Population growth

Introduction:
Population growth is one of the major concerns of the present world as the human population is
not a static factor. Rather, it is growing at a very alarming rate. In spite of the increasing world
population, the resources of the earth remain constant. Thus, the ability to maintain sustainable
development is becoming a major challenge to mankind today.
Population growth is the increase in the number of humans on Earth. For most of human history
our population size was relatively stable. But with innovation and industrialization,
energy, food, water, and medical care became more available and reliable. Consequently, global
human population rapidly increased, and continues to do so, with dramatic impacts on global
climate and ecosystems. We will need technological and social innovation to help us support the
world’s population as we adapt to and mitigate climate and environmental changes.

Factors that Influence Population Fluctuation

The fluctuations in the population in a given area are influenced by four major factors, which
include the following:

 Natality – It is the number of births in a given period of time in a population

 Mortality – It is defined as the number of deaths that takes place in a population at a given
period of time.
 Immigration – It is defined as the number of individuals who come from another
population and add to the population under consideration during a period of time.
 Emigration – It is defined as the number of individuals from a population who leave
the habitat and go to a different habitat at a given period of time.

Thus, it is clearly visible, that Natality (N) and Immigration (I) add to a population, thus increasing
the population whereas, Mortality (M) and Emigration (E) decrease the population. The population
density (Pt) at a given point of time can be given as:
Pt =P0 + (N + I) – (M + E)
where P0 is the initial population density.

There are two types of growth curves: the j shaped growth curve and the s-shaped growth curve.
Both the types of growth curves fit population growth models that have different environmental
pressures.
 Exponential growth

Exponential growth – In an ideal condition where there is an unlimited supply of food and
resources, the population growth will follow an exponential order. One of the easily observable
examples of exponential growth occurs in bacteria that divide rapidly within an hour. If there are
1000 bacteria on a plate, in the next hour, there will be 2000. In the 3rd hour, there will be 4000
bacteria, and by the 4th hour, there will be 8000. The characteristics of exponential growth are:

 They occur in ideal environments where the resources are relatively unlimited.
 There is no competition or limit to the exponential growth
 The population starts small and grows rapidly as time progresses, giving a J-type exponential
growth curve.
 Exponential growth usually occurs in regions that have newly been colonized.

Source
 Logistic growth – This model defines the concept of ‘survival of the fittest’. Thus, it considers
the fact that resources in nature are exhaustible. The term ‘Carrying capacity’ defines the limit of
the resources beyond which they cannot support any number of organisms. Let this carrying
capacity be represented as K. Logistic growth

Logistic growth is seen in most populations living in realistic conditions with limited space and
resources. Since neither space nor resources are infinite, the growth rate starts to taper as the
population density reaches a stage where it runs out of food or is poisoned by its waste.

The characteristics include logistic growth curve:

 Start rapidly as a J curve and flatten as it curves hits the environment's carrying capacity.
 Carrying capacity refers to the maximum population of a species the environment can support.
 As the population reaches the carrying capacity (denoted by k), the curve begins to take an “S”
shape.
 Logistical growth is seen in all stable populations living in a finite geographic area.

Human population growth impacts the Earth system in a variety of ways, including:

 Increasing the extraction of resources from the environment. These resources

include fossil fuels (oil, gas, and coal), minerals, trees, water, and wildlife, especially in
the oceans. The process of removing resources, in turn, often releases pollutants and
waste that reduce air and water quality, and harm the health of humans and other species.
 Increasing the burning of fossil fuels for energy to generate electricity, and to power
transportation (for example, cars and planes) and industrial processes.
 Increase in freshwater use for drinking, agriculture, recreation, and industrial processes.
Freshwater is extracted from lakes, rivers, the ground, and man-made reservoirs.
 Increasing ecological impacts on environments. Forests and other habitats are disturbed
or destroyed to construct urban areas including the construction of homes, businesses,
and roads to accommodate growing populations. Additionally, as populations increase,
more land is used for agricultural activities to grow crops and support livestock. This, in
turn, can decrease species populations, geographic ranges, biodiversity, and
alter interactions among organisms.
 Increasing fishing and hunting, which reduces species populations of the exploited
species. Fishing and hunting can also indirectly increase numbers of species that are not
fished or hunted if more resources become available for the species that remain in the
ecosystem.
  Increasing the transport of invasive species, either intentionally or by accident, as people
travel and import and export supplies. Urbanization also creates disturbed environments
where invasive species often thrive and outcompete native species. For example, many
invasive plant species thrive along strips of land next to roads and highways.
 The transmission of diseases. Humans living in densely populated areas can rapidly spread
diseases within and among populations. Additionally, because transportation has become
easier and more frequent, diseases can spread quickly to new regions.

