Kosovo is facing a notable population decline in recent years, primarily driven by high emigration and a falling birth rate. This alarming trend was highlighted during a roundtable in Pristina, organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to mark World Population Day.
UNFPA presented its global report “The State of World Population 2025: The Real Fertility Crisis”, which addresses one of today’s greatest challenges — many individuals’ inability to build the families they want.
Visare Mujko-Nimani, Head of UNFPA Kosovo, emphasized that the real issue is not low fertility, but systems that prevent people from having children.
“The real crisis is that many people can’t have the families they want,” she said. “People still wish to have two or more children, but they face barriers — unaffordable childcare, high housing costs, insecure jobs, and rigid workplaces. Women especially face impossible choices between motherhood and career growth. Marginalized groups — including single parents and LGBTQI+ persons — still face legal, social, or financial obstacles.”
She called for urgent investments in affordable childcare, paid parental leave for both parents, and flexible work conditions.
UN Development Coordinator in Kosovo, Arnhild Spence, stressed that Kosovo must act now to benefit from its demographic dividend before the window of opportunity closes.
“Kosovo is no longer growing. Since the 2011 census, the population has dropped by 8%. Fertility rates fell from 2.3 to 1.8. Meanwhile, the aging population is increasing.”
She emphasized that Kosovo needs to invest in education, healthcare, social protection, and stronger care systems that recognize unpaid care work and support families.
Alban Hashani, Executive Director of the Riinvest Institute, warned that the 2024 census shows a rapidly accelerating demographic transformation. Spatial inequalities are growing, with urban centers like Pristina expanding, while smaller municipalities, especially near borders, are becoming deserted.
“From 2020 to 2024, over 151,700 Kosovars have emigrated in search of better lives abroad. Improved healthcare has increased life expectancy, signaling Kosovo’s shift into an aging society,” he said. “The youth window is narrowing, and immediate action is required.”
Hashani also noted the emergence of entire villages that had residents in 2011 but are now completely uninhabited.
