The writer is a development consultant and a PhD student at the University of Melbourne
syed.ali@tribune.com.pk
Our high birth rates are accompanied by the problems of high infant and maternal mortality rates, which means that many children and mothers perish during the process of childbirth. Since every third pregnancy in Pakistan is unplanned, many people continue having children without giving much thought to the requirements of raising another child that can become a healthy and productive adult. Yet, there is a lingering aversion to the use of contraceptives. Even couples who want to have fewer children lack access to family planning advice. This unmet need also causes unplanned pregnancies, many of which end in unsafe abortions and maternal deaths. According to the Population Council, women who opt for abortions are married with four or more children and have exhausted their economic constraints. For them, abortion seems to be a family planning method rather than using effective contraception. Increased contraceptive use could reduce the number of unsafely performed abortions and resultant deaths.
With the country’s population having doubled, twice over, since 1951 and it being projected to be the fourth most populated country in the world in 2050, some argue that time may be ripe for Pakistan to follow China’s lead and implement the ‘one child’ policy. The notion of family planning, however, is based on birth control by choice, not coercion. Family planning experts focus on the need for increasing the availability and usage of contraceptives through campaigns run by lady health workers and emphasise the need for convincing men and religious leaders to help curb unsustainable family sizes.
Family planning organisations have been using the pulpit to emphasise the need for breastfeeding for two years, which enables birth spacing as well. Such efforts need to be reinvigorated. Moreover, doctors and nurses in Pakistan need to be conversant with all modern and effective contraceptive methods. A premarital visit to a general physician or gynaecologist should become mandatory as there is no formal sex education in schools and colleges. The existing high birth rate is not making life any easier for the average citizen. The inability to adequately manage this problem puts further pressure on the existing population that already lacks access to basic social services.
Mega urban centres such as Karachi and Lahore are being squeezed for space as population densities increase. Yet, there is an influx of rural populations into these and other major urban areas given the dearth of socio-economic opportunities in rural and peri-urban areas.
There are very serious, adverse consequences of unplanned and rapid population growth. The state’s resources are limited and under immense pressure. Urgent focus on curbing the high birth rates is needed to enable both households and the state to ensure a better quality of life for the coming generations.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 7th, 2013.
COMMENTS (25)
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Unsustainable population growth is a time ticking bomb. Let me narrate an anecdote in this regard. 'A TEACHER is lecturing on population: “In Pakistan, every 10 seconds a woman gives birth to a baby.” A smart-alec student stands up and responds: “We must find her and stop her!”
Egypt, Syria and Tunsia had also had huge population growth and their is big unemployment in these countries. Even the people who work are not really needed. I read somewhere these counties only need 30% employment at their current state of development. Our male-female ratio is also distorted. As others say here this will lead to high crime rates. Many men will not be getting their basic needs satisified and this will cause rapes and prostitution.
I don't think there is any such thing as demographic dividend. Population control is key to prosparity. Only those vested interest don't want it to happen, who want cannon fodder for their political agenda.
@Syed Think how much of Pakistan is a desert or mountainous. How much of Pakistan the soil has excess salt because of bad irrigation. How much water is being pumped out and water levels are decreasing. How much land has too much insecticide. This is some that is going to hit us hard.
I think the writer is wrong about limited birth control, there should be full birth control because our main problem are the people. Even there are more or less people we will need to provide them some facilities like electricity, water, public transportation, security , justice and CNG etc. So we should focus on our main and only issue population.
@pakistani1414918 How much access to women’s education or birth control do they have? Look at their population. Less people than Karachi.
Population depends on not just birth rates but also mortality rates and life expectancy. People in Balochistan do not have access to modern medical facilities hence their average life expectancy might be lower and mortality rates might be higher than Karachi.
Less food growth=less birth rates.
Actually Less food growth=higher mortality rate and lower life expectancy
hence lower population
How much education do people in Balochistan have? How much access to women's education or birth control do they have? Look at their population. Less people than Karachi.
It's about fertility of the land. Fertile lands have humid climates with lots of food and water. This is what gives us uncontrolled population growth. Balochistan has a dry climate with little rainfall and it's population is really small.
As commenters wrote you cannot suggest birth control to the population as they will reject it. Cut down the food production and the population drops with it. Don't waste time thinking on education. It won't change people's minds and religious commitments.
Less food growth=less birth rates.
And you will come across Indian fools who suggest visa-less travel in the name of people-to-people contact.
@Riaz Haq:
It is interesting point. Some economists have claimed that there is a demographic dividend when there are more working adults . They have correlated the high growth rates in China and India to higher number of working adults creating a demographic bulge and accelerated growth. According to this theory the European countries and Japan are going to see stagnant or negative growth due to greying of population .US will however be able to keep up because of its immigration policy. I do not believe this theory is entirely correct as the growth bulge needs to occur in educated skilled young adults.If there is increased urbanization of unskilled underemployed workers with poor infrastructure it is going to lead to crime and social disorder as evident in the recent Delhi rape case and spurt of crime in ghettos and favelas The skewed Female Male ratio because of female feticide is going to produce in one estimate 30 million young adults in India without family bonds prone to life of violent crime and social disorder https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:s8FSfVj51wAJ:www2.lse.ac.uk/internationalDevelopment/pdf/WP/WP128.pdf+demographic+dividend+theory&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjp7K9z2elXTxGO5tBhMjmFbio5pGNcndKhzkshrJoX6OpCQNqcZwTJlX10iONOpwBY17GvhfCq1EJOQWboMrw4lWMQwaiRJKNntTh-9rjmrcMeAjmgCq9AAaFCM5fi9jh-B9&sig=AHIEtbR9TwpdmcGiLknp33FecqS4vGzUTg
The columnists has mentioned the main reason of over population. Pakistan is an unfretted experimental ground for the mullahs to grow more Muslims so that one day they cross the total world population of Christians.
Keep pumping Pakistanis! You know its the only way to burn calories.
With increasing urbanization, Pakistan's population growth rate has declined from 2.17% in 2000 to 1.9% in 2008. Based on PAI Research Commentary by Karen Hardee and Elizabeth Leahy, the total fertility rate (TFR) in Pakistan is still the highest in South Asia at 4.1 children per woman. Women in urban areas have an average of 3.3 children compared to their rural counterparts, who have an average of 4.5 children. The overall fertility rate has been cut in half from about 8 children per woman in 1960s to about less than 4 this decade, according to a study published in 2009.
Dramatic declines in fertility are not necessarily good for society. In a book titled "The Empty Cradle", the author Philip Longman warns that the declining birth rates around the world will cause many social and economic problems. As a consequence of declining fertility, by 2050 the population of Europe will have fallen to what it was in 1950. Mr. Longman says this is happening all around the world: Women are having fewer children. It's happening in Brazil, it's happening in China, India, Japan. It's even happening in the Middle East and Pakistan. Wherever there is rapid urbanization, education for women and visions of urban affluence, birthrates are falling. Having and raising children is seen as an expense and a burden.
http://www.riazhaq.com/2009/09/south-asian-slums-offer-hope.html
Consistent with the conspiracy theories, Pakistan also has a confusion with production and reproduction.
The author's suggestion that a premarital visit to a general physician or gynaecologist should become mandatory as there is no formal sex education in schools and colleges is excellent and unique. If it could be implemented, it would work wonders.
Consistent with the conspiracy theories, Pakistan also has a confusion with production and reproduction.
The author's suggestion that a premarital visit to a general physician or gynaecologist should become mandatory as there is no formal sex education in schools and colleges is excellent and unique.
Birth control is against Islam and therefore can never be put to practice in Pakistan.
In Population control nothing works like having a universal women's literacy. Kerala southern state in India with 98% women literacy has better population control than China without adopting coercive birth control policies
Excellent analysis..but unfortunatley its too late. The overcrowded train without engineer and guard has already left the station.
SM Ali Sahib has quite rightly pointed out the difficulties aggravated by an uncontrollably high population growth rate. Of course the pop growth is a function of education and development. It is emergent that all future governments of Pakistan increase the education and social development budgets. Large populations put unbearable strains on the resources available but they can also be an asset if used properly. Advice and help can be sought from UN and other developed countries. The issue is how to utilise the support obtained. Bangladeshis are making big strides in this area. A change in the mindset of masses is called for.
Pak birth rate has been declining for years now what is the author talking about?
http://www.indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?c=pk&v=25
The author has used his right to freedom of expression to make unrealistic suggestions. A Chinese lady in Pakistan surprised me by saying that she has two children. How come, I inquired because the Chinese were allowed to have only one child. "I have a Pakistani passport" she replied. You can add these four Chinese to Pakistan's population. The author must realize that Pakistan is a land of refuge and it has not asked any refugees or migrants from other countries to stop having babies. As for Pakistanis, they will never accept compulsory birth controls. In the days of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a TV commercial saying "bachhay dau hi achhay" had to be taken off air because he already had four children.
some argue that time may be ripe for Pakistan to follow China’s lead and implement the ‘one child’ policy.
"One Child Policy"?? Definitely a drastic shift from the "One Child a Year Policy"
It is problem for most of South Asia. Sri Lanka is the country that seems to fared better and pockets of India like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, etc.
I suspect part of the problem is to do with our culture. We tend to think that women are second class citizens and need to stay home and produce more babies. To overcome this is education for the masses. That is not going to happen in Pakistan because it allocates more to finance its national airline then towards its education budget. As long as this continues there will be more children produced and some, due to poverty, are brainwashed into being suicide bombers. It is like a dog chasing its own tail.
That is the only entertainment we poor Pakistanis have, make children........Sports, cinema, other social activities are not looked upon as acceptable...