Contrary to popular belief, young people around the world have not given up on marriage or parenthood.
They are, however, taking a step back and putting more thought into committing to a lifelong partnership and having children.
Rather than a complete lack of desire, a new report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) proves that it’s due to young people finding difficulty in imagining and building a secure future.
The 2026 Demographics Futures Survey – which gathered responses from more than 100,000 participants aged between 18 and 39 from 73 countries – addresses the common narrative that younger generations are shying away from family life amid falling fertility rates.
According to the survey findings, more than two thirds of respondents said they want to marry or live with a partner, while having two children is the most commonly reported ideal family size.
The report also suggests that economic realities today are becoming barriers to many young adults who want to achieve the lives they envisioned for themselves.
“Economic and housing constraints constitute the most common obstacles to forming partnerships,” UNFPA states.
Financial stability turns out to be the most important consideration before entering a partnership, cited by more than 80% of the respondents, while close to 90% noted it was essential before becoming parents.
Furthermore, stable employment and emotional readiness were also ranked among the priorities young people believe should be in place before starting a family.
Prevailing optimism
That said, it was discovered that optimism remains surprisingly strong as more than half of them felt somewhat or very positive about the future despite conflict, economic insecurity and inequality.
“The findings paint a picture of hope under pressure: young people have not lost faith in family; rather, they are waiting for a world that protects their dreams,” UNFPA says.
It is also important to note that while the data are weighted by age, sex and education level, the survey is not nationally representative and should not be generalised to the broader population.
It merely offers a benchmark into the concerns, priorities and ideal conditions of young adults across different regions when it comes to shaping their decisions regarding partnership and parenthood.
UNFPA also notes that the findings act as a call to action in shifting how governments and societies respond to declining birth rates.
Rather than simply focusing on increasing the population numbers or blaming younger generations for delaying marriage and having children, policymakers and corporate leaders are urged to address the systemic barriers that influence their choices.
“This report moves the conversation away from panic, population targets and assumptions about young people’s choices.
“Instead it focuses on the social, economic and institutional conditions that enable young people to have the families they want and build the lives they aspire to lead.”
The report concludes that the data strongly indicates that long-term investments in matters like quality education, affordable housing, employment security, reproductive healthcare and social protection will allow the youths to contribute strongly to innovative, strong and economically thriving societies.
