Demography India Vol. 22, No. 1 (1993)

From the Chief Editor’s Desk

According to a recent projection, by 2020 the population of developing world will exceed the 10.7 billion mark. Further estimates show that between 1995 and 2000,45 per cent of the population growth will be contributed by population momentum, 34 per cent will come from unplanned and unwanted pregnancies and 21 per cent from the continued desire for large families. If we go by these estimates, clearly all the countries are concerned with high population growth. The challenge is to manage the last two components which are contributing more than half of the population increase in the developing world. Clearly this demand is difficult but yet coordinated strategies could manage these two components. While unplanned and unwanted pregnancies could be substantially reduced by ensuring accessibility, promotion and increased quality of services, a reduction in desired family size requires more serious and sustained efforts to bring about a planned social change. It demands an increase in the enrolment and schooling of girls, empowerment of women, including an increase in their participation in the paid labour force, and the right to control their sexuality and reproduction. Equally important is male involvement and a better understanding between the partners in order to share responsibilities for family formation. This is a difficult social agenda and can be achieved only by concentrated and coordinated effort, and an adequate allocation of resources and their proper management. I hope the new population policy, drafted by the Dr. Swaminathan Committee has given adequate attention to these aspects and has provided strategics to achieve them.

The IASP election results have been announced. Professor Pravin Visaria, a distinguished economist and demographer has assumed the responsibility of President along with his team of new office bearers. I welcome them all. I am sure, the newly constituted Executive Committee and office bearers, will try to put in their best effort to keep the Association united and take it to a new height of professional achievement.

With his issue of Demography India, we are one step closer to our aim of wiping out all the backlog before the end of 1994.1 am glad to inform you that the second issue of 1993 is also in press and we will try to release it within two or three months. The first issue of 1994 should be in your hands by December 1994.

In this effort to make the journal up to date, your cooperation and support was vital and I thank all of you.

M.E. Khan
Chief Editor, Demography India