Population and family planning: an international perspective

Abstract

Since the 1960s, the U.S. government has supported population and family planning programs in Third World countries, on the grounds that rapid population growth impairs the ability of those countries to develop economically; family planning programs contribute to fertility decline; and such programs help improve the health of mothers and children. Although the United States remains the largest single donor of funding for international population programs, its support has weakened during the eight years of the Reagan administration and patterns of funding for those programs have changed substantially. Since the 1960s, however, contraceptive use has increased in the Third World and fertility has fallen substantially. The decline has been uneven, though--considerable in some countries, moderate in others but very small in many. The performance of family planning programs around the world has varied widely, and questions remain as to what, if anything, can be done to increase success. For the future, three aspects of population and fertility control in developing countries merit special attention: the supply of contraceptive commodities going to family planning programs; the maintenance and strengthening of the family planning infrastructure; and the need to examine the policy implications of differing patterns of fertility and population growth for national development and individual well-being.

PIP: Since the 1960s, the US government has supported population and family planning programs in 3rd world countries, on the grounds that rapid population growth impairs the ability of those countries to develop economically; that family planning programs contribute to fertility decline; and that such programs help improve the health of mothers and children. Although the US remains the largest single donor of funding for international population programs, its support has weakened during the 8 years of the Reagan administration and patterns for funding for those programs have changed substantially. Since the 1960s, however, contraceptive use has increased in the 3rd world and fertility has fallen substantially. The decline has been uneven however; it has been considerable in some countries, moderate in others, and very small in many. The performance of family planning programs around the world has varied widely and questions remain as to what, if anything, can be done to increase success. For the future, 3 aspects of population and fertility control in developing countries merit special attention--the supply of contraceptive commodities going to family planning programs, the maintenance and strengthening of the family planning infrastructure, and the need to examine the policy implications of differing patterns of fertility and population growth for national development and individual well-being.