What is family planning

Access to safe, voluntary family planning is a human right. Family planning is central to
gender equality and women’s empowerment, and it is a key factor in reducing poverty.
Yet in developing regions, an estimated 218 million women who want to avoid
pregnancy are not using safe and effective family planning methods, for reasons ranging
from lack of access to information or services to lack of support from their partners or
communities. This threatens their ability to build a better future for themselves, their
families and their communities. UNFPA works to support family planning by: ensuring a
steady, reliable supply of quality contraceptives; strengthening national health systems;
advocating for policies supportive of family planning; and gathering data to support this
work. UNFPA also provides global leadership in increasing access to family planning, by
convening partners – including governments – to develop evidence and policies, and by
offering programmatic, technical and financial assistance to developing countries.
RATIONALE FOR THE INCLUSION OF FAMILY PLANNING IN THE
SCHOOL SYLLABUS
Recent births and children’s
education We expect that primary school participation in a district is influenced by the FP
situation of the households in that district through several pathways: a better spacing of
births, less young children needing care, and fewer pregnancies. The presence of young
children in 6 the household may negatively influence the chances of older children to
attend school, through increasing the care needs of the household (Liu, 2004; Levison,
1991; Chernichovsky, 1995). Using data from Ghana, Lloyd and Gage-Brandon (1993)
showed that girls are relatively more likely to be withdrawn from school as new siblings
are added to the family. Longwe and Smits (forthcoming) found negative effects of the
presence of young siblings on primary school participation of older children in 30
African countries. Patrinos and Psacharopoulos (1997) showed for Peru that the age
structure of siblings matter; having a greater number of younger siblings implies less
schooling, more age-grade distortion in the classroom and more child labor. Results for
India also indicate that the presence of very young siblings in the household worsens the
probability of girls going to school (Kambhampati and Rajan, 2008). In China, girls are
disadvantaged by having a younger sibling, but more so by the presence of a younger
brother than of a younger sister (Connelly & Zheng, 2003).
Contraceptive use and households’ FP
situation The FP situation of households, as discussed in the preceding section, is
expected to be influenced by availability and actual use of FP services. If no
contraceptives or only less effective traditional methods are used, preferred family
planning outcomes are much more difficult to achieve.
Family planning has steadily decreased as an international priority in recent years, despite
its documented impact on both maternal and child health and overall development
(Gribble and Haffey, 2008). The benefits of family planning and birth spacing may reach
far beyond the individual level for women and their families. Women who can plan the
number and timing of the birth of their children enjoy improved health, experience fewer
unplanned pregnancies and births, and are less likely to have an abortion (Barnett &
Stein, 1998; Singh et al., 2004). In addition, women who have control over their fertility
have more educational and employment opportunities which enhances their social and
economic status and improves the well-being of their families (Singh et al., 2004).
Knowledge, acceptance and actual use
The actual use of contraceptives at the household level depends besides on the
availability of accessible FP services in the local environment, on the knowledge people
have of family planning measures, and their attitudes towards (acceptance of) these
services (Emens 2008, Pebley and Brackett 1982; Mahmood and Ringheim 1996). These
relationships are indicated at the left bottom corner of our model in Figure 1. It is
expected that the more people know about and accept modern contraceptives, the more
they will use them.
Knowledge of modern contraceptives is considered one of the essential factors associated
with effective use of these methods. Biney (2011) observed that lack of knowledge about
modern contraceptives among Ghanaian women led to failure of contraceptive use which
in turn led to unintended pregnancies and induced abortions. Similarly, Lindstrom and
Hernandez (2006) found that limited knowledge of modern contraceptive methods among
recent rural-urban migrants in Guatemala was associated with unmet need or limited
choice of modern contraceptives. There is also evidence that family planning messages
through media may play an important role in increasing the acceptance and use of family
planning methods, especially in those areas where literacy level is low (Easterlin and
Crimmins 1985; Saluja et al., 2011; Fikree et al., 2001).
Control factors Besides the FP variables discussed so far, our model contains several
control factors that are known or expected to influence educational participation, fertility
regulation and use and acceptance of family planning services. An important factor is
adult educational level in the district. There is ample evidence that children from better
educated parents more often go to school and drop out less (Buchmann & Brakewood,
2000; Colclough et al., 2000; Ersado, 2005; Smits & Gunduz-Hosgor, 2005, 2006;
UNESCO, 2005). Parents who have reached a certain educational level may want their
children to achieve at least the same level (Breen & Goldthorpe, 1997).
