On 11 July – World Population Day, UNFPA Kosovo joined partners and stakeholders to launch two key reports that provide a clear picture of Kosovo’s changing population landscape and the broader global fertility debate.

The first, a new analysis by Instituti Riinvest based on the 2024 Kosovo Census, offers the most comprehensive portrait of Kosovo’s society in more than a decade. The findings reveal an urgent reality:

•    Kosovo’s population is declining, and fertility has fallen below replacement level.
•    Young people continue to migrate, both abroad and from rural areas to urban centers.
•    Ageing is accelerating, putting future pressure on pension and health systems.

The second, UNFPA’s flagship State of World Population Report 2025, highlights that the real fertility crisis is not that people are having fewer children, but that too many are unable to have the families they desire. Globally:

•    1 in 5 people say they will not be able to have the number of children they want.
•    Over 50% cite the cost of living as the main reason for postponing or limiting family size.
•    Nearly 1 in 3 adults has experienced an unintended pregnancy.
•    1 in 5 report being pressured into having children they did not want.

“These are not just numbers, they are stories of real people,” said Visare Mujko Nimani, Head of UNFPA Kosovo. “A young woman in Gjakova who cannot find maternity leave at her workplace, a young man from Mitrovica forced to leave his village because there are no jobs, or a couple in Peja unable to afford childcare and housing. These are the faces behind the statistics.”

Visare stressed that demographic change should not be seen as a threat but as a call to action. Instead of trying to “fix” fertility, societies must fix the systems that fail families. Solutions include:

•    Investing in affordable, quality childcare.
•    Guaranteeing paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers.
•    Creating flexible, secure jobs that allow families to balance work and care.
•    Expanding access to affordable housing and reducing urban–rural inequalities.
•    Ensuring universal access to education and sexual and reproductive health services.
•    Strengthening protections against discrimination, especially for women, young parents, and marginalized groups.

Kosovo still has one of the youngest populations in Europe. This is a unique opportunity—if supported by people-centered, rights-based policies that allow citizens to decide freely and responsibly if, when, and how many children to have.

“The real issue is not about numbers—it’s about rights, equality, and real choices,” Visare underlined. “Kosovo’s future depends on whether every person can live with dignity, opportunity, and hope.”

World Population Day 2025 served as a reminder: demographic challenges are not a countdown to crisis but an invitation to build smarter, fairer, and more inclusive policies. The data is clear. The time to act is now.