Fertility Decline in the GCC: Causes and the Way Forward Evidence from Qatar

Abstract

Fertility rates in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have been declining in recent decades. This decline has been attributed to a number of factors, including urbanization, education, and employment opportunities for women. A mixed-method study was conducted in Qatar to explore the causes of fertility decline and to develop recommendations for addressing this issue. This study investigates the factors that contribute to the decline in fertility rates in Qatar. The study uses a mixed-methods approach, combining a quantitative survey of 4,271 individuals with a qualitative study of 58 semi-structured interviews. The study findings indicate that a number of factors are contributing to the decline in fertility rates in Qatar, including structural factors such as celibacy and delayed marriage, changing social and cultural values, individual preferences, lifestyle, the care for quality over quantity, economic factors including the high cost of marriage and the cost of childbearing, increased female labor force participation with lack of work-family balance policies, in addition to the health factors. The study also found that the factors that contribute to the decline in fertility rates vary by gender. For instance, men are more likely to cite economic factors as a major cause, while women are more likely to cite changing social and cultural values. The authors conducted benchmarking analysis as well to conclude by recommending a number of policies and programs that could help to slow down the drastic decline in fertility rates in Qatar and the GCC at large.