Financial insecurity and unstable employment are preventing many young Ghanaians from achieving their aspirations of getting married and raising families, despite a strong desire among young people to do so, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has said in its latest report.
The findings were highlighted to commemorate this year’s World Population Day, under the theme “Realizing the hopes and aspirations of young people, today and for the future.”
According to the agency’s latest global report, “Lives, Choices and Futures,” most young adults continue to view marriage and parenthood as important life goals. The report is based on the Demographic Futures Survey, which gathered responses from more than 108,000 people aged 18 to 39 across 73 countries.
The survey found that more than two-thirds of respondents want to get married, while only a small minority said they do not intend to have children.
However, economic realities are influencing those decisions. About 88 per cent of respondents said financial security is essential before having children, while 87 per cent identified stable employment as a key requirement for starting a family.
Launching the report in New York, UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita said the findings challenge the notion that young people are turning away from family life.
“The findings are striking: most young people aspire to partnership and parenthood,” she explained.
She said many young people still aspire to become parents but are often unable to realise those ambitions because of financial and social barriers beyond their control.
The report also found that the emotional fulfilment associated with raising children remains a major motivation for parenthood, while government incentives ranked among the least influential factors.
For Ghana and the wider West and Central Africa region, the report noted that young people generally expressed a preference for larger families than respondents in many other parts of the world.
UNFPA said this presents Ghana with an opportunity to harness its youthful population for economic growth, provided investments are made in education, healthcare, skills development, and employment.
With more than half of Ghana’s estimated population under the age of 25, the agency said the country stands to benefit from a demographic dividend if young people are supported to make informed choices about their futures.
The report, however, warned that persistent economic challenges could continue to delay marriage and childbearing among young adults if adequate opportunities are not created.
The report also noted that Ghana’s total fertility rate has remained relatively stable at 3.9 children per woman since 2017, following a long-term decline from 6.4 children per woman in 1988.
While maternal mortality has fallen significantly over the past two decades, UNFPA said the country’s estimated ratio of between 253 and 263 deaths per 100,000 live births remains well above the Sustainable Development Goal target of 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.