A second reason why we control for district education level is that despite the fact that a
woman’s fertility is usually inversely related to the length of her education, there is
evidence that her fertility is also affected by the education level of the community she is
living in (Kravdal, 2002). The education level of other people in the community may play
a role through social learning, social influence and other indirect effects (Bongaarts and
Watkins 1996; Kohler, Behrman, and Watkins 2001; Montgomery and Casterline 1996).
Our expectation therefore is that uneducated women will have more knowledge of
contraceptives if they live in a district where the average education level is high than if
they live in a district with low education.
Family planning methods to check population growth
combined oral contraceptives (COCs).
The most commonly used oral contraceptive pills combine two synthetic hormones —
estrogen and progestin. These oral contraceptives are often referred to as combined pills
or simply “the Pill.” If a woman remembers to take the Pill every day, the method is close
to 100% effective in preventing pregnancy. However, since some women forget, on
average over the course of a year, 8 pregnancies will occur among every 100 women
taking the Pill.
Some women experience side effects when first taking the Pill, such as nausea or mild
headaches, but the side effects are not dangerous and usually go away after the first few
months. Breastfeeding women should delay starting the Pill until the baby is at least 6
months old because the estrogen in the Pill might reduce the amount of breast milk.
Progestin-only pills (POPs).
Another type of oral contraceptive pills contains only one synthetic hormone —
progestin. These pills are often called progestin-only pills or the “mini-pill.”
Progestin-only pills are recommended for breastfeeding women because, unlike estrogen,
progestin will not reduce the production of breast milk. Also, progestin-only pills are
more effective in breastfeeding than in non-breastfeeding women. For women who are
not breastfeeding, the mini-pill may not be as effective as the combined estrogen and
progestin pill. The effectiveness depends on taking the mini-pill at about the same time
every day. Women who are taking progestin-only pill may experience irregular light
bleeding and spotting. This is not harmful, although may be inconvenient for some
women.
Spermicides.
Spermicides are chemical substances that are inserted deep into the vagina shortly before
sex to kill or disable sperm. They can be used alone as well as with diaphragms, cervical
caps, and condoms. Spermicides are available as foaming tablets, vaginal suppositories,
foam, melting film, jelly, and cream. Used alone, spermicides are one of the least
effective contraceptive methods. Even when used consistently and correctly, their
effectiveness is only about 82%. Thus, 18 in every 100 women who use spermicides may
become pregnant over a year. As commonly used, 29 of every 100 spermicide users will
become pregnant within one year of use. Women and couples who want reliable
protection from pregnancy should consider other contraceptive methods. Spermicides
provide no protection from STIs/HIV and may even increase the risk of HIV if used
several times a day.
Male sterilization. Male sterilization — or vasectomy — is an even simpler surgical
procedure. A tiny hole is made in the scrotum (the sac that holds the testicles), and both
tubes (vas deferens) that carry a man’s sperm to his penis are cut and blocked. This keeps
sperm out of the semen, the fluid that is released by a man during an ejaculation. The
man can still ejaculate and have an orgasm as before, but there will be no sperm in the
semen, and so he will not be able to cause pregnancy. Vasectomy has no side effects, and
complications of the surgery are uncommon. After the procedure a man may have
discomfort, swelling, and bruising in the scrotum. These symptoms usually go away
within 2 to 3 days.
Although a man can have sex 2 to 3 days after the procedure, vasectomy is not effective
immediately. It takes about 3 months for semen to be completely clear of sperm. During
these 3 months a man or his partner should use another family planning method, such as
condoms. Or if a woman was already using a family planning method prior to her
partner’s vasectomy, she can continue using this method for 3 months before
discontinuing it. After 3 months a vasectomy is considered effective. Where possible, a
health care provider can examine a semen sample under a microscope to see if it contains
living sperm. After 3 months, however, this test is not necessary.
Millions of men who do not want more children have chosen vasectomy. Vasectomy is
simpler than female sterilization, recovery is quicker — usually a day or two — and the
method allows men to take responsibility for family planning. After this procedure, a man
can enjoy sex with his partner as before, except now without fear of pregnancy
Female sterilization.
Female sterilization is a relatively simple surgical procedure. A very small incision is
made in a woman’s abdomen, and her fallopian tubes are cut and blocked so that eggs
cannot move through the tubes to meet the sperm. Female sterilization has no side effects,
and complications are extremely rare when the procedure is performed by a well-trained
health care provider. It can be provided almost anytime, including immediately after
childbirth, so long as she makes the decision before giving birth. Following surgery, a
woman may have some abdominal pain and swelling, which goes away in a few days. If
possible, she should return to the health care provider after about a week to have the
incision checked for infection and to have the stitches removed.

