Contrasting Contemporary Population Issues – Three Case Studies Geofile no.

521 April 2006

P China India Italy

r
• In the 1970’s it was predicted that • Massive base population (1.1 billion) • Second lowest birth rates in Europe
o the current growth rates would and growth rate that only fell below • Ageing population (40% over 60,
b have resulted in mass starvation 2% since the year 2000 15% under 20)
• Set to overtake China as most • Naturally decreasing population
le
populous country • Female emancipation stunted by
m marriage in a male dominated
s Catholic culture
• State resources being stretched
(pensions paid from current tax
receipts)
•

P
ol • One Child Policy introduced 1979 • National family planning programme • Encouraging private pension
ic • Which stipulated ages at which in place since 1952 provision
people can marry – later marriage • Reproductive and Child Health • Part time employment for women
ie (men 28 women 25) • Raise retirement age
programme 1997
s • Applications required for right o • National Population Policy (2000) • Relax rules on immigration
start family • Commitment to education and • Amnesties for unauthorized
• Salary bonus for those who limit choice in regards to contraception immigrants
family to one • Mass media used to communicate
• Financial penalties for those who
have more than one child
• Priority given to housing those with
one child.
• Higher retirement benefits for
those parents who limit
themselves to one child
Contrasting Contemporary Population Issues – Three Case Studies Geofile no. 521 April 2006

R
e • Decline in fertility which will result
s in natural decrease
• Population will start to fall once it
ul peaks at around 1.5 billion
t • Fall in maternal and infant
s mortality
• Increase in average life expectancy
• Has the authoritarian policy led to
abuses of human rights?
• Suggestions of female infanticide
• Gender imbalance in favour of
males
• Aging demographic structure
• “little emperor” syndrome
• Vast differences in contraception use
between different regions
• Italy experiencing net immigration
from LEDC’s (North Africa and
• S & W regions display lower
eastern Europe)
mortality, lower fertility and higher
• Immigrants restricted to low-paid,
contraception use.
• Kerala (communist state low-status jobs in agriculture,
domestic service and black economy
governance) shows high literacy
rates and female empowerment • Immigration seen as a burden -
• Rise in the number of terminations Xenophobia
and female srerilistion
• Suggestions of use of terminations
to choose sex

The International Conference on Population and Development

The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was convened under the auspices of the United Nations and
was organized by a secretariat composed of the Population Division of the UN Department for Economic and Social Information
and Policy Analysis and UNFPA.
It was the largest intergovernmental conference on population and development ever held, with 11,000 registered participants,
from governments, UN specialized agencies and organizations, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations
and the media. More than 180 states took part in negotiations to finalize a Programme of Action in the area of population and
development for the next 20 years. It was the first international conference that did not specifically address women's issues and
interests but at which they were nevertheless the main focus of attention.
The Programme of Action, adopted by acclamation on 13 September 1994, endorsed a new strategy that emphasizes the integral
linkages between population and development and focuses on meeting the needs of individual women and men, rather than on
achieving demographic targets.
Population is an integral part of sustained economic growth and sustainable development. It underscored the interrelated and the
positive reciprocity among efforts to slow population growth, reduce poverty, achieve economic progress, improve environmental
protection, and reduce unsustainable consumption and production patterns.

Principle 6 of the Programme of Action notes that the "interrelationships between population, resources, the environment and
development should be fully recognized, properly managed and brought into harmonious, dynamic balance." It calls on States to
Contrasting Contemporary Population Issues – Three Case Studies Geofile no. 521 April 2006

"reduce and eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and promote appropriate policies, including
population-related policies, in order to meet the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs."