ii.

Olher Couses ol on Ageing Populolion

*###..s*#*
, hygiene crnd voccines, decrih roles hd7-Jolen crnd life expecicrncy
ond increosed life exoeclrrrrc:v .mn,ovc.r
\--'-#
improved considerobly. As o resu 1 of ihe foliing deolh role ond lhe coniinuecl decline in
world iertility the wor d's
popuiolion
is ogeing. (Refer lo Annex I for Ageing Chort)
iii. lmpocl ond implicqlions ot on ogeing populolion
SOCiOI
QOnSeqUenCe.
White some clcrughters ond sons rnoy be unwitiing io took ofier
iheir porents in old oge, somalnoy find themselves unobte io smOllef fomilieS, mOfe
.wome!-.leeded in workforce ond geogrophicol
frogmenioii5F?s
children-leove home to seorch for work hove mode it oll the more
difficull for fomilies to look ofter the elderly. The responsibi ry rhus to s
squorely on the shoulclers of the governmenl.
ECOnOmiC COnSeqUenCe. ro worsen moilers, os the cilizenry of o colrniry oges, lhe
number of young people
in the workforce will decline shorply,
ihereby Shfinking ihe eCOnOmy. tn foct, ii is the feor of this ihot propes
mony
governmenls io find woys oncl meons lo preveni
such o siluolion from orising.
Poliiico-Economic Consequence. wilh o shrinking workJorce ond more oged
people, lhe number ol people econoinicolly clependenf will swell. This shiii wil pui on
unprecedenled sifOin On gOvefnment
fesoUfCeS such os sociot servtces,
reliremeni progrcrm5
ond heollhcore systems.
The non'profil Pew Reseorch Cenler cliscoverecl some slorlJing stolislics in o siudy il releosecl
o lillle over o yeor ogo: Slightly r.ore thon I of every B boby boomers
-
lhose
AloCigg!9
roughly oges 40 to 60 ore simu ioneously roising o child oncl providing some lorm of
finoncio ossislcrnce lo o poreni. Demogrophers coll them the 'Sondwich Generotion.,, Ai lhe
some lime, projeclions
from the U.S. Census BLrreou indicote thot by 2030, the number of
Arnericons 65 orolderwill cloLrble, io 7l million, oboul 20 percenl
otlhe populotion. Bul ihe
number of doctors speciolizing in geriol c core, okeody for loo low is dwindling, nol
growing. MedicoJ professionols
ond policy mokers collthot the "2030
problem."
(l3 Februory
2047, MSllBc.com ond NBC News./
The lotest
Jgpg4
Heolth Ministry reporl highlighied ihot there were 5l,0OO more deolhs lhon
biths in 2008. The counlry's birlh role remoins omong lhe lo\rest in the developed world. Wilh
o popuJolion
of 127.7 rnillion, Jopqn foces serious ilconomic consequences cls ils populoiion
folls. Low birlh rotes lhreolen lo squeeze lhe economy by shrinking the iobour force which
could weigh on iis GDP, leoving fewer workers io support o growing number of pensioners
1l
Januory 2009, Ihe Slrcifs nmes)
iv. Governmenl Meosures lo lockle on Ageing Populqtion
some governments hove OppeOled tO
pOtfiOtiSm
io boosi their counfries'
birihrote.
vorious Pro-notolisl policles
hove olso been proctised by differeni governments. For
one, severo governmenls hove been known io offel monetory incentives in o bid
to up lhe numbers.
The Sinoopore governmenl hos iniroduced finonciol incenlives in the form of cosh gifts for
ihe birih of o child os well os o <Jollor-for-doLlor molching progromme, where lhe governmenl
will moich lhe contribulions mode by porents lo iheir child's Children Developmeni Accounl
(cDA).
Bul ore such cosh benefih generolly effeclive? Nol very, occorcling to vorious slLrdies lhol
iound lhol direcl cosh benefils ore posilively reloted lo feriility brrl ihe effect oppeors io be
smoll. For inslonce, French fomily benefils ore esiimoled io increose fertilily by 0.2 children
per womon on overoge. The lorgeiing of fomily ollowonces wilh lhree or more children olso
hcrs o cleor eflecl on ihe progression lo ihird birlhs ond ihe timing of ihe births in Fronce, bui
the effeci is smoll. (Vienno Yeorbook af Populot'ion Reseorch 2008)
Closely reloled
procreoiion.
to this is the USe Of 1oX febotes 10 moke il more oliroclive for
Mr. Goh Chok Tong, then First Depuiy Prime Minisfer, onnounced in Morch 1987 the slogon
'hirve lhree, or more (children) if you con offord it' os
!!ggpg!C's
new populolion policy. The
policy, which moy be describecl os 'seleciively pro-nololisl', represented o fundcrmenlol
chonge in direclion from lhe blonkel "slop ot two" policy which hod been in efiecl for oboul
lwo decodes untilthe mid l9B0s.
