Out of control

Parts of India still struggle to stabilise population growth

Published on:

14 Nov 2011, 12:23 pm

ON OCTOBER 31 when Nargis, a newborn in Uttar Pradesh, was declared the world’s seven billionth person, the event made the global population look as if it is rising as fast as ever. Rather, the event came as the world undergoes a demographic shift: population is stabilising in countries that are home to almost half of the humanity.

According to the latest report of the UN Population Fund, fertility in these countries is 2.1 children per woman or less. This magic number is considered the level at which the population stops growing. The list of countries, undergoing this demographic shift, reveals that fertility has declined in some surprising places. Bangladesh’s rate is 2.16, having halved in 20 years. Iran’s fertility is 1.9, from seven in 1984. Ironically, the list does not include India—the first to establish a pogramme for family planning in 1952.

Strategies for a stable population

	Iran: When the clerical regime took over the country in 1979, it abolished the country’s family planning programme. Fertility rose to seven in 1984. Yet by 2006 the average fertility had fallen to 1.9, and just 1.5 in Tehran. The government achieved this difficult demographical shift majorly by giving mandatory contraceptive counselling to couples and roping in religious leaders. All modern contraceptive methods were made available at public clinics Bangladesh: This impoverished and populous country halved its fertility rate within 20 years and achieved population stabilisation. The government launched a population information service in 1980 and initiated aggressive awareness campaigns. It trained paramedic staff to carry out sterilisations, and enrolled literate and married women as community workers who would provide contraceptive pills and condoms in their communities and refer women for permanent contraception. The use of various contraceptive measures is high, with injectible contraceptives being the second choice after pills South Korea: In the early 1950s, the country’s fertility rate was six children per woman. In 1962, the country began its national family planning campaign through awareness, adequate supply of contraceptive measures and strengthening of public healthcare services. This reduced unwanted births. People responded well to the government’s idea of “small family, prosperous family”. The two-child target was met by 1984. The country’s fertility is 1.74 France: The country has a stable population growth. Though it prohibits contraceptive advertising and bans sterilisation, it legalised use of contraceptives 30 years ago. Till then, traditional methods were popular Zambia: This impoverished country has a fertility of more than six children a woman. Teenage pregnancies are high. Though family planning was introduced in the 1960s, there is poor access to reproductive health services. Healthcare providers have little training. Availability of contraceptives is low. All these factors lead to a high maternal and infant mortality

‘Expand contraception supply and options’

Dinesh Agarwal, programme director, reproductive health, UNFPA-India, on the country’s population scenario

On the world’s changing approach to population growth

The term population control is not used anymore. As the focus has shifted from controlling the number of people born to have a healthy population who have opportunities for good health, education, lifestyle and livelihood. The term now used is population stabilisation.

On negligible role of Indian men in stabilising country’s population

Very few Indian men opt for vasectomy, a permanent method of sterilisation because of the myths attached. They feel after the surgery they will become weak. So in many families, women opt for permanent sterilisation, or tubectomy, though vasectomy is simpler and cheaper.

On strengthening family planning methods in India

Contraception supply and options should be expanded. Women in several countries are using injectable contraceptives. This will benefit the women who face resistance at home for using contraception. A woman can go to a health centre secretively and get the injection. Expanded contraceptive choices will give the women in India their reproductive rights. The private health sector can also be roped in for counselling couples on family planning.

On India’s young demography

India has a youth bulge. This will lead to an increase in the population before it stabilises. This youth bulge will help the country sustain its eight per cent economic growth rate. But after 30-40 years, India will have more elderly population and it will no longer be able to sustain such a high rate of economic growth.

India