New workgroup to drive marriage and parenthood reset in S’pore amid record low fertility

SINGAPORE – A new inter-agency work group will aim to mobilise the broader society to support Singaporeans in marrying and having children, amid the Republic’s fertility rate declining to a new low of 0.87.

Aimed at helping Singaporeans as they navigate marriage and parenthood, the group will examine issues including financial costs, work-life support, housing, healthcare, pre-school and education.

The Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup, chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah, comprises eight other political office holders from the Health, Education, Manpower and other relevant ministries. It will produce a full report with its findings in early 2027, though it may make recommendations earlier.

Speaking to the media on April 29 at the Prime Minister’s Office at The Treasury, Ms Indranee said the work group marks a shift away from earlier approaches that focused largely on policy measures such as increasing subsidies, Baby Bonus payouts and Child Development Account support.

Instead, it aims to mobilise a broad range of stakeholders – including employers, religious organisations and the wider community – in what Ms Indranee described as a national, collective effort.

She noted that decisions around marriage and parenthood are shaped by intangible factors and cannot be addressed through policy alone. “We have identified mindset shift as a big part of the work... and (this) has to be done in collaboration with society,” she said. “So although we are a work group... my entire committee is whole of Singapore, because we need the whole of Singapore.”

Asked about measurable outcomes and timelines, she said there are no specific targets but added that she hoped there would be broader indicators of progress. “What would really, really be good is if we have more babies than we had last year, and if our TFR (or total fertility rate) figure is better than it was last year.”

She added that success would also be reflected in more opportunities for young people to meet and form relationships, and for those debating whether to have children to see that there is support and joy in having families.

Other signs of progress would include reduced stigma around fertility treatments and more progressive workplace practices that better support work-life balance.

The work group will focus on three areas: developing a long-term road map to reset societal perceptions and support for marriage and parenthood; proposing policy moves to address key concerns and enable these shifts; and mobilising society to support Singaporeans in their family journeys.

Ms Indranee said it will approach its work in two broad ways.

It will first focus on the Government’s role, including reviewing its policies to better support families in areas like the cost of raising children and access to affordable housing. It will also look at what society as a whole can do to contribute to this national issue.

“We will be engaging widely to get ideas and feedback and to secure the commitment of stakeholders,” Ms Indranee said. “I ask all Singaporeans to be part of this effort and to help change the trajectory of our TFR through the power of our collective effort.”

The work group, which had its first meeting in March, comes as the Republic hit its lowest resident TFR to date at 0.87 in 2025, down from 0.97 in 2024.

Ms Indranee said that if this trajectory continues, it will have “profound and serious consequences” for Singapore.

“This is an existential issue for us, and we must address it before it becomes irreversible,” she said. “Given the importance of this issue, it cannot be business as usual. We need a marriage and parenthood reset.”

The work group is supported by the National Population and Talent Division and will engage widely to gather ideas and feedback on policies. It will also seek the commitment of stakeholders, including employers, businesses, community organisations and individual Singaporeans.

The other members are:

Mr Goh said that through this work group, MSF and the Early Childhood Development Agency will review pre-school accessibility and affordability, and support parents. It will also build on recent enhancements to parental leave, guided by feedback from parents and employers.

The Government has enhanced its marriage and parenthood measures in recent years, including doubling paternity leave and making it mandatory for fathers, and introducing 10 weeks of shared parental leave.

Noting that many Singaporeans are navigating pressures of balancing work and parenthood commitments, Mr Dinesh said MOM will engage tripartite partners and take in feedback from both workers and employers to find practical approaches that support their needs.

On healthcare, Ms Rahayu said MOH will work with healthcare partners to raise awareness of fertility health and strengthen support for couples.

And in education, many families today feel the weight of expectations, whether around academic achievement or the idea of “perfect parenting”, said Ms Lau.

MOE will work with parents, schools and the wider community to build a more supportive environment where different pathways are valued.

Over the past year, MCCY and the National Youth Council have engaged young people on what matters to them. Many shared that while they are more connected online, it is not always easy to find a real sense of belonging, said Ms Goh.

She added that youth here want a Singapore where friendships can form more naturally across different backgrounds, and where everyone has a chance to be part of a community.

“MCCY will continue working with our partners to create more opportunities and spaces for youth to meet and form meaningful connections, because these relationships give young people the support and confidence to take the next steps in life.”

Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan said positioning the task ahead as a “reset” suggests bold and out-of-the-box approaches are needed to engender a family-friendly mindset across society.

“Given that small families have been the norm since the 1980s, changing how individuals, couples, businesses and the Government regard families will be the monumental challenge,” he said.

Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Social Lab adjunct principal research fellow and academic adviser Tan Ern Ser said the work group should focus not only on the “hygiene” factors relating to time, money, opportunity, and effort, but also on motivating factors like the attraction of being in a loving relationship with a spouse, and eventually having children.

Dr Melvin Tay, an IPS Social Lab research fellow, said stronger workplace support for parents, more flexibility and a more family-friendly society will inevitably involve trade-offs in areas like manpower planning and even short-term productivity.

“A successful Singapore cannot only be efficient and economically productive,” he added. “It must also be a place where people have the time, support and confidence to build relationships, care for loved ones and raise families.”