WPD 2025: UNFPA, Intergenerational Understanding is Crucial to Build Trust, Strengthen Solidarity

By Adamu IMAM Bauchi

WPD 2025: UNFPA, Intergenerational Understanding is Crucial to Build Trust, Strengthen Solidarity

By Adamu IMAM, Bauchi

Intergenerational understanding is crucial to build trust and strengthen solidarity and fairness across generations, Only shared solutions, grounded in human rights, will meet the demands of a demographically diverse world.

This was disclosed in a statement by the UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem represented at the commemoration of World Population Day 2025 by Deborah Tabara Gender/Reproductive Health Analyst & State Programme Officer United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) held in Bauchi recently, with the Theme:  "Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world”. 

During the occasion the Executive Director Natalia explained that, the creative choices, not a  barriers, for young people to thrive, our human population is the subject of growing interest – and intensifying anxiety.

She further said, "the concerns that draw most attention are declining fertility rates, ageing and workforce shortages, 

while many still argue that the greatest threat to the planet is overpopulation. 

The real fertility crisis, however, is lack of reproductive agency"

Similarly, "Young people are too often unable to create the families they want, while at the same time being blamed for low fertility rates and saddled with the expectation of resolving them.

It is often assumed or implied that fertility rates are the result of free choice. Unfortunately, that is not the whole picture". She maintained.

Financial stress, health concerns, backlash against women’s rights, global conflicts and concerns about climate change are among the many reasons why young men and women today are not having the number of children they would like, 

She added that, "according to UNFPA’s recent State of World Population report. UNFPA surveyed 14,000 people around the world and found that 1 in 5 people under age 50 expect to end up with a family size different from their ideal -- and most of them expect they will have fewer children than desired. Of those over age 50, almost a third of respondents said they’d had fewer children than they wanted."

 

Natalia further expressed, "misguided assumptions – for example, that young people are prioritizing careers over children, or that “selfishness” is leading them off the path to parenthood – can influence policy decisions that often worsen issues they are intended to solve. 

We see this, for instance, when countries restrict the availability of contraceptives, leading to more unintended pregnancies." 

 

"Starting on this World Population Day, let’s listen to what young people want and need and create conditions that enable them to exercise their rights, make their own choices and enjoy a hopeful future". She said.

 

As one youth activist from Lebanon told UNFPA, “Young people are not just thinking about their future children – they are thinking about the world those children will inherit.”

 

Secure jobs and sufficient income for housing and other living costs would help young people feel financially stable and broaden their choices about when and whether to have children. 

Family-friendly policies – including affordable and accessible childcare, generous and flexible parental leave, and promotion of fathers’ participation in care-giving – can help prospective parents balance career and family goals.

 Investing in comprehensive sexuality education is another imperative that supports informed choices.  

 

She acknowledged that, "Ensuring access to sexual and reproductive health and rights is a cornerstone for sustainable, inclusive societies.

Let’s create the circumstances where people who deeply want to experience the joys and rewards of parenting can meet their fertility goals, 

where they have hope for a better tomorrow that is supportive of their choices and protective of their rights, one where they and their children will thrive.

UNFPA  reiterates it committed in the partnership with Bauchi State government to harness the dividend of its youthful population  in developing programmes, strategies, plans, and budgets that promote inclusivity and equality.

 She further affirmed, "UNFPA remains the United Nations Agency for Reproductive Healthy, our mission is to deliver a world where all pregnancy is wanted, all maternal birth safe and all young person’s achieve their potentials.

Highlights of the occasion was allocating topics to youth groups in a focus group discussion to talk on issues affect them and the generality of the people and suggestion on how the world leaders across all levels can render support to the vulnerable members of the society for a better tomorrow.

The 2025 commemoration of world population day in Bauchi state was attended by many dignitaries across the state including youth groups from different organizations and secondary schools children as well as other invited Stakeholders.