SINGAPORE: Singapore’s resident total fertility rate has fallen below 1.0 for the first time ever. Based on first approximations, the overall fertility rate decreased to 0.97 in 2023, a further decline from the previous record of 1.04 in 2022 and 1.12 in 2021.
Singapore’s low fertility is caused by a number of factors. Indranee Rajah, a minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), stated in parliament on Wednesday, February 28, that some are temporal. For example, couples whose plans for marriage were interrupted by COVID-19 may have postponed their plans to have children. She said that some people have expressed worries about the expenses of raising children, the pressure to be a perfect parent, or challenges juggling job and family obligations.
The minister also brought up the fact that Singapore’s low reproduction rate is a reflection of a global trend in which social norms and personal interests have changed. Introducing the PMO’s objectives, Ms. Indranee stated that the government is investigating ways to expand paid parental leave. “We have to acknowledge that workplace modifications are necessary, and employers might encounter difficulties in organizing substitutes for their workers’ prolonged absences,” she stated.
According to Ms. Indranee, the administration will discuss future improvements with its tripartite partners and gradually implement any suggested modifications.
She also cited the feedback from parents, according to which a child’s care demands peak in the first 18 months of life. Singapore’s overall fertility rate drops to 0.97, a record low. The overall fertility rate in Singapore drops to a record-low of 0.97.
Although Singapore’s overall fertility rate has been declining for some time, this is the first instance where it has dropped below 1.0. Close-up of a baby’s hand; Singapore’s overall fertility rate drops to a record-low of 0.97.
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