Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR – 9 September 2025 – The Government of Lao PDR, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), commemorated World Population Day with a high-level event under the theme “Empowering young people to create the family they want.” The gathering spotlighted the central role of youth empowerment in national development by ensuring rights, choices, and opportunities for every young person. The event also marked the national launch of UNFPA’s State of World Population (SWOP) 2025 report, The Real Fertility Crisis, which calls for a shift from focusing on fertility targets to advancing reproductive agency—people’s ability to make free, informed decisions about if and when to have children

Co-chaired by H.E. Soulivath Souvannachoumkham, and Dr. Bakhtiyor Kadyrov, UNFPA Representative to Lao PDR, the event convened representatives from line ministries, the National Assembly, embassies, UN agencies, development partners, civil society, youth organizations and the private sector.

The SWOP 2025 report underscores that the challenge of our time is not over- or under-population, but a crisis of choice: economic pressures, gaps in services, and social constraints prevent millions from forming the families they desire. The report urges investment in quality sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, gender equality, comprehensive sexuality education, and policies that reduce financial precarity so women and men can exercise their reproductive intentions without pressure or coercion

This call resonates in Lao PDR, where adolescent birth rates remain among the highest in ASEAN—89 births per 1,000 girls aged 15–19—and one in five girls become mothers before adulthood. LSIS III data also show persistent gaps in women’s ability to make their own SRH decisions, with low autonomy in reproductive decision-making (17.6%) remaining a barrier to rights and health. 

Addressing the gathering,  H.E. Soulivath, Deputy Minister of Finance, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to youth as the engine of inclusive growth:

Young people are the majority of our population and the architects of our future. Our priority is to ensure they grow up healthy, educated and skilled—with the freedom to make decisions about their bodies and their lives. Investing in sexual and reproductive health, education, decent work and social protection is not a cost; it is a high-return investment in productivity and resilience for Lao PDR.

He emphasized the role of high-quality data, including the upcoming 2025 Population and Housing Census, in guiding budget allocations and policy choices that enable rights and unlock the demographic dividend.

Dr. Bakhtiyor Kadyrov, UNFPA Representative, called for an all-of-society approach that marries services with opportunity:

The real fertility crisis is not about numbers, it is a crisis of choice, of reproductive freedom and independence. When young people have access to comprehensive sexuality education, quality health services, and real economic opportunities, they can plan their lives: finishing school, building a career, and choosing parenthood on their own terms. Our task, together, is to remove the barriers—to expand youth-friendly services, close equity gaps, and make sure that jobs and housing keep pace with the cost of living. This is how we honour rights, and how we strengthen Lao PDR’s human capital.

Participants highlighted priority actions to translate commitments into measurable gains for adolescents and youth:

• Scale up comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in and out of school, aligned with global standards and adapted to local context.
   
• Expand adolescent and youth-friendly services (AYFS), including contraception and information, with a focus on underserved and rural areas.
   
• Invest in girls’ education, and life skills, and foster public-private partnerships for apprenticeships and decent work.
   
• Use LSIS III and the 2025 Census evidence to target resources where needs are greatest and to monitor progress on rights and choices.

Background

State of World Population 2025 – The Real Fertility Crisis: The report reframes the global debate, emphasizing that empowering people—especially women and youth—to make free, informed choices is the sustainable path for population and development. 

LSIS III (2023): The latest national survey provides critical evidence on adolescents’ and women’s health, autonomy and wellbeing to inform policy and programming. Key findings include high adolescent fertility and low autonomy in reproductive decision-making, underscoring the urgency of rights-based approaches. 

Census 2025: As the country’s first-ever digital census, results will guide the 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (2026-2030) and help target investments for children, adolescents and youth.