In a world of kinetic wars and increasing expenditure on defence and security - coupled with the culture wars so exacerbated by the extremes of left and right - we often forget, or probably ignore, the wider context of bombs and ideologies: people. And in many parts of the world humans are diminishing in numbers, rapidly - apart from most parts of Africa, no continent any longer attains the 2.1 replacement rate of fertility.
The United Nations Population Fund just released an important report on this reality. The Fertility Fallacy presents fascinating insights on the roles of income, expectation and the inadequacy of policies seeking to either boost fertility or blame one of the genders (usually women). At base, it suggests people are not irrational: if they feel insecure, and the choice is in their hands, they will have less babies.
The core problem is, of course, the future: who will work to pay for the aging populations? Who will inhabit the earth? How can we deal with these issues and changes better? Birgit van Hout is very well placed to provide a comprehensive picture: as Director of the UNFPA Representation Office to the European Union she not only deals with these issues daily, but also sits in the continent with the lowest overall fertility rate.
An important and lively discussion on the underpinning realities of our lives and societies, in the most basic and crucial sense.
This episode was recorded on 12 June 2025
Chapters
Can women really have it all?
Why are women having fewer children than they want?
The real crisis behind the demographic decline
How COVID, war and media affect younger generations
The backlash against women’s rights and roles
What is comprehensive sexuality education — and why it matters?
What solutions are there to the fertility crisis?
Mentions
New York Times article on the report
EU Work-life balance directive
Giles Merritt Timebomb
Follow
Birgit Van Hout LinkedIn X/Twitter
European Leadership Network Twitter, LinkedIn, website
Credits
Production: Florence Ferrando
Music: Let Good Times Roll, RA from Uppbeat
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