National 7 (Spotlight Weekly)

Integrated Approach

Nepal observes the annual event amid calls to blend population programs with other issues

By KESHAB POUDEL

This year's World Population Day was observed in Nepal amid what has become an increasingly familiar pattern. The Ministry of Population and Environment organized a talk program and handed over prizes to schoolchildren who came up with the best ideas on grappling with the issue.

When the country is facing many new challenges in the area of population management, can this kind of traditional response be considered enough? Or is there a need for a more comprehensive approach? At the policy level, there is greater confusion, particularly when it comes to implementation.

Common people : Are they aware?

The country observed World Population Day calling for a shift in its traditional approach to population management. The focus was on integrating population programs with other sectors having a direct bearing on the social and economic status of the people.

Despite declining fertility levels - which is one of the major successes of Nepal's population programs -† it will take the country many more years to see any significant changes in the overall demographic situation.

Poverty, illiteracy and, most importantly, cases of HIV\AIDS continue to grow. The convergence of these three factors is increasingly challenging the overall population programs. One of the alarming trends for the future is the increase in the number of adolescents and youths in proportion to the national population.

"During the next 25 years, the adolescent and youth population of Nepal is projected to increase by 65 percent. This is a critical mass entering the childbearing age and parenthood with far- reaching implications on fertility, health transition, mortality, especially infant, child and maternal mortality, and on the prevention and control of HIV\AIDS," said J. Bill Musoke, resident representative of the United Nations Population Fund in Nepal. "All aspects pertaining to this group need careful planning and programming if Nepal is to realize population stabilization." (SPOTLIGHT 17-23, 2002)

Although Nepal has made some significant achievements in the area of population management, it has equally significant challenges to overcome, especially in terms of the growing number HIV/AIDS patients. The country needs to interlink HIV\AIDS and other programs with population management.

High growth is not the country's only population problem. The proportion of the national population living below the national poverty line is over 38 percent. The prevalence of HIV\AIDS in the adult population aged 15-49 years is 0.29 percent. Some 20.1 percent of the population does not have access to drinking water supply. The adult literacy rate is still 57.56 percent and the under 5 mortality rate (per 1,000 birth live births) is 91.0 percent.

According to the National Population Census 2001, Nepal's total population is 23,151,423, with an annual population increase of over 2.24 percent. "We have seen tremendous success in the last decade in the area of population management. Twenty-six years ago, the fertility rate was 6.3 percent and less than three percent of population adopted family planning method," said Dr. Ram Hari Aryal, a population expert and joint secretary at the National Planning Commission.

The findings of Nepal Demographic Health Survey 2001 reveals that fertility has declined over the last decade from 5.1 children per women in 1991 to 4.6 in 11996 to 4.1 in 2001. Over the last five years, fertility has declined from 2.28 to 2.1 births per women.

But this is no time to rest on achievements. Nepal needs to take some drastic steps to integrate population management with other issues. This is the time not to talk but to implement policies and programs. Everyone knows that the real challenge in Nepal lies in implementation. The question is, are we up to it?