ISLAMABAD: The United Nations World Fertility Report said that the fertility rate in Pakistan has declined from 6 children per woman in 1994 to 3.6 in 2024.
The preliminary unedited report, which has not yet been released, said that reducing the adolescent birth rate through targeted interventions brings profound socio-economic benefits, which could further accelerate the decline in the birth rate.
Reducing the growth rate of live births in the future will allow governments and families to allocate resources more effectively to invest in the health and well-being of children and adolescents.
Individually, avoiding having children at too young age can also open up opportunities for girls and young women to pursue further education, employment and other life aspirations.
The report reveals that in 2024, about 1.8 billion people, or 22 percent of the global population, will live in 63 countries and territories that are in the early or middle stages of the demographic transition and are expected to reach low fertility rates after 2054.
Governments in these territories, which are still far from completing the fertility transition, should strengthen laws and enforcement mechanisms to protect the rights of girls and women, including laws prohibiting child marriage and laws that guarantee full and equal access to sexual and reproductive health care, information and education.
For countries already grappling with economic, social and environmental challenges, managing population growth effectively will be crucial.
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By addressing these issues, countries can create healthier, more productive populations, improve living standards and ensure a sustainable future for the next generation, the report stated.
The report says that over the past half-century, global fertility rates have declined almost continuously, with the average birth rate per woman falling from 4.8 in 1970 to 2.2 in 2024. Women today have one fewer child on average than in 1990 when the global fertility rate was 3.3.
