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.
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‘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. |