Asia’s Lack of Babies

Declining birth rates in East Asia could dent economic growth, notes an Asian Development Bank study. Increasing wealth correlates with low fertility rates. Bearing and raising children entails sacrifices that last at least two decades, and women easily ignore government calls for a hike in reproduction rates. Asia could follow the lead of Scandinavia, France or the US, suggests Philip Bowring for Asia Sentinel, noting “A seldom-noticed statistic is that all developed countries in the west with fertility rates close to the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman also have at least 40 percent of those births outside wedlock.” Asians typically frown upon births outside of marriage, Bowring explains, and link the Western trend with poverty, poor parenting and eroding values. More out-of-wedlock births would be a huge cultural shift requiring improved job security, child-care support and affordable housing. The report also concludes that traditional family support for the elderly is in decline. Bowring concludes that, like them or not, children are an investment in the future. – YaleGlobal