161. Risks of Family Formation

Fertility outcomes emerge as the product of institutional configurations that structure the feasibility, timing, and perceived risks of family formation. The policy challenge, therefore, is not to influence reproductive intentions directly, but to reshape the conditions under which such intentions can be realised. This requires moving beyond narrowly conceived pronatalist interventions toward a more comprehensive understanding of family policy as an enabling framework—one that addresses work-family reconciliation, access to housing, stability of employment trajectories, and the equitable distribution of care responsibilities.