in Sinoopore, the omounl ol relief o molher receives depencls on ihe order of her children,
with the firsi child enobling her child relief of 5 per ceni of her eorned income. This
percenioge goes up io 25 per
cenl for her fourlh chiLd. This relief wos introduced from Yeor of
Assessmenl 2005 10 reword fomilies with children holding Singopore cilizenship ond
encouroge monied women io remojn in lhe workforce ofter giving birih. A molher con olso
cloim lwice lhe lolol foreign domeslic worker levy poid in lhe previous yeor, on one ioreign
moid. This reliel oims to encouroge morried women 10 remoin in the workforce ofier hoving
chilclren ond io encouroge procreolion.
timitotion
While monelory incentives ond lox reboies moy be oliroclive io lower ond middle income
couples operoling on ljghi budgets, lhese mighi nol be ollroclive io high income, coreeF
minded couples who do noi wont bobies.
Another proncrtcitisi rneosure invo ves Creoling O fomily-ffiendly soCieiy io moke
il eosier for lodoy's duolbreodwinner couples io hove more bobies wilhoLii iheir feeling lhe
need io socrifice iheir ccrreers. Woys lo do so include the ocloplion of o live doy work week,
ihe giving of generous pcrid
eove 10 oilencl lo fomily mcliiers, longer mctlerniiy ond polernily
leove, o5 well os more creches oi workploces.
ln Fronce, ihe number of creches crvolloble hos been increosing since 1983. Uolike in norihern
Europecrn counlries, lhis iype of core k ovoiloble immedioiely ofler lhe end of ihe molernity
leove i.e. from when lhe boby is two or lhree monihs old, ond lhe hours covered ore
extensive: on weekdoys from 7:00 to 8:00 to 18:00 t9:00. This proclice helps ihe mother 10
reconcile work ond fcrmillol responsibililies. ln 1994, the cl locolion porenlole
d,educolion
(APEJ wcrs designed 1o ollow one of lhe porenls
{in
proclice, molhersl io devoie lhemselves
enlirely 10 bringing up lhe newborn child untiliis third birihdoy. For o periocj of three yeors
or
more, porenls
who siop working lo roise lheir youngest
child receive o fixed omounl of
money. Porenls who clecide to work porl,lime receive o porlioJ qllocolion.
Neqolive Consequences
Sorne concerns orose regording lhe negolive effeci this hocl on coreer polh,
since such o
hicrius mighl hinder one's prospecls of scoling ihe corporole lodder. At the some tirne, such
o move moy olso couse emp oyers lo prociise
discriminolory policies
ogoinsl women in
generol, given lhol lhey cre poleniiol molhers. So, sjnce 2006, porenis
of ol eosl ihree
children hove been oble io choose between o one-yeor leove with o higher benefii ond o
three-yeor leove with lower benefii. (Vienno
yeorbook
of Populotian Reseorch 2008)
lr-plov-r. r
llqnce
_o.-
o--n
^1,
or'oqed oimpt-'ne| lh-it o^nton.7-f r-rdrTpoai^,
eilher clireclly or vio o works counci. For insionce, the 'fornily lox crecjil' wos iniroducecl on
I Jonuory 2004 wiih the oim of encouroging componies io irnplemenl child core provisions.
This iox creclli represenls 25% of lhe clmounls spenl, up to o moxirnum o{
9500,000
per yeor
oncl employer, for ihe creotion of doy core cenlres for empoyees' children under lhree,
iroining employees on poreniol
leove, supplemeniory poymenls
for poternity, moterniiy,
porenioi
or chilcl sick leove ond poymeni
of employees' exceplionol chilcl core expenses
due lo unforeseeoble work commilmenls oulsicle normolwork hours.
However, in 2005, o yeor
ofter the iniroduction of the
,fomily
iox credil', only l% of oll
esloblishmenls ihol hod not yei
oifered doy cqre ploces were plonning 10 do so in lhe
fulure. (Vienno Yeorbook of Popu/dfion Reseorch 2008J
For sinoopore. encouroging workers to stoy employed beyond lhe
fetifement Age al 62 is seen os
port
of the so ution in c1 country where one in five
people willbe ogecl 65 ond obove by 2030. Thol iigure compores wiih just one in l2losl yeor.
However, sociologisls hove highiighied the cholJenge of needing 1o chonge ihe minclsei lhoi
views oicler people os simply o burden-
Uniied Notions projections indicote thoi over lhe nexl 50 yeors, lhe popLrlolions of virluolly oll
couniries of Europe os well os Jopon will foce
populoiion
decline ond populolion ogeing.
