By Sukoluhle Ndlovu
Young Zimbabwean adults are putting their dreams of starting families on hold as unemployment, financial uncertainty, economic hardship and the high cost of living make it increasingly difficult to achieve the stability associated with marriage and parenthood, according to a new survey.
For many young Zimbabwean adults, securing a stable income has become a greater priority than settling down. Even those with formal employment often struggle to afford basic necessities, let alone the costs of raising children, including healthcare, education, housing and food. As a result, growing numbers of young adults are postponing marriage until their economic circumstances improve.
This is reflected in the 2026 Demographic Futures Survey, conducted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which found that while young people still want to marry and have children, economic insecurity, unstable housing and limited access to reproductive healthcare are standing in their way.
“In Zimbabwe, as elsewhere, the path to a resilient and prosperous future lies in our ability to listen to young people and create the conditions where they can thrive,” said UNFPA Zimbabwe Representative Miranda Tabifor.
“The Demographic Futures Survey confirms that young people value partnership and parenthood, but their ability to realise these aspirations is hampered by systemic barriers. We must move beyond simply managing demographic shifts to actively investing in the capabilities, health and rights of our youth.”
The survey, which covered 108,000 young adults aged 18 to 39 across 73 countries, was launched in Harare by the Government and UNFPA to mark World Population Day.
According to the survey, financial security, stable employment and emotional readiness are among the main considerations for young adults deciding when to become parents.
Zimbabwe’s fertility rate stands at 3.9 children per woman, with urban women averaging 3.1 children per woman, compared with 4.6 among rural women.
The gap is also evident across education levels, with women who have attained higher education averaging 2.6 children per woman, compared with 5.1 among women with only primary education.
UN Resident Coordinator Rosemary Kalapurakal said young people should be given the opportunity to shape the country’s future.
“Zimbabwe’s youth are not passive bystanders; they are the active architects of their own future. The United Nations remains steadfast in ‘Delivering as One’ to support Zimbabwe’s national priorities,” she said.
“Our position is clear: youth empowerment is not merely a project, but the baseline of all sustainable development.”
Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training Minister Tinoda Machakaire said the Government views Zimbabwe’s youthful population as an opportunity for national transformation.
“For Zimbabwe, population metrics are not sterile figures on a balance sheet. Our population of more than 17.2 million carries a distinct and powerful signature: a median age of just 18.3 years. More than 60% of our citizens are young people. This is our demographic dividend,” he said.
“The Government of Zimbabwe does not view this youthful population bulge as a burden, but as our ultimate, sustainable engine for national transformation.”
Demographers and social commentators warn that if Zimbabwe’s economic challenges persist, the country could face profound demographic and social changes, including declining fertility rates, delayed family formation, an ageing population over the long term and shifting attitudes towards marriage and parenthood.
For many young Zimbabweans, the dream of starting a family has become less a matter of personal choice than one dictated by economic realities.
