British supermodel Naomi Campbell has expressed concern that young women today are not having children, claiming that many of them will change their mind later in life.
Speaking during a recent interview with The Times, Campbell claimed that many young women today forego having children due to the financial cost associated with parenthood.
“I have heard a lot of young girls saying that it is too expensive to have children, and they may not want them,” she said.
“And I have said, ‘You will change your mind. You will want to be a mum.’”
Campbell went on to describe the experience of her own mother, who she said had children with “nothing”.
“I understand economically it is tough,” the 54-year-old said.
“But my mum had nothing and she made it work. It’s worth it. It is so amazing.”
She added: “I hope for a better world for my children. They are 110 percent my priority. I have to be there for them on their first day at school.
“My babies are everything to me. It’s made me fear for the future.”
Campbell made headlines in 2021 and 2023 when she had two children by surrogacy, raising them as a single parent.
The comments come as, in Ireland’s recent local election, one newly-elected Independent Councillor in Kildare made headlines after he called for tax incentives for women who have more children to combat Ireland’s declining birth rates and demographics.
“They are not having enough children. I want to incentivise that, free childcare to have children and to give them tax incentives.”
The last of Ireland’s 949 councillors to get elected is… interesting. https://t.co/Kwu5HSB4o4
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) June 12, 2024
“My agenda going forward will be to look after the women of Ireland and make sure they have more children and give them tax incentives,” said Councillor Tom McDonnell in Newbridge LEA, speaking to the media after his electoral victory.
“The more children they have the more tax breaks they get. They are not having enough children. I want to incentivise that, free childcare to have children and to give them tax incentives.”
McDonnell added that incentives would enable women to work outside the home.
“If we don’t have women breeding, we die out as a breed – we don’t want that to happen,” he added.
A similar call was made by Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald during the 2020 General Election campaign, when she said that Ireland’s pensions timebomb could be addressed by looking to “demographics” as the solution. Asked if she was “encouraging people to procreate”, McDonald shot back at the time: “Absolutely.”
Birth rates and population have become an increasing issue of discussion among many European leaders in recent years.
In March of this year, the authors of a Lancet study urged national governments to plan for “emerging threats” to the economy, food security, health and more, as declining birth rates and demographics are set to have “immense implications” and “transform the way we live.” The study claimed that by the year 2100, only six nations in the entire world will have fertility levels above replacement rate.
The authors of a Lancet study have urged national governments to plan for “emerging threats” to the economy, food security, health and more as declining birthrates and demographics are set to have “immense implications” and “transform the way we live.”https://t.co/1e24LRYQ2u
— gript (@griptmedia) March 21, 2024
According to the most recent EU figures, Ireland’s birth rate has dropped sharply in the past decade, reaching its lowest level in over 60 years.
Ireland's birth rate drops sharply to reach lowest level in decades https://t.co/cAq5bPnlmD
— breakingnews.ie (@breakingnewsie) March 8, 2024