Focusing on these iwo siriking ond crilicol populolion irends, ihe repod considers
replocemenl migroiion for eight low fertiliiy couniries (Fronce, Germony, lloly, Jopon,
Republic of Koreo, Russion Federolion, United Kingdom crnd United Stoies) ond lwo regions
lEurope
ond lhe Europeon Union). Replocemeni migroiion refers io ihe inlernoiionol
migrotion thol o couniry would need lo olfsel populotion decline ond
populolion ogeing
resullinq from low ferlility ond mortolily rotes.
The Viobility of migfotion os o soluiion lo cleclining ond ogeing populolion is being
considereci in mony developed counlries.
v. USA ond lmmigrolion
lhe U.S. popu olion reoched ihe historic milestone o1300 million on Tuesdoy morning. This 300
lrrillion milestone comes iusi
39 yeors ofler lhe 200 million mork wos reoched on Nov.20, 1967.
Th-- U.s. populolion hii 100 million 139 yeors ofler lhe country wos ofiiciolly estoblished, look
52 yeors io reoch lhe 200 million mileslone in 1967, ond only 39 yeors to hii 300 million on
luescloy- Accorcling io ihe 2006 nolionol populotion estimoles, the Uniied Sloles regislers one
birlh every seven seconds ond one deolh every l3 seconds, while nel internolionol migroiion
is expecled 10 ocld one
person
every 3l seconds. The resull is on increose in ihe lolol
populoiion of one person every I I seconds.lhe LJ-S. odds oboul2.B rnillion people o
yeor, ot
o growlh role of less thon I percent. Aboul 40 percenl of the growih comes irom
immigrolion, which spurs conlinued growlh ond clivers;ty. The rest comes from birihs
oulnumberins deoihs. lmmigrotion, especiolly from Lolin Americo ond
Asio, drives much of the
populoiion growth
ond
promises to
reshope the United Stotes os o more diverse notion ond one
where the overoge oge will increose more slowly lhon in most
other industriolized noiions. According lo lhe census Bureou, l4 percenl of the
current U.S. populolion is Hisponic, compored lo four percenl in 1968, ond il is projected thol
25
percenl of the populolion will be Hisponlc in 2050. The lmmigroiion ond Ncllurolizolion
Services Acl of 1965 obolished nolionol origin
quolos iixed
jn
the 1920s ond opened lhe
noiion's shores lo new immigronts.lodoy, the Uniled Sloles occepis more legolimmigronh os
permonent residenis lhon lhe resl of lhe wodd combinecl.
/
l7 Octaber 2406, Xinhuo)
lhe
Silggpgrq
governmeni hos, over lhe yeors, welcomed quolilied young people lo ensure
enoLrgh workers for higher-tech employers, like nurses, 1.T- iechnicions ond lob ossistonls.
These people ofiive wiih iheir own knowledge of foreign morkels ond mony of lhem infuse
new ideos inlo ihe locol work or service scenes. Anoiher cruciol reoson lor loking in such o
big group --over o long lerm - is lo reiuvenole ond increose on ogeing, declining
populoiion
ond reploce ihe lhousonds of Singoporeons working or emigroling obroocl.
such o siluolion is noi likely lo be susloinoble in lhe longer term, soid severino, now o visiting
senior reseorch fellow with lhe lnslltuie of Souiheasi Asion Studies. He highlighled ihe sociol
lrnpoci lhot would orise crs cr resuli, ciling its threol lo sociol cohesion, given lhoi lhe enlry of
foreigners in cerloin seciors moy be viewed os on undesiroble form of compelilion forjobs by
the locols ond in certoin socielies, the presence of toreign workers coul<i be disrupiive lo lhe
rociol, religious or ethnic bolonce in ihol society.
{9
September 20o7, The slroils limes)
Mony Americon hospitols ore toking it upon themselves to
repolriole seriously in.iured or ill immigronls becouse they connot
find nursing homes willing to occept them withoul insuronce.
Medicoid does nol cover longjerm core for illegol immigronfs, or for newly orrived legol
immigronis, creoling o quondory
for hospiiols, which ore obligoled by federol regulolion to
oronge posl
hospilol core for polienh
who need il. Americon immigroiion ouihoriiies ploy
no role in lhese privole
repoiriotions, cclnied oul by ombulonce, olr ombulonce oncl
commerciol plone.
A few hospiiols ond consuloies offered slotislics Jhol provide
snopshols of ihe phenomenon:
some 96 irnmigronls o yeor repolriolecl by 5t. Joseph's Hospilol in
phoenir;
6 io B
polienls
o
yeor
flown lo lheir homelonds from Broword Generol Mediccrl Cenler in Forl Louderdole, Flo.;
lO relurned io Honcjuros from Chicogo horpilols since eorly 2OO7; some B/ medicol coses
involving Mexicon immigronis
-
ond 265 involving people
injured crossing lhe border
-
hondlecl by the Mexicon consulole in Son Diego losl yeor,
most bul nol oll of which ended in
repoiriolion.
