Module 5: Population Policy (Notes)
Governments’ concern with population matters can also extend beyond the borders of their own jurisdictions.
Thus, international aspects of population policy have become increasingly salient in the contemporary world.
Population are primarily the result of individual decisions concerning childbearing.
Within the constraints of their social milieu, these decisions reflect an implicit calculus by parents about the private costs and benefits of children.
But neither costs nor benefits of fertility are likely to be fully internal to the family.
They can also impose burdens and advantages on others in the society. Such externalities, negative and positive, represent a legitimate concern for all those affected.
The key objects of governmental interest in population policy based on a matter for health, fertility and migration.
Population policy may also intent at modification of qualitative aspects of these phenomena of fertility and international migration including the composition of the population by various demographic characteristics and the population’s spatial distribution.
Evolution of population policies
Rulers of any political unit have a stake in the size and composition of the population over which they have authority, hence an incentive to try to influence demographic change in a desired direction.
Thus “population policy” may be said to have a long history, starting at least with the empires of the ancient world.
By the 1930s such pronatalist policies came to be fairly widely if rather tight fistedly applied in a number of countries.
Among Europe’s emerging democratic welfare states, Sweden and France were pioneers in providing financial rewards and services in kind to families with children, especially to larger families. (Sweden, however, also allowed liberal access to contraception.)
Similar policies were applied with equal or greater vigor in fascist Italy and Nazi Germany.
International population policy after World War two
In less developed countries, population policy issues attracted little attention until the middle of the twentieth century.
Types of population policies
a) Direct or explicit - government actions taken for the purpose of affecting a demographic outcome , e.g., migration laws
b) Indirect or implicit – government actions that only indirectly have some demographic effects, e.g., promoting female education
Explicit versus implicit policies: Slowing slowing population growth
Rationale for adopting population policies
To change the future prospects of a country, specifically
To enhance economic development
To improve social welfare
To improve individual welfare
Population conference
The First World Population Conference was organized by the United Nations and was held in Rome in 1954 to exchange scientific information on population variables, their determinants and their consequences.
This eminently academic Conference resolved basically to generate fuller information on the demographic situation of the developing countries and to promote the creation of regional training centres which would help to address population issues and to prepare specialists in demographic analysis.
The Second World Population Conference was organized in 1965 by the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP) and the United Nations.
Most of the participants were experts in the field. The focus at this international meeting was on the analysis of fertility as part of a policy for development planning.
In 1974 Population Conference organized by the United Nations was held in Bucharest, Romania.
This was the Third World Population Conference to be held and the debate focused on the relationship between population issues and development.
In 1984 Population Conference was held to review and endorse most aspects of the agreements of the 1974 Bucharest Conference and expanded the World Population Plan of Action in order to incorporate the results of the latest research and data provided by Governments.
The human rights of individuals and families, conditions of health and well-being, employment and education were some of the issues highlighted in the Declaration signed at the Conference.
In 1994 The United Nations General Assembly held Population Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, Egypt.
In 1999 Population Conference was held in New York which aimed to address the progress achieved and challenges encountered in implementing strategies on population and development.
These were the central themes of this meeting of world leaders convened pursuant to a General Assembly resolution adopted on 18 December 1997
Steps in formulating a population policy
What is the likely social and economic future if current demographic trends continue unchanged?
What is a more desirable alternative demographic picture of the future?
What current behaviors must be changed to achieve the more desirable future?
Evolution of population policy in Tanzania
Tanzania started to adopt explicit national population policy in 1992 but prior that, Tanzania pursued implicit population policies and programmes.
These policies and programmes were reflected in actions taken by the government in dealing with various issues pertaining to population.
These included policies and programmes such as: settlement schemes of early 1960s, villagization programme of mid 1970s, provision and expansion of free social services (health, education and safe water), literacy campaigns
Provision of family planning services as part of MCH services, limiting employment related benefits (such as tax relief) to four children, and paid maternity leave of 84 days at most once in every three years, and census taking after every ten years.
As the economic crisis became severe during the 1980s, the gains achieved earlier, especially in social sectors could not be maintained.
It is in part of this context that in 1986 the Government started the process of formulating a national population policy.
This process was finalized in 1992 when the final version of the population policy was adopted, and was followed by the Programme of Implementation in 1995.
The thrust of the policy was to provide a framework and guidelines for the integration of population variables in the development process.
To some extent, the 1992 National Population Policy took onboard goals and objectives of the past population programmes. However, new developments that have taken place nationally and internationally have necessitated its revision.
The goal and objectives of population policy
The main and overriding concern of the population policy is to enable Tanzania achieve improved standard of living and quality of life of its people. Important aspects of quality of life include good health and education, adequate food and housing
Stable environment, equity, gender equality and security of individuals. The main goal of the policy is to influence policies, strategies and programmes that ensure sustainable development of the people.
Sub goals of population policy
- Sustainable economic growth and eradication of poverty
- Increased and improved availability and accessibility of high quality social services
- Attainment of gender equity, equality, and social justice for all individuals
- Harmonious relationships among population, resource utilization and environment.
- Improvement, availability and timely dissemination of population information
Objectives of the policy
- To harmonize population and economic growth
- To promote an integrated rural-urban development
- To promote employment opportunities
- To promote gender equity, equality and women empowerment
- To transform socio-economic and cultural values and attitudes that hinder gender equality
- To enhance proper upbringing of children and youths
- To promote the well-being of the elderly and people with disabilities
- To improve the capacity of the country to address refugee problems
- To promote public awareness on individual sexual and reproductive health and rights
- To promote and expand quality reproductive health care services
- To increase agricultural production
- To improve nutritional status of the people
- To promote integrated and sustainable use and management of natural resources
- To improve the preparedness and management of disasters and emergencies
- To ensure adequate supply of safe and clean water
- To encourage the private sector, NGOs and religious organizations to invest in provision of education
- To promote and provide equitable and quality education
- To improve population data collection and research, and their timely dissemination
- To improve training in population issues
- To create an enabling environment that will facilitate acceptance of population issues namely: reproductive health, population and development and gender concerns
- To mobilize necessary resources for implementation of the National Population Policy
Post a Comment