A global consensus for the resolution of population issues is a global task, which the countries across the world have opted to observe and it aims at resolving issues that pertain to population. The most crucial point of the World Population Day (WPD) agenda is to help the overpopulated countries with proportionately weak economy and civic resources.
Family planning, being the epicentre of the global population issues, is the pivotal tool that is associated with the rationale of awareness. Conversely, the theme for the WPD-2011 is ‘Calling Attention to Urgent Global Issues’.
The government of Pakistan is keen to see that its efforts are matured and they result in bringing the population graph comparatively beneath the scope and availability of natural resources and to provide equal opportunity to prosper with self-reliance, education and social benefits to every single citizen.
However, the goal is sliding away because the hypothesis does not suffice alone. As of June 30, the world population is estimated by the United States Census Bureau to be 6.928 billion. It continues to grow by 83 million people a year.
The population division of the United Nations Organisation had in 2007 predicted extreme growth of world population beyond 10 billion by the year 2066. The impacts of unplanned population growth are imbalances in provisioning and utilisation of the available natural resources.
Thus, the imbalances would result in fast depletion of the stocks and a vacuum would be created. The outcome of such imbalances would be reduced opportunities for standard education and diminution of food crops at an early stage. The devastating impacts would lead to sinking of the economy and environmental hazards.
It was in 1994 when 179 countries of the world had consented to take action for a balanced approach toward population issues under the International Conference on Population and Development programme. The actions that were promised to take place by 2015 included universal access to reproductive health services, universal primary education and closing the gender gap in education, reducing maternal mortality by 75 percent, reducing infant mortality and increasing life expectancy.
Later on, the goals were redefined in 1998 and the issues of HIV were included in the action plan. The stakeholders agreed to take steps for bringing down the HIV infection rates in people between the ages of 15 and 24 by 25 percent in the most affected countries by the year 2005, and by 25 percent globally by the year 2010.
Poverty, illiteracy, extremism and terrorism have been serious issues the world is confronting today. It is estimated that around 2 billion of the total world population comprises people between the ages of 10 and 24. Incorporating the youth in skilled performances is the ultimate choice for a sustainable economic growth.
Maternal health and life expectancy are the two concerns that need immediate attention because these play a pivotal role in checking unplanned growth rate and early depletion of resources. Henceforth, family planning is the right answer at the right moment.
Increased human activity, particularly occupying land for new housing units and workplaces, is the ultimate produce of unplanned and rampant growth in population. An example of such backlash of the rampant growth in population could be witnessed in the city’s suburbs, like Bin Qasim Town where Asia’s largest cattle colony and fresh milk dairy farms are working.
These have been wreaking havoc on the environment. The cattle colony is producing around 10,000 tonnes of dung, which is thrown into the Arabian Sea untreated. This has almost eliminated the natural nursery of typical Palla Fish and other varieties of fish. In addition, the toxic industrial waste is flushed into the Arabian Sea and around 11, 000 tonnes of domestic waste and litter being produced in the city daily is dumped at every nook and cranny of the city.
This is all due to high influx of people to the city from other parts of the country because of diminishing opportunities for their living. The mangroves are fast depleting, the biological diversity is being ruined, the forests are being destroyed for housing needs; and it is all leading lead to instability of ecological systems and reducing ability of the ecosystem to combat global warming.
The United Nations Population Division suggests that population growth rates would decline over the several coming decades with a possible stabilisation around the year 2050. If population is stabilised between 8 billion and 9 billion, a scenario that becomes less likely with each passing day, the increase in human population would still be between 20 percent and 30 percent.
The fertility rate in Pakistan is 4.56 births and 3.28 in 2010. As a rule, maintaining a total fertility rate at 3.8 over a long period is a good sign for rapid growth while a TFR at 2 would cause a decline. Lower TFR is seen in countries with strong economy and opportunities for wealth, health, education and other facilities are higher.
China is a new example where birth rate is controlled at the state level. On the other hand, birth rate is rampant in countries with weak economy and poor industrial advancement such as Niger.
Illiteracy is the major obstacle in checking unplanned births. In Pakistan, 70 percent population lives in rural areas where education and health, especially reproductive health facilities, are seldom available. Use of contraception by males is avoided as the majority believes that wearing a condom would reduce the pleasure.
The female population in rural areas is not allowed to consult a gynaecologist for family planning. Hence, the birth rate in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh is 24.81, 20.97 and 22.98 births/1,000 population, respectively. It has been estimated on the basis of growth rate that the population would be doubled by 2022.
The incidents of terrorism that led to diminution of income resources caused higher influx in urban areas of the country. However, the influx ruined the infrastructure and consumed the resources rapidly. Housing is a major problem in cities as 500 persons are populated in just a square kilometre area. The result of the unnatural growth in population of the city has resulted in political unrest, targeted killings and division of population on the basis of ethnicity.
The key to controlling population growth lies in raising the socioeconomic status of women. The status of a woman should not be determined by her reproductive capabilities. The government has to take such non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on board for preparing the adult population for family planning at workplaces.
Family planning should be redefined with broader perspectives and should include well-calculated estimates on poverty, employment, education, health, housing, water and electricity, and law and order.
Making people understand these issues is the key to the resolution of population issues. The only choice that could fill the gap is the dynamic role played by selective NGOs with their extended network across the country with sound financial resources and manpower.
‘Calling attention to urgent global issues’