Some odvocotes for immigronls see these repotriotions os o kind
of internolionol poiienl
dumping, with ombulonces loking potients
in the wrong direction, owoy from first-world hospilols 1o less-
OdeqUOie COfe, if ony. Hospitol odminislrotors view these coses os cosity, burdensome
polient tronsfers ihol force lhem io shoulder responsibilily for the dysfunciionol immigrolion
ond heolih'core syslems. ln mony coses, they soy, ihe only ollernotive lo repojriolions is
keeping potients indefinilely in oclrie core hospilols, which in lurn puis o slrclln on lheir
svsiem. /3 Auoust Ihe New York IimesJ
cD.
A Chser
fooLat Overyopufatian
i. Overpopulolion
. is when lhe long term copociiy of on oreo to susloin ils cunenl humon occuponls is
being degroded by over-ulilisotion of resources.
ii. Globql Demogrophic Trends
qnd
Dishibution (source: United Notions Populolion Fund))
.
By 1900: 1.65 billion
. By 1950: 3.02 billion
.
By 1999:6 billion
. By 2050: I billion or more (projected)
World PoFulatlon Growth, AElual and Prorected, lS50-?050
UNITED NATIC,NS PRO JEcIIoNS
lHioh lMedi!ln I-o@
. NOTE: Whether on oreo is overpopuloted or nol
populofion densily.
.
Developing counldes in Africo ond South Asio
resources ond hove
poor
economic
prospecls
growlhs ore likely to be overpopuloied.
1950 1080 1900 ?o1l
is nol
jusi
o motter of ossessing its high
ihol ore fosf depleling their nolurol
bul ore experiencing high
populoiion
I
t0
!
I
7
E
E'
5.
5'
t4
1000 ?000
Molthusiqn Populolion Theory (1 798)
iii. Where populolion is increosing ond why (tn devetopino counlies)
lnceniives for hoving lorger fomilies due to ogrorion noture or mony
oreos such os Africo. Lolin Americo ond oorts ot Asio. ln siluolions where ihere ore no
economic opporlunilies beyond subsislence, lobolrr thus becomes crn imporionl economic
ossel for ihe forriy.
Technology imporled from indusiriolised countrles not onty improvecl
living concliiions, bul coused declth roles io plunge
dromolicolly. Think improvemenb to
woier suppies, sonilotion, lronsporiolion neJvr'orks ond ogricullurol yielcls
os wel os
inexpensive imporls of voccines, ontibiolics, insecticicles ond high-yield seeds.
OVFR THE lost fifiy yeors, lhere hos been o noloble reduclion in otd oge morfoliiy. Longeviiy
of h rrons hos risen subsloniiolly otl over ihe world. lhe sttuolion in
!!!!!g
is slrikjng; the
ov(rroge lilespon of on lndion hos risen from less ihon 50 yeors
lo over 62 yeors wilhin lhe losl
lhre' generoJjons.
Foclors such os lncreosed immunity 10 pothogens,
betler nuirition, betier
pri,
jreollh
ond sonitoiion, ond the discovery oncl use of efteclive drugs oncl voccines ore
rc ,
,, ,,ib e for lhis increose in lifespon. The siiuolion in Wesiern Europe, US ond Jopon is even
rrrorl slriking, where people live up io lheir seveniies, crnd ore louching lhe Bo-yeor mork.
(Mt i!'
')
29, 2001, fhe Hindu)
Lovu StOtUS Of Women. Women oTe often deniect educcriionol
oppo lunities ond hove few ollernolives lo lheir childbeoring roles.
oncJ employmeni
ln
4!r!:g,
hoving mony children nor
"rffi
I r.,!
iJ
none, o greol curse. lnvoriobly, o wife's wodh moy be
judged
by her fedilify. tf she fois
ic l;t:or children, she moy be reploced or scorned_ To men, numerous offspring ore ljving
s!
_,ols
of virility. Wives ond offspring represenl weolih in lhe form of monpower. Children
o ! cpresenl o sociol secufity syslem on o continenl Jhol suffers from o hjgh infont moriolity
roie The more children ore born, the greoler lhe chonce thol some will survive to supporl
porenls
in lheir olcl oge.
/
I I Aug 1985, New Yarkfimes)
iv. couses ot
overpopu oiion
Over Populolion
{Nole
thot mony ol lhese fociors inlerocl lo creoie
in o counlry)
High / increosing birlh roie d!e to ignoronce of controception.
CUltUfOl fOCtOfS sucf' os o clesire for big iomilies, on obligoiion lo beof mole heirs oncl
an obhorrence of birth conlrol often brinJ oboLli resistonce lo conlroception.
