Site icon IAS Current Affairs

Declining Fertility Rates

IAS Current Affairs

Declining Fertility Rates

Source: Indian Express
GS I: Role of Women and Women’s Organization, Population and associated issues, Poverty and Developmental Issues, Urbanization, their problems and their remedies.

Overview

  1. News in Brief
  2. Factors driving low fertility rates
  3. Implications of falling fertility rate

Why in the News?

An Indian Express editorial examines the growing concern over declining fertility rates across the world, including India, and their demographic and economic implications.

News in Brief
  • Several countries, including India, are witnessing declining fertility rates.
  • India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has fallen to 1.9 births per woman, below the replacement-level of 2.1.
  • Governments are experimenting with cash incentives, and childcare benefits, to reverse the trend.
Factors driving low fertility rates

India still possesses a demographic dividend, but this window may narrow in the coming decades.

  • Changing social values
          • More people prioritize careers, personal freedom, and lifestyle choices over larger families.
          • Rise in number of single individuals and declining rates of marriage.
          • Increasing delayed marriage and parenthood reduces overall fertility levels.
  • Increased Female Education and Employment
          • Higher education levels and workforce participation often lead to delayed marriages and fewer child births.
          • The endurance of traditional gender roles , where women end-up shouldering domestic responsibilities in addition to working towards their career aspirations, women choose not to have or have few children.
  • Urbanization
          • Urban living is associated with smaller family sizes due to space constraints and higher living costs.
  • Technological and Lifestyle changes
          • Smartphone use, and evolving family aspirations are influencing fertility decisions.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

  • The average number of children that a woman is expected to bear in her reproductive years.
  • Among the most important figures in population growth is the TFR.
Implications of falling fertility rates

Positive effects

  • Better maternal and child healthcare maintained.
  • Higher investments per child in education and healthcare.

Negative effects

  • Challenges in maintaining pension system and paying for public healthcare for the elderly.
          • Lead to higher taxes on working population.
  • Increase in ageing population with few adult children to take care of them.
  • Shrinking workforce – demographic decline.
  • Slower economic growth in the long term.

Replacement-Level Fertility Rate

  • The level needed to maintain a stable population size over generations.
  • Generally considered 2.1 children per woman.
  • That is, an average of two children per woman to replace the mother and father, is considered ideal to ensure population stability.

 

Way Forward

  • Increase higher public spending on health.
  • Reducing fertility is easier than increasing fertility – State interventions in mitigation could be a better strategy to reverse the trend.

 

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Consider the following statements regarding Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

  1. Total Fertility Rate refers to the average number of children a woman is expected to have during her reproductive years.
  2. A TFR of 2.1 is generally considered the replacement- level fertility rate.
  3. India’s TFR is currently above the replacement level.

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c)  3 only

d) 1,2 and 3

Answer: c) 3 only

Daily Current Affairs: Click Here

Exit mobile version