MAJOR PROBLEMS OF OVER POPULATION

ECOLOGICAL DEGRADATION 

An increase in population will inevitably create pressures leading to more deforestation,

decreased biodiversity, and spikes in pollution and emissions, which will exacerbate
climate change. Ultimately, unless we take action to help minimize further population
growth heading into the remainder of this century, many scientists believe the additional
stress on the planet will lead to ecological disruption and collapse so severe it threatens
the viability of life on Earth as we know it. 

Each spike in the global population has a measurable impact on the planet’s health.
According to estimates in a study by Wynes and Nicholas (2017), a family having one
fewer child could reduce emissions by 58.6 tonnes CO2-equivalent per year in developed
countries.

INCREASED CONFLICTS 

The scarcity brought about by environmental disruption and overpopulation has the
potential to trigger an increase in violence and political unrest. We’re already seeing wars
fought over water, land, and energy resources in the Middle East and other regions, and
the turmoil is likely to increase as the global population grows even larger.

HIGHER RISK OF DISASTERS AND PANDEMICS 

Many of the recent novel pathogens that have devastated humans around the world,
including COVID-19, Zika virus, Ebola, and West Nile virus, originated in animals or
insects before passing to humans. Part of the reason the world is entering “a period of
increased outbreak activity” is because humans are destroying wildlife habitats and
coming into contact with wild animals on a more regular basis. Now that we’re in the
midst of a pandemic, it has become clear how difficult it is to social distance in a world
occupied by nearly 8 billion people.  

What Is Population?
A population is a distinct group of individuals, whether that group comprises a nation or a
group of people with a common characteristic. In statistics, a population is the pool of
individuals from which a statistical sample is drawn for a study. Thus, any selection of
individuals grouped together by a common feature can be said to be a population.
A sample is a statistically significant portion of a population, not an entire population.
For this reason, a statistical analysis of a sample must report the approximate standard
deviation, or standard error, of its results from the entire population. Only an analysis of
an entire population would have no standard error.

OVERPOPULATION

Overpopulation or overabundance occurs when a species' population becomes so large

that it is deemed exceeding the carrying capacity and must be actively intervened. It can
result from an increase in births (fertility rate), a decline in the mortality rate, an increase
in immigration, or a depletion of resources. When overpopulation occurs the available
resources become too limited for the entire population to survive comfortably or at all in
the long term. 

SOLUTIONS TO OVERPOPULATION

When addressing overpopulation, it’s crucial to take an approach of providing

empowerment while mobilizing against anybody advocating for the use of coercion or
violence to solve our problems. The combined efforts of spreading knowledge about
family planning, increasing agency among women, and debunking widely held myths
about contraception will measurably change the trajectory of the world’s population.

