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How much control do women around the world truly have over their reproductive lives? That critical question is at the heart of the 2025 State of World Population Report by UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund). Rutgers launched the report in the Netherlands – in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UNFPA – under the title: “The Real Fertility Crisis: The Pursuit of Reproductive Agency in a Changing World.”
Reproductive agency under pressure
This year’s report focuses on the gap between people’s reproductive aspirations and their lived realities. Drawing on large-scale research across 14 countries and over 14,000 people, the findings are sobering.
- Nearly 20% of reproductive-age adults believe they will be unable to have the number of children they desire
- Nearly 1 in 3 have experienced an unintended pregnancy
- 39% reported financial limitations had affected or would affect their ability to realise their desired family size
Women and girls across the world often lack the resources and support they need to prevent unintended pregnancies, while others face systemic barriers when they do wish to have children. Financial insecurity, social stigma, lack of support services and restrictive policies are key contributing factors.
“Our goal with this research is to start a conversation and explore solutions,” said Seth Broekman, UNFPA country representative in Zambia, during the launch. He closed with a powerful appeal to uphold reproductive agency: the freedom and ability to make informed decisions about sexuality, family formation and one’s own body.
““Our goal with this research is to start a conversation and explore solutions””Seth Broekman, UNFPA country representative in Zambia
Dutch perspectives: reproductive intentions, freedom and policy
At the launch event in The Hague, Marieke van der Plas, Executive Director of Rutgers, stressed the importance of integrating the report’s findings into Dutch and international policymaking, especially in the run-up to national elections.
“This report reveals a global mismatch between reproductive intentions and actual outcomes,” she said. “We must ensure that these insights guide our policies, both at home and abroad.”
Sarah Dobbe, Member of Parliament (SP) and Co-Chair of the Multi-Party Initiative on Global Health and SRHR, and Peter Derrek Hof, Dutch Ambassador for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, formally received the report. Dobbe warned of the mounting resistance to reproductive and LGBTIQ+ rights worldwide, while Hof emphasised that reproductive health must be rooted in real-life experiences.
Reproductive agency is a universal right
The event concluded with a dynamic panel discussion featuring Seth Broekman, Peter Derrek Hof and Karin van der Velde of Rutgers. The panel underscored a central message: reproductive agency is not a luxury, but a fundamental right.
“It’s not about how many children people are having,” said Hof, “but whether they’re free to decide if and when to have them.”
The panel also discussed the Dutch context. While the Netherlands performs well in areas like access to contraception and maternity care, significant challenges persist:
- High childcare costs
- Discrimination in healthcare, particularly for migrants
- Limited access to accurate information for underserved groups
Van der Velde emphasised the importance of shared parental leave, sexuality education and early norm change to address structural inequalities. Broekman added that youth engagement in policymaking is essential, noting the global importance of investing in youth-friendly services and education.
Long-term commitment, lasting impact
Despite global financial pressures, the Netherlands continues to champion sexual and reproductive health and rights through multilateral partnerships and strong civil society engagement.
“Freedom of choice remains central to Dutch foreign policy,” Hof concluded. “Now more than ever, we must stand firm in protecting these hard-won rights.”
As the world grapples with demographic shifts, the 2025 State of World Population Report offers a clear message: the real crisis doesn’t lie in fertility numbers, but rather in a lack of freedom, equity and support for people to realise their reproductive goals.
Read the full 2025 State of World Population Report here.