A[igq!
birlh rotes ore high becouse in mosl cullures, mony children symbo]ize presiige ond
ensure old oge securily. ln oncienl Hebrew cullure, ihe beoring of mony chilclren wos
viewed os eviclence of clivine opprovol oncl blessing. (Jouroal of lbe Americon Scieniific
LoW morlolily roie ond longer liiespcrn due 1o mediCOl odvonces.
Politicol / Governonce foctor
po icies io control the populoiion growlh of
clnd resources lo susloin the popu otion.
or inefieclive
populoiion
of odequoie infroskuclure
such os the lock ol
o couniry or lhe lock
More ond more
peope ore seeking sofe hoven in the Dodoob Refugee Comp in
neighboring
fclyq
os worfore in Somolio roges on. The ihree setllements hove lhe disiinclion
of being one of ihe worlds lorgesl refugee cornps ond now house more lhon lwice the
nurriber of people thon lhey were buill lo occommodole. Lond is scorce. Supplies ore being
sireiched to the limil ond slress Levels of residenls ond oid workers olike ore running high.
Across lhe border, Somoli<r hos been embroiled in civil wor for neorly lwo decodes. Al leosl
holt of Mogodishu s residenls hove fled the copilol ond other poris of Somolio in lhe posi
severol monihs moinLy becouse oi closhes belween Elhiopion lroops ond lslornisi insurgenis.
l4
December 20A8, Voice af Ameico)
ECOnOmic fOCtOf where cleveloping economies clo noi generole
oclequoie revenue
for economic growth.
ReligiOus fOClOf where cfiificiot mecrns of birih conirol ore opposecl.
While in time. permission wos given io couples lo prociice ihe rhythm meihod for
conlrocepiion, ihe Romon Church condemnecl "ortificiol
conlrocepiives in moinjoininq ihol
coilus is ultimoiely juslifioble
only for begetlinq chjtdren.
/Journol of ihe Americon Scienlific
ln 1970, ihe Philippine governrneni iounched the
philippine
ond ol-r l1e Nolionol I orn ly P o.rriro Progrom.
The Colholic bishops, however, opposed on efforl lo redLJce lhe nurnber of chlldren couniecl
os depenclenls for lox purposes,
secured lhe removol of ihe populoiion plonning
clouse froin
lhe drofl of-ihe Constilulion, ond ollemplecl to end governmenl populolion progroms.
Populoiion Progrom (FOPCOM)
v. lmpocl
/
lmplicolions ol Oyerpopulolion
Lock of occess to iood woLrtd couse mOlnutfition ond storvoiion
lock ol bosic hecrllhcore services ond iniormoiion, mony would foll prey
even deoth.
. Coupled wiih ihe
ro diseoses or
lhe world's foslesl growing populotion
is in Africo. Neorty three fifihs of ihe 4.8 bi ion people
in cleveloping counlries ock bosic sonilolion, olmosi o lhircl hove no crccess lo cleon woier,
o quoder lock odequole housing, ond o fjfth lock occess lo modern heolth services.
(Notianol Geographic)
As lhe populoiion
increoses ihere is o need
support lhe populolion, especiolly to provide
Population /nsiiluie poinis
oui ihol lhe wo6t
clrinkinq woter.
io increose the obiiiy of lhe environmenl io
cleon drinkincJ wofer. Lowrence Smlth of the
effect of overpopulolion is the lock of cleon
lnodequote supply of housing resuits in overcrowding, ond this in turn hos o
negoiive effeci on lhe hygiene evels oi lhe communiiy. Also, o lock of proper soniiolion
leods lo lhe conlom'noiion oi woier supplies, lhereby conlribuling to lhe spreod of cliseoses.
The supply of freshwoier is finite, bul demond is sooring os populoiion grows
ond use
per
copito rjses. By 2025, when world poputolion
is projecied
to be B bi
jon,
48 countries
conioining 3 bilhon people
will foce shorloges.
lpopu/oiion ond the Envianment: Ihe Glabat
Chollenge, 2000 Johns Hopkins University repotf)
High illitefocy moy orise due lo lhe incrbility of supply io meel ihe demond for
educolion, os well os lhe siluolion where
porenls moy nol see lhe need for or ore nol oble lo
provide on educolion for their children. This ln iurn pfevenls the loltef ffom
goining occess to better economic opportunities, thereby trc,ppins ihe
fomily in o vicious poverly cycle- Ihe lock of on eclucolion rnoy olso resull in ignOfOnCe
of lhe repercussions of
populotion- ond environmentreloled
problems. et in. .ountry level, fewer educoled workers wil offecl the economic
growth of the country.
