Millions of people around the world are unable to have the number of children they want – whether they want more, fewer, or none at all.

Recently, fertility declines are making headlines, with women all too often blamed for these demographic shifts. Some governments are employing drastic measures to incentivize young people to make fertility decisions in line with national targets.

But the real crisis is that the most consequential reproductive decision a human being can make – when, whether and with whom to have a child – is being undermined.

Together with YouGov, UNFPA conducted a survey of 14 countries to ask people whether they are having the families they desire. We found that alarmingly high proportions of adults are unable to realize their fertility intentions.