Lower Fertility Webinar Series

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We are in the midst of an unprecedented and global shift to lower fertility. In Europe and East Asia, fertility rates are so low that each generation will be half the size of the preceding one. Even many middle- and lower-middle-income countries, like Uruguay and Bangladesh, have fertility rates below replacement. What does this new reality mean for the way we live, work, and plan for the future?

Our new webinar series will explore the implications of lower fertility in four critical areas—family planning and reproductive health, the future of work, depopulation and resilience, and national security. Centering data and evidence in our discourse, we’ll tackle such questions as:

• How do the challenges and opportunities brought by slower population growth and age structural shifts vary around the world?
• Which sectors and stakeholders are most affected, and in what ways?
• Are there any aspects of the low fertility panic that are warranted, and what kinds of ideas have been proposed to counter them or promote resilience?

The first webinar, centering on family planning and reproductive health, took place on June 26; the recording is available below. Watch this space for details on the rest of the series.

Webinar 1

Challenging the Low-Fertility Panic: A New Narrative for Reproductive Health

June 26 at 10:00 am ET

In the new lower-fertility world, how can we create supportive policies and healthcare access that ensures reproductive autonomy? While the global population is still growing, two out of three people worldwide live in a country with below-replacement fertility rates. No matter the setting, there are people having fewer children than they desire, and more children than they intended. How can we help support women, couples, and families to achieve their intended family size—including ensuring broad access to contraception and family planning services, as well as assisted reproductive technology?

Panelists: 

• Fadekemi Akinfaderin, Chief Global Advocacy Officer, Fòs Feminista
• Traci Baird, President and CEO, EngenderHealth
• Alessio Cangiano, Acting Chief, Population and Development Branch, UNFPA
• Jessica Grose, Opinion Writer, The New York Times
• Sanghamitra Singh, Chief of Programs, Population Foundation of India
• Yohannes Dibaba Wado, Research Scientist, African Population and Health Research Center

Moderated by: Apoorva Jadhav (Demographer), Jennifer Sciubba (PRB)

Read the follow-up blog: You Asked, We Answered.