As we carry out our work at Population Media Center (PMC), we see first-hand that
spreading awareness about family planning methods and the ecological and economic
benefits of having smaller families can change reproductive behavior. For example,
listeners of our Burundian radio show Agashi (“Hey! Look Again!”) were 1.7 times more
likely than non-listeners to confirm that they were willing to negotiate condom use with a
sexual partner and 1.8 times more likely than non-listeners to say that they generally
approve of family planning for limiting the number of children.

SOLUTIONS TO OVERPOPULATION

1. Empower women
Studies show that women with access to reproductive health services find it easier to
break out of poverty, while those who work are more likely to use birth control. The
United Nations Population Fund aims to tackle both issues at once, running microcredit
projects to turn young women into advocates for reproductive health.

Promote family planning

Simply educating men and women about contraception can have a big impact. When Iran
introduced a national family planning programme in 1989, its fertility rate fell from 5.6
births per woman to 2.6 in a decade. A similar effort in Rwanda saw a threefold increase
in contraception usage in just five years.
Make education entertaining
The US-based Population Media Center gets creative to reach women. Its radio soap
operas, which feature culturally specific stories about reproductive issues, have been
heard by as many as 500 million people in 50 countries. In Ethiopia, 63 per cent of
women seeking reproductive health services reported tuning in.
Government incentives
Those at UK charity Population Matters believe there should be a senior government
official responsible for addressing population-related issues. They urge governments to
promote “responsible parenthood” and say subsidies should be limited to the first two
children unless the family is living in poverty.
One-child legislation
During China’s high controversial one-child policy, fertility fell from six births per
woman in the 1960s to 1.5 in 2014. However, Amnesty International reports that the
policy led to coerced or forced abortions and sterilisations. It also disrupted traditional
support structures for the elderly and led to a gender imbalance.
EXTRAMARITAL/PREMARITAL SEXUAL ACTIVITIES
Extramarital affairs are relationships outside of marriage where an
illicit romantic or sexual relationship or a romantic friendship or passionate attachment
occurs.
An affair can continue in one form or another for years, even as one of the partners to that
affair passes through marriage, divorce and remarriage. This could be considered the
primary relationship, with the marriage secondary to it. Several people claim the reason
of extra marital affair is their unsuccessful marriage where both spouses fail to please
each other. This may be serial polygamy or other forms of nonmonogamy.
The ability to pursue serial and clandestine extramarital affairs while safeguarding other
secrets and conflict of interest inherent in the practice, requires skill in deception and
duplicitous negotiation. Even to hide one affair requires a degree of skill or
malicious gaslighting. All these behaviors are more usually called lying.
Deception can be defined as the "covert manipulation of perception to alter thoughts,
feelings, or beliefs". The presence of deception may indicate the degree to which the
deceiver has breached fundamental conditions of fidelity, of reciprocal vulnerability and
of transparency. Sometimes these are explicit or assumed pre-conditions of a
committed intimate relationship.
Individuals having affairs with married men or women can be prosecuted for adultery in
some jurisdictions and can be sued by the jilted spouses in others, or named as 'co-
respondent' in divorce proceedings. As of 2009, eight U.S. states permitted
such alienation of affections lawsuits. Affairs with consent of their significant others may
not be considered infidelity or adultery.
Causes of extramarital affair
When one partner goes outside of the relationship for emotional or physical needs, the
other partner may end the relationship, or forgive and stay in it, but either way, extra-
marital affairs have major, negative effects that can be felt for some time.

1. Damage to Self Esteem:

The person who has been cheated on will suffer a blow to his or her self-esteem. They
may have the usual thoughts of, “Was I not enough?” or “If I hadn’t let myself go this
would not have happened.” Just as children tend to blame themselves for their parents’
divorce, many victims of an affair respond to an affair by blaming themselves. The
decision to cheat was not yours, and although there have been problems in the
relationship, you did not make the decision to have an affair. Chances are it had much
more to do with a deficiency in your partner than in you.

