UNFPA’s State of World Population Report 2025 was introduced in Australia at a parliamentary launch in Canberra, where policymakers, government leaders and partners gathered to examine the report’s insights on fertility trends and reproductive agency. Hosted in collaboration with the Australian Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (APGPD) and Family Planning Australia, the event created space for dialogue on how economic pressures, gender inequality and gaps in supportive systems are shaping people’s ability to make choices about starting or growing a family -- both in Australia and across the wider Asia-Pacific region.

The event was attended by Dr Anne Aly MP, Minister for Small Business, International Development and Multicultural Affairs; Ged Kearney MP, Assistant Minister for Social Services and the Prevention of Family Violence; APGPD Co-Chair Senator Mehreen Faruqi; Dr Aleksandar (Sasha) Bodiroza, UNFPA Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific (a.i.), and Ms Bidisha Pillai, UNFPA Director and Representative for the Pacific Islands. They underscored that the central issue is not low or high fertility, but whether people have the freedom, resources and support to realise their reproductive intentions -- a core message of this year’s report.

UNFPA also recognised Australia’s long-standing partnership, including support for humanitarian response, gender-based violence prevention, reproductive health supply chains and regional data and preparedness initiatives. This continued collaboration reflects a shared commitment to advancing rights, equity and reproductive choice for all people across Asia and the Pacific.

Date: Monday, 24 November 2025
Time: 11:30 - 12:30 p.m.
Venue: Parliament House, Canberra, Australia
For: Parliamentarians and development partners (by invitation only)