Due lo o ropidLy growing populolion, o greoier percenloge of the resources ore used up in
sotisfying lhe bosic needs of lhe mosses rolher thon io generole economic growlh. To
worsen mollers, on Lrneducoled
popLr oce would invoriobly meon cln oilendont heovy
relionce on lobour inlensive primory oncl monufoctuing indusiries
-
which ore, unforlunolely,
uncble io
generote much revenue.
Environmentol degrodotion moy ensue given the exploiloiion of nolurol resources
ond
pollulion
brouqhl obout by vorious economic oclivilies.
An oslonishing 98 perceni of
llqdqgglggl's
lond mommols, 92
percenl of ils reptiles, 68
percenl of ils ponh ond 4l percent of iis breeding bird species exisl nowhere else on Eorih
The lLriure of lhese remorkoble
plonls ond onimols is, however, for flom seclrre. Mossive
deforeslolion hos loken
ploce since the 1970s. only o frogmenl ol lhe islond's originol foresl
cover remoins ond over 3OO species of ih plonls ond onimols ore lhreolened wiih exlinclion
The plight of lhe humon
populolion is olso
grim- Wilh on overoge
per copilo income of
US$216 o yeor ond o foreign clebi ihdt neorly equols ils gross noiionol producl, the islond is
ronkecl omongsl lhe pooresl nolions in the world. To the Mologosy people, collle hclve
greol
culturol, spiriiLrol ond economic significonce. As borgoining chips for exchonges including
brides ond
personol properiy, collie ore o form of weojih, pricle ond finonciol securily. The
coltle cullure is especiolly slrong in cenlrol ond soulhem Modogoscor. Unfortunotely, loo
mony colile on too litlle lond hove disoslrous effecls on nolurol hobiiol Heovy grozing os
well os slosh-ond-burn ogriculture couse severe erosion even where humon populolions ore
comporotively sporse. The soils of weslern Modogoscor hove been degroded 10 lhe poinl
where ihe nolive dry forests ond ihickels seem unoble lo regenero'te. (World Wide Fund far
Noiurel
nobility of
firmly in
lhe
people lo
poverty ond
sustoin lhemselves oncl their
in the
poverty cycle.
fomiries entrenches them
Gendef ineqUity. Women moke up iwoJhirds of ihe wortd,s poorest peopte
crnd ore
iwice os likely os men 10 be illiterote. They receive less eciucolion ond less food ond hove
iewer legcrl righls, especiolly ihose in the cleveloping wor d.
fc/ob
ot Fund t'ar Wamen)
A phenomenon
nolicecl poriicLrlcf y in Soulh Asio is seleciive educoiion ond heoih core,
wilh shorply lower eniiiemenis lor wornen ond girk reloiive io men ond boys. Such
differenlio s
jn
enliilemenis ore reinforcecl lhrouqh qenclered
norms oad volues lhoi
peTmeole
ocross ihe economic speclrLrm. While they tend io be ower in inlensiiy for beter,
off households, they do noi cornpleiely disoppeor.
{sen,
ciio.
paveiy
os o Gendered
Experience: Ihe porc y i m pli
c o li ans)
Sociol ond Politicol Disorder con occuT os people
struggle io poy for everyctoy
goods.
oud Canflicf in Africo: Exploining o Camplex Re/oiionship.J
Some oncrlysls ore ol lhe view lhoi the podiciponts
in mony ol Africo,s violeni demonslrotions
ond v.,ors in receni yeors, hove been moved by ihe poor
economic condiiions uncler which
ihcy live. Some, for
jnsionce,
orgue thol whea guerillos join
o rebel group, they moy obloin
food ond cloihing os well os opporfuniiies for recogniiion ond odvoncemeni ihol ore
norro y
unovoiloble lo lhem in on urbon slum or o forming communiiy. This seems io be
\\,: ol is oying orii in West Africo, where lhe numerous rebel movemenis hclve becorne
so!.r(j, of opporlunily for unemployed young
men.
lDrclmon,
Rosheed. May 2003.
paverly
vi. Meosures
To slOw dOwn pOpUlOtiOn growlh,
which in lurn frees up votuobte iinonciot
resources nee<Jed io boosl infrosiruclure ond services lo creclle belter living siondclrds for
iheir people,
some governmenls
hove iried to moke bifth control services
ond focililies occessible ond offordoble.
