The decline of fertility from 1950 till 2011
Fertility has also halved, from 6 births per woman to 2.5 over this period, though there are stark regional differences – fertility is 1.6 births per woman in east Asia but 5 per woman in some parts of Africa.
UN report found a "vicious cycle" of extreme poverty, food insecurity and inequality leading to high death rates, that in turn encourages high birth rates.
By investing in health and education for women and girls can countries break the cycle, as improving living conditions will allow parents to be more confident that their children will survive, and therefore have smaller families.
Hundreds of millions of women would prefer to have smaller families, but are unable to exercise this preference owing to a culture of repression.
Allowing women and girls greater freedom and equality, will help them to make their own choices about fertility.
When women have equal rights and opportunities in their societies and when girls are educated and healthy, fertility rates fall.
With high population growth, many scientists predict that the pressure on food and agricultural productivity and other natural resources may become intolerable, and conditions for the poorest people will deteriorate further, rather than improving.
Sources:
guardian.co.uk
foweb.unfpa.org
Fertility has also halved, from 6 births per woman to 2.5 over this period, though there are stark regional differences – fertility is 1.6 births per woman in east Asia but 5 per woman in some parts of Africa.
UN report found a "vicious cycle" of extreme poverty, food insecurity and inequality leading to high death rates, that in turn encourages high birth rates.
By investing in health and education for women and girls can countries break the cycle, as improving living conditions will allow parents to be more confident that their children will survive, and therefore have smaller families.
Hundreds of millions of women would prefer to have smaller families, but are unable to exercise this preference owing to a culture of repression.
Allowing women and girls greater freedom and equality, will help them to make their own choices about fertility.
When women have equal rights and opportunities in their societies and when girls are educated and healthy, fertility rates fall.
With high population growth, many scientists predict that the pressure on food and agricultural productivity and other natural resources may become intolerable, and conditions for the poorest people will deteriorate further, rather than improving.
Sources:
guardian.co.uk
foweb.unfpa.org
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