Women’s bodies must not be held captive to government policies or “alarmist narratives” concerning population growth, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA) said in this major new report. In its 2023 State of World Population report, UNFPA said that while reaching the milestone of eight billion people on Earth was a reminder of “our unprecedented gains”, concerns over the number were “causing anxiety, and driving more governments to try to influence fertility rates.” However, the agency notes that thriving and inclusive societies can be built, regardless of population size, if countries are prepared to radically rethink how we talk about, and plan for, population change.