Global fertility leaders have launched a new campaign highlighting the need for urgent action to support employees’ fertility well-being and future generations.
As part of its More Joy campaign, the International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS) is outlining eight steps employers can take to enhance work-life balance and fertility support in the workplace.
The IFFS has teamed up with Uganda-based Rainbow Hearts Foundation (RHF) to run a pilot project with three Ugandan companies, exploring how these policies can be applied in practice.
“Fertility challenges are one of the biggest demographic and workforce issues of our time,” said IFFS president Dr Marcos Horton.
“While Uganda’s total fertility rate remains relatively high at 4.28 in 2023, it has declined from 6.79 in 2000, reflecting global trends.
“Supporting employees to start or grow families requires more than medical solutions. Workplaces that empower families to thrive are just as crucial.”
Phiona N. Ngoga, founder and director of RHF
RHF founder and director, Phiona N. Ngoga, added: “Fertility challenges affect people worldwide, but experiences vary by region. National birth rates reflect averages, not every family’s reality.
“Providing clear guidance, flexibility, and understanding in the workplace can make a real difference for employees navigating infertility, it’s about helping them thrive, not just cope.
“Infertility is a workforce issue everywhere. Employers, policymakers, and community leaders must collaborate to ensure equitable access, informed policies, and supportive environments for anyone trying to start or grow a family.”
Through the More Joy campaign, IFFS works to raise awareness of infertility and support practical measures to make fertility care more accessible, affordable, and equitable worldwide.
Globally, fertility rates have fallen in many regions, averaging 2.3 children per woman in 2023, below the replacement level of 2.1 in some countries. By 2050, declining populations and shrinking workforces could place significant strain on healthcare systems, pensions, and economies worldwide.
The IFFS family-friendly framework sets out eight steps employers can take, including flexible working, enhanced parental leave, and childcare support, and recommends companies offer at least five of the following benefits:
Equal opportunities for employees who wish to start a family
Paid time off for fertility therapy
Insurance coverage or reimbursement for fertility treatments, including assisted reproductive techniques
Paid parental leave for new parents and for every child born or adopted
Childcare support (on-site or subsidised, nursing/parental rooms)
Health coverage plans that include employees’ children
Flexible work arrangements and hours
Housing assistance or support for affordable housing programs
Kampala’s Rainbow Hearts Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation focused on improving the health and well-being of people facing infertility, particularly where access to fertility care and workplace support is limited.
The IFFS includes more than 65 national fertility societies, bringing together an estimated 50,000 specialists worldwide in fertility and sterility under one umbrella organisation.