2. Loss of Trust in the Cheating Spouse:

The victim of an affair will find it difficult to trust. He or she may doubt their judgment
of others. Even if this relationship ends, and another begins, the baggage of infidelity can
follow. It is important to deal with your trust issues, even if it means getting professional
help to do so. You and your future partner will be grateful in the long run that you dealt
with the negative consequences of the affair.

3. A Sense of Emotional Instability:

You may feel your world has turned upside down. The things in your life that gave you a
sense of security have been shattered. It is normal to feel like the rug has been pulled out
from under you. It is important to find that sense of stability inside yourself. Look at your
survival skills from the past and realize you can cope with this, too.

4. A Roller Coaster of Emotions:

One minute you may feel like crying, the next screaming. You may blame him today,
blame her tomorrow, and blame yourself at the same time. It is common when facing
infidelity to feel a myriad of emotions. Realize this is normal. Feel what you are feeling
and work through it. Don’t stuff your feelings. Seek outside help if you need someone to
talk to about how you are feeling or if you are feeling overwhelmed.

5. Impacts all Areas of Life:

Extra-marital affairs can cause a ripple effect in your life. You may find yourself looking
differently at your job, your friends, your life choices. This can be either positive or
negative, but most victims of an affair say that it brought on changes in all other areas of
their lives. It’s important that you not make changes to major areas of your life while in
the midst of the emotional turmoil that accompanies an affair.

There are many reasons for cheating, usually it is done without much thought or
consideration of the effects it can have on the other person. However, the effects can be
devastating and take a long time to get over and work through. It is important that you
address these effects, and find ways to work through them. Build a support network of
family and friends, your clergy, professional counselors, or anyone else you can trust to
help you overcome these effects and move on to a better future.

CONSEQUENCES OF EXTRAMARITAL/PREMARITAL SEXUAL

ACTIVITIES
1. Sense of injustice must be occupying your thoughts
From encouraging your spouse in their accomplishments to supporting them relentlessly
in tough times, you have invested a lot in your marriage. After encountering spousal
infidelity, you must be feeling cheated for no fault of yours. Of course, your ‘happy love
nest’ is not happy any more, due to the toxic adultery or emotional affair. With his
treacherous act, you must be feeling that this breach of trust is ‘unjust’ to you. Your
spouse didn’t honour the wedding vows and gave in to temptation. This must have
clouded your perspectives, making you wonder who is at fault in this situation.

You may blame the Gods, or your fate, and sometimes, you may feel as if it was you
who’d been the reason for your spouse to cheat on you. That can be devastating for a
person. Remember, all marriages run through trouble, and it is not by cheating that issues
are resolved. Stop blaiming yourself.

2. Betrayal has eroded ‘faith’ in your marriage

Your unconditional love for your husband/wife receives a big jolt after you get to know
of their infidelity. Negative feelings infest your marriage and the love you shared with
him/her once has dissipated due to this toxic influence. Things don’t feel the same as
before. It is quite evident that adultery changes your equation with the cheating partner
and hampers the bond of eternal love in your marriage.

It feels it can never be the same ever again.

3. Trauma of cheating must be eating you from within

The emotional breakdown is primarily caused by the breach of trust by the spouse. As a
result, you may slip into a traumatised state. The emotional torture and humiliation
doesn’t end here. You may feel victimised and start thinking about the reasons and causes
of cheating. Disoriented and confused thoughts must have eclipsed your thinking
capabilities. This is very likely to lead you to the self-blame game. The grieving caused
due to an extramarital affair takes the partner on a roller coaster ride of emotions and
creates an environment of negativity.

Future of your marital relationship is uncertain in your mind

The emotional upheaval is of grave concern if you are dependent on your spouse
financially or have kids to look after. The next thought you must be having in your mind
is to keep quiet and let it go. But how can you tolerate another lady in your husband’s life
is the