According lo o September 2008 repori cJone by John Hopkins Bloomberg Schoo of
public
Heolih, viilogers in the Motlob clistricl of Bonolodesh receivecl door-lo cloor ouireclch fomily
plonning
oncj molernol-child heollh services Iton 1977 ia 1996. The siudy found subslonliol
decreoses in feriilily ond chiid mortcllily in the vilclges, os well os
posilive
effeck on women's
hecrllh, eornings ond household osseJs, use of
preveniive
heollh services, oncl heoiih oncl
schoo ing of children.
ln 1997 ihe zombid Minislry of Heollh developed o policy fron ework lhol outlinecl slroiegies
for improving occess lo ond
quolily of fomily pJonning serylces. These skolegies incllclecl
removing unnecessory medicol policy ond
proclice boIiers lo conlroceptive use,
developing service-clellvery
guidelines bosed on lhe WHO Meclicol Eligibilily C ierio, oncl
oppoinling o chompion ol the Cenlrol Boord of Heollh 1o slrengihen logistics. With lhe heip
of ihese new supporlive
policies, use of modern conlroceplion omong morried women of
reproduclive oge in Zombio rose irom 9% in 199210 23% in 2442.
Also, edUco t;on lo enob e individuoh lo be owore of
populolion reloled issues to clecision mcrking oi personol,
hos olso been hoiled os o woy lo curb populolion growth.
To oclclress low levels of controceplive !.rse in Molowi in ihe eorly 1990s, o group ol fomiy
plcrnning chompions odvocoted
posiing o lomily plonning coordinotor in eoch clislrict. The
policy choiige hos coniribuled io lhe neorly universcrl crvoilobility of coniroceplion in Molowi.
lseplember
20AB report by Jahn Hopkins B/oomberg School of Public Heolfh)
According lo Preliminory dolo from o new nolionol survey in o new reporl
-
Fomily P onning
in
E]lgrclq:
llow o Toboo Toplc Become Priorily Number One pLJblished by lniroHeolih
lnlernolionol (which hos co loboroled wilh the Rwondcrn governmeni ond locol NGos since
lhe lcrie 1980s lo improve fonrily
plonning servicet, ihere wos o dromotic rise in use of
modern conlroception omong morried women In Rwondo, Africo s rnosl densely popu oted
counlry, from l0% in 2005 to 27% in 2A0A. Dolo collecled olso showed o decreose in
Rwonclo's ierliliiy role lo on overoge of 5-5 chilclren
per womon, down from 6.1.
Pope Goye, lntroHeolih's Presidenl ond CEO, ottribLJies this lo "sirong
governmenl
leodership, beiter occess lo o ronge of conlrocepiive meihods ond heollh workers who ore
well lroined".
lhe Rwondo Minhler of Heollh hos been o consislenlly slrong odvocole, even doing
condom demonslrolions on ielevision ond publicly reprimonding religious leoclers for lheir
foilure 1o supporl fomily plonning. ln ocldliion, in 2007, lhe governmenl inclLJdecl o line ilem of
Us$200,000 in the budget for conlroceplives, wilh the crLlocotion being lncreosed lo cr
some governmenls resoried lo punitive TneOSUreS \uch c,s finonciol peno lies, whlle
others re ied
'nore
on incenlives.
ond unclerslond ihe relevonce ol
noiionol ond inlernolionol levels
According lo the 51ote of Worlcl Populoiion 2008 report by llnitecl Nolions Populcrlion Fund
(UNFPA), one excrmple is ihe ropid increose in conlroceplive use omong couples in the
lslomic Republic of lron ond lhe ensuing decline in ferliliiy rcries- n 1989. ihe notionol fomily
plcrnning progromme goined the suppori of high ronking reigious leoders who promoled
smoller fomilies in their weekly serrnons os o sociol responsibility.
In ihe eoriy l?2,0s, the lndion governmeni inlrocluced finonciol inceniives for occeplors of
fcrmily plonning
os well os ior sloff. Money, locrns, subsidies, blonkeis, irxlusion in food lor work
progrommes, were some of the incentives offerecl lo occeplors of fomlly
p
onrring. Flecjlih
stoft, iogether wiih o moiivqtoi, wcrs olso reworded wiih rnoney, prizes, prornollons
ond
qoocl postinqs.
Some lndion sfoies, however, broughl in the lwo child limit 15 yeors ogo in on ollempl io
conlrol populolion growlh in ihe country. The chilcl-reslriclion low bqrled
people
wiih more
ihon iwo children from running for poliiicol
office or serving os poliiicions.
The lndion populolion inceniives crncl disincenlives hove, for olmosl 40 yeors from ihe eorly
l9l,Os 1o 2000, creoled hovoc- Slofl spenl much more lime on fom;y p
onl]ing ociiviiies lhon
on heollh becouse oi ihe incenlives. RecorCs were folsified, o broncl new fornj ol corruplion
come inlo being, ond women were coerced by stoff, husbcrn.ls or relolives inio undergolng
sierilis.rllons ln Llnscrle condilions. Jhe scheme wos oflensive ln ilself os li look odvonioge of
the econorric ond socioi vulnerobiliiy of the poor wjlhoui doing onylhing io improv,^ iheir lol
ln ife. lhe iwo child limil wos criticised for resuliing in disoslrous sociol consequences, wiih
coup es ob_orting lhird pregncrncies, giving children up fo. ocloplion, or loiling lo regisler o
chil.l's birth
Yel olhers lurne.J to COefClVe meOSUfeS, inciucling k]lced oboriions ond slcJilisolior)5,
in o bicl lo coniro popLr oliof qrowih
According 1() o 88C oriicle doied 20 Sepi 1998, 250,000 women hove r.rnclergone forced
sierilisolion in
lelq
in ihe losl lhree yeors. ln the eody 1990s, the then Presiclenl Abedo
Fujlmoris government conclLJcled o policy of forced sieriisotion omong women ln poor
oreos
of the country, mony of whom hcrve been sleriiised wiihoui their knowledge oT consenl.
