India and Russia

1. India and Russia A Case study in Pronatalist and Antinatalist Policies.

4. http://www.worldmapper.org/display.php?selected=2#

10. India • Stayed in stage 1 of the DTM well into the 1940’s • India saw a decline in death rates after 1947 • Received independence from England • Death rate declined to 20/1,000 by 1951 • Birth rate remained 40 • RNI moved to 2% • RNI has stayed @ 2%

11. India • Population Issues • Current Population • 1.2 Billion • TFR = 2.8 • Currently the world’s second largest population. • A strain on national and regional resources (food, water, electricity, other forms of energy) • Anti-natalist policies • Trying to curb population growth • Reach replacement levels • Government policies • Sterilization • Family Planning • Education • Contraceptives • http://www.sifpsa.org/

12. India • 1952 • National Family Planning Program • Educate Families • Established free clinics • Birth control is free or reduced prices

13. India • 1971 • Began sterilization projects • Sterilized persons would be paid a fee • 1972 • Legalized abortions

14. India • Current Government Policies • Pay married couples to wait two years before having children • Allows them to finish school and get a job to support themselves • Raise marrying age among couples

15. India • Cultural Problems • Many poor / agricultural families • Need children to work for food / money • Prefer boys to girls • Boys provide for parents as they age • Girls leave the family and become a member of the husband’s family • Girls are more expensive • Families must pay for girl’s marriage • Problem: families may “discard” female babies / be willing to give them up

16. India • Cultural Problems • Women are socially “inferior” • Can be seen as property • Can lead to spousal abuse • For this reason, most sterilization is done to women as opposed to men

17. India • Cultural Problems • Poverty • Strains on infrastructure / government programs • Low levels of education • Families are not educated on ways to prevent pregnancies • Boys and Girls are married off at young ages • Arranged marriages

18. Russia • In population decline that is similar to many MDC’s / European nations. • Russia began it’s pronatalist policies after WWI when a large portion of it’s population died. • Pronatalist policies were pushed heavily during the Soviet Era • Need to repopulate the country • Have children for the “Motherland” • Need people to work in factories and on the farms

19. Russia • High emigration rates due to poor economic situations • Russian people are leaving the country to seek out new opportunities • Leaves an aging population • Government cannot pay for elderly • Not enough workers to sustain government programs

20. Russia • Problems • A high death rate • 15/1,000 • Many due to alcohol • Male life expectancy – 59 • A low birth rate • Poor economic situations • Alcoholism in males • TFR = 1.3 • CBR = 10 / 1,000 • For comparison, CBR in the US is 14 / 1,000

21. Russia • The Russian President, Dmitri Medvedev, addressed the Russian government to discuss the problem (November, 2010) • Government Offers • Baby Bonus for a third child • Free / Reduced Health Care • Free land to build a house • Advocated for adoption • Stop giving alcohol to minors

22. Russia • Government Solutions • Allow a large number of immigrants / migrant workers • Most come from Central Asia • Most are Muslim • Causes tension and clashes between Russia’s Orthodox population • http://www.voanews.com/english/news/europe/Russias-President-Wants-to-Turn-Around-Population-Decline-111062294.html

23. Sources • Russia. Population Decline. • http://geography.about.com/od/obtainpopulationdata/a/russiapop.htm • Russia. Population Decline. • http://www.voanews.com/english/news/europe/Russias-President-Wants-to-Turn-Around-Population-Decline-111062294.html • India. Antinatalist Policies. • http://www.sifpsa.org/ • India. Population Growth. • http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/world/asia/22india.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1306321555-d8jzd9HG2d57Ewuw8VZrig&pagewanted=1