Education, entertainment, & population growth [Archives:2004/741/Letters to the Editor]

Ali Abdulkader
[email protected]
I write with reference to the article published recently in YT entitled “Features of the Population Problem in Yemen “, by Ismail Al-Ghabiri, on the increasing population growth in Yemen.
Yemen has the highest birth rate, which is mainly a result of early marriages, etc and due to a decline in the fatality rate. A decline in the fatality rate is a good sign as that shows an improvement in the health services. However, the Government should take the initiative in providing better education, which can reduce the birth rate. If people are more aware of birth control and the consequences of such high birth rates and the adverse effect on the economy, chances are that the birth rate could reduce.
Education on its own is not enough. The country also needs better entertainment to make people aware, birth control campaigns, sex control campaigns etc. It could be argued that such facilities are hard to provide taking into account the current inflation in our economy, but unless some initiative is not taken, our country will only continue to see a steady growth in the birth rate.
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