Amman, Aug. 25 (Petra) -- The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in Jordan on Monday launched the 2025 State of World Population Report, which reviews global and local fertility trends, reproductive health, and demographic challenges.

The report revealed an unprecedented global decline in fertility rates, raising concerns over aging populations and shrinking workforces, despite the world’s population surpassing 8 billion, UNFPA Representative in Jordan Himyar Abdulmughni said.

The problem lies not in a decline in the desire to have children, but in economic, social, health, and psychological barriers preventing families from realizing that desire, he stressed. He added that solutions must focus on expanding choices through health services, parental leave, flexible work policies, affordable childcare, and adequate housing, not pressuring families to have more children.

Secretary-General of the Higher Population Council Issa Masarweh said Jordan faces demographic challenges related to fertility and birth distribution, noting that 3.1 million births were recorded in the past 15 years, an annual average of 200,000.

He emphasized that better family planning services and broader use of modern contraceptives would strengthen couples’ reproductive rights.

UNFPA Monitoring and Evaluation Analyst Raed Zahrawi highlighted key findings from the report, while Department of Statistics official Taysir Miqdadi presented results from the 2023 Population and Family Health Survey, which showed Jordan’s total fertility rate averaged 2.6 births per woman over the past three years.

A panel discussion during the event addressed the health, social, and economic factors influencing fertility in Jordan, with experts stressing the need for improved policies and services to enhance reproductive health and tackle demographic challenges.

The full report is available here: (https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/AR_State%20of%20World%20Population%20report%202025.pdf).

//Petra// AO

25/08/2025 16:33:16