The roundtable, “Lives, Choices and Futures,” brought together representatives of government institutions, research centres, academia, national institutes and youth to discuss young people’s life goals and aspirations and the conditions shaping their decisions about the future.

Held shortly after the 2026 International Youth Day, celebrated under the theme “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” the discussion also built on the 2026 World Population Day theme, “Realizing the hopes and aspirations of young people, today and for the future.”

The UNFPA Demographic Futures Survey, “Lives, Choices and Futures: What young adults want and what shapes their decisions about relationships and parenthood,” is one of the largest international studies to date exploring young people’s aspirations, choices and experiences around relationships and parenthood. 

More than 108,000 people aged 18–39 across 73 countries and territories participated in the survey. In Kazakhstan, 836 young people took part, including 472 women and 364 men. As the survey was conducted online, its findings reflect the perspectives of internet-connected young adults and are intended to complement other national data sources.

The findings challenge assumptions that younger generations are turning away from marriage and family life. In Kazakhstan, more than 72% of respondents said they would like to marry, indicating that marriage remains an important aspiration for many young people. In her remarks, Ms Chinwe Ogbonna, UNFPA Country Representative in Kazakhstan, emphasized the importance of placing young people’s voices and lived realities at the centre of demographic discussions, particularly in Kazakhstan, where more than half of the population is under the age of 35, around 44% is under 25 and approximately 30% is under 15. 

“Across their diversity, young people want many of the same things: meaningful relationships, marriage and children, supported by economic stability and adequate housing. What we are seeing is not unwillingness to build families, but uncertainty about the future — and whether and when young people can create the families they want,” Ms Ogbonna said.

The survey also shows a gap between aspirations for children and the number of children respondents have later in their reproductive years. Among respondents aged 18–39 in Kazakhstan, the average ideal number of children was 2.7 for women and 3.2 for men. Among respondents aged 35–39, the average number of children reported was 1.4 for women and 1.0 for men.

Among childless respondents aged 35–39, aspirations for parenthood remained strong: 97.2%  of women and 100%  of men said they would ideally like to have children.

Financial security was identified as an important condition for becoming a parent by 74.6% of respondents in Kazakhstan, followed by homeownership at 71.7%  and stable employment at 68.4%. Psychological and emotional readiness was considered important by 64.6%. 

Economic and housing constraints were also identified as the leading barrier to having children, with 41.3% of respondents describing them as very important. The same factors emerged as the leading barrier to partnership, cited as very important by 32.3% of respondents.

Together, the findings show how young people are balancing aspirations for relationships and parenthood with considerations around employment, housing, financial security and broader uncertainty about the future.    

With a large young population, Kazakhstan has an opportunity to invest in a generation that will shape the country’s social, economic and demographic future. Ensuring that young people have access to education, health, skills, employment and opportunities will be critical to realizing this potential.

Prepared for the website: Nelofar Noori