December 2017
No. 2017/10
1
POPFACTS, No. 2017/10
December 2017
1. Fertility levels vary greatly across the world
2. Countries with higher levels of fertility are more
likely to have policies to reduce fertility
Figure 1. Fertility levels of countries, by region and policy
orientation toward fertility (one dot = one country)
3. Countries with fertility below the replacement
level tend to have policies to increase fertility
4. Most governments provide direct support for
family planning
Total fertility (children per woman)
Lower
Maintain
Raise
No policy
Government policies to raise or lower the fertility level
Table 1. Policies to influence the level of fertility,
by region (percentage of governments)
Raise
Maintain
Lower
No
intervention
Number
of
countries
World
28
15
42
15
197
Africa
4
7
83
6
54
Asia
38
21
38
4
48
Europe
66
9
0
25
44
Latin America*
9
27
33
30
33
Northern America
0
0
0
100
2
Oceania
19
19
56
6
16
Oceania
Northern
America
Latin
America*
Africa
Asia
Europe
2.1
5.0
2
POPFACTS, No. 2017/10
December 2017
Figure 2. Type of government support
for family planning, 2015
5. Gaps persist in access to family planning
6. Many governments have instituted policies to
influence the balance between work and family
obligations
Figure 3. Policy measures concerning childbearing and
child-rearing to improve work-family balance, 2015
(percentage of governments)
__________________
SOURCES
99
98
100
67
96
57
63
96
52
54
73
48
41
67
32
31
69
18
28
61
16
World More developed
regions
Less developed
regions
Maternity leave with job security (paid or unpaid)
Child or family allowances
Publicly subsidized childcare
Paternity leave with job security (paid or unpaid)
Baby bonus
Flexible or part-time work hours
Tax credit for dependent children
