, according to UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Director Dr. Aleksandar (Sasha) Bodiroza.

In a statement issued to mark World Population Day, Dr. Bodiroza said governments across the region are increasingly focused on declining fertility rates, ageing populations and demographic shifts, but warned that public debate often overlooks the real challenges facing young people.

He said decisions about pursuing higher education, starting a family or remaining in one's community are influenced not only by personal preferences but also by access to opportunities and economic security.

Citing findings from UNFPA's Demographic Futures Survey, one of the largest studies of its kind, Dr. Bodiroza said most young people still aspire to marriage, parenthood and family life. However, many are uncertain whether those goals are achievable due to rising living costs, housing insecurity, unstable employment and widening inequalities.

"Young people consistently identify financial security, stable employment and a sense of readiness as among the most important conditions for starting a family," he said.

Dr. Bodiroza noted that many young people are not choosing between career and family, but are struggling to secure the conditions needed to pursue both. He added that poverty, discrimination and harmful social norms continue to limit opportunities for many, while young women remain disproportionately burdened by unpaid care responsibilities and unequal access to decent work.

He also highlighted climate change as an additional source of uncertainty, saying young people across Asia and the Pacific are growing up amid increasing extreme weather events, environmental degradation and climate-related displacement.

Dr. Bodiroza stressed that hope is built through investments in quality education, decent jobs, affordable housing, healthcare, social protection and gender equality, rather than through policies aimed at influencing personal reproductive choices.

He said sustainable responses to demographic change must focus on expanding opportunities and protecting rights, enabling young people to make informed decisions about their futures.