Some olhers only crgreecl io sleilhotion ofler lhreoh were mode ogoinsl lhem ond iheir
fomilies. During thot period, Peru s Minisiry of Heollh olso issued o series of steriliscllion
quolos
lo clociors working in
poor
oreos of ihe counlry.
Accorcling 1o o lime orticle doied 30 Apri 2007, Chinese governmeni
hod insisled thot it hod
bcrnnecl coercive birlh-conlrol proclices in the countryside commonly emp oyed by
bureoucrols eoger io compy with Beijing's populolion
conkol gools. Siil, lhese coses
coniinue io surfoce. Activisls soy this is o troubling remincler of lhe schizophrenic opprooch of
the cenlrol governmenl lowords ils own one-child policy: On the one honcl. lhe cluthorilies
ore loosening up, wel owore thol the scheme, which restrich couples lo one child ond
imposes iines ond olher sonclions on violoiors, hcrs lorgely oullived ils usefulness. On ihe olher
hcrnd, Beijing conllnues io moke enforcemeni ol lhe policy
one of lhe lwo moin yordslicks by
which lhe periormonce of ocol bureoucrcrls ond hence lheir prospecis for oclvoncemenl
ore
judged.
li is this pressLrre
from obove lo comply wilh popu olion quoios lhoi promph
loco officiols lo oclopi meosures such os forced obortion
{somelimes
heorlrendingy lole in
lerm). forced sierilisoiion ond ihe like, soys Nicolos Becquelin ol New York-bosed Humon
Righls in Chino.
Chinese officiols soy ihe curreni feriiliiy role is beiween L7 ond LI birlhs per womon, well
below the 2.1 births needed to keep the populolion oi o sioble level. Overseos experls
dispuie this figure; ihey soy the ferlilily role is even lower ond stonds ol L5. Mony Chinese
oncl iore'gn crcodemics belleve this policy is o rnisioke ond will resull in o aumber of serious
demogrophic problems in lhe fulure, such os on increosing proporlion of older people, o
smoller workforce oncl o disproporlionole number of boys lo girls.
/20
Sepiember 2007, BBC
E.
cPopufation
Qontrof
i. Delinilion
Vorious governmenls hove employed differeni meosures in o bid to ochieve on oplimum
populolion. Populotion conlrol is ony melhodology used to limit populolion increose ond
includes proclices such os educoiion, conlroceplion, obslinence, oborlion, emigrolion,
decreosing immigroiion, increosing deolh rote, infonlicide ond finonciol disincenlives or
disincenlives.
ii. Vorious Perspeclives ot Populolion conlrol
Thomos Molihus.
Poul R. Ehrlich, o US biologist ond environrnenfolisl, published lhe Populolian Eomb in 1968,
odvocoling siringenl populolion conlrol
policies. According to him, 'b concer is on
uncontrolled mulliplicoiion of cells; the popL/Jolion exp/osion is on uncantrolled multiplicolion
af
people. Trealing only ihe symploms of concer moy moke lhe victim more comfarfoble ot
fist, bt)f eventuolly he dies - ofien horribly. A similot fate owoils o world wilh o popula on
explosian if only lhe symploms ore treoted. We muslshifl our effods frcm lrcatment of the
sympioms lo lhe cutiing oul ot' lhe concer.Ihe operafian will demond mony opporenl btutol
ond heod/ess decisions- Ihe poin moy be inlense. Bul lhe diseose is so For odvonced ihot
only with rodicol sorgery does lhe polienf hove o chonce lo survive".
Religious
pefspeclive. fne Rornon colholic church hos opposed populolion conlrol
policies. Pope Benedict XVI hos sloled thoi "the exierminotion of milJions of unborn children,
in lhe nome of the fighl crgoinsi
povedy, ocluolly conslilules lhe deslruciion of lhe poorest of
oll hurnon beinqs"-
Ethicol
perspeclive, uony hove opposed
populoiion
control, ciling thot il is ogoinsl
the ows of nofure, is o threot to individrlol freedom given lhot it louches humoniiy's bosic
ond privole oclivities ond thoi it violotes the sonctity of life.