Causes of population growth:

1. Decrease in the death rate due to improved medical facilities with the birth rate remaining
the same is one of the major causes of population growth in India.
2. Illiteracy prevalent in major parts of India make people believe that 'children are god's
blessings' hence making them against the concept of ‘family planning’.
3. People of India follow different religions of which some of them do not advocate the
concept of ‘family planning’.
4. As most of the families in rural areas are below the poverty line, they think having a large
family will increase their source of income by sending children to work.
5. Decrease in infant mortality rate due to improved medical facilities.
6. Many of the Indian families are superstitious about the fact that ‘children are a sign of
prosperity’.
7. Indian families believe that a male child is responsible to continue one's lineage and the
constant attempt to have a male child results in number of female children.
8. Industrialization and growth of opportunities in urban areas have increased the urban
population.
9. Average life span of people has increased due to control of epidemics by immunization
programs.
10. In rural areas, children are considered a source of recreation, hence giving birth to more
children is a practice in rural areas.

FALLING MORTALITY RATE

The primary (and perhaps most obvious) cause of population growth is an imbalance
between births and deaths. The infant mortality rate has decreased globally, with 4.1 million infant
deaths in 2017 compared to 8.8 million in 1990, according to the World Health Organization
(WHO). This is welcome public health news, of course.

At the same time, lifespans are increasing around the world. Those of us who are alive today will
likely live much longer than most of our ancestors. Global average life expectancy has more than
doubled since 1900, thanks to advancements in medicine, technology, and general hygiene. Falling
mortality rates are certainly nothing to complain about either, but widespread longevity does
contribute to the mathematics of increasing population numbers.
UNDERUTILIZED CONTRACEPTION
The global fertility rate has fallen steadily over the years, down from an average of 5
children per woman in 1950 to 2.4 children per woman today, according to the UN Population
Division. Along with that promising trend, contraceptive use has slowly but steadily increased
globally, rising from 54% in 1990 to 57.4% in 2015. Yet, on the whole, contraceptive use is still
underutilized. For example, according to the WHO, an estimated 214 million women in developing
countries who want to avoid pregnancy are not using modern contraceptives.

These women aren’t using contraceptives for a variety of reasons, including social norms or
religious beliefs that discourage birth control, misconceptions about adverse side effects, and a
lack of agency for women to make decisions around sex and family planning. An estimated 44%
of pregnancies were unintended worldwide between 2010-2014. Getting more women the access
and agency to utilize family planning methods could go a long way in flattening the population
curve.

LACK OF FEMALE EDUCATION

Although female access to education has increased over the years, the gender gap remains.
Roughly 130 million girls worldwide are out of school currently, and an estimated 15 million
girls of primary school age will never learn to read and write, compared with 10 million boys.

Increasing and encouraging education among women and girls can have a number of positive
ripple effects, including delayed childbearing, healthier children, and an increase in workforce
participation. Plenty of evidence suggests a negative correlation between female education and
fertility rates.

If increased female education can delay or decrease fertility and provide girls with opportunities
beyond an early marriage, it could also help to mitigate current population trends.

Various Causes of Overpopulation

1. The Decline in the Death Rate

At the root of overpopulation is the difference between the overall birth rate and death rate in
populations. If the number of children born each year equals the number of adults that die, then
the population will stabilize.

Talking about overpopulation shows that while there are many factors that can increase the death
rate for short periods of time, the ones that increase the birth rate do so over a long period of time.
The discovery of agriculture by our ancestors was one factor that provided them with the ability
to sustain their nutrition without hunting. This created the first imbalance between the two rates.

2. Agricultural Advancements

Technological revolutions and population explosions occur at the same time. There have been
three major technological revolutions. They are the tool-making revolution, the agricultural
revolution, and the industrial revolution.

Agricultural advancements in the 20th century have allowed humans to increase food production
using fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides and yields further. This allowed humans with more
access to food that leads to subsequent population explosions.

3. Better Medical Facilities

Following this the industrial revolution started. Technological advancement was perhaps the
biggest reason why the balance has been permanently disturbed.
Science was able to produce better means of producing food, which allowed families to feed more
mouths. Besides, medical science made many discoveries, thanks to which they were able to defeat
a whole range of diseases.

Illnesses that had claimed thousands of lives until now were cured because of the invention of
vaccines. Combining the increase in food supply with fewer means of mortality tipped the balance
and became the starting point of overpopulation.

4. More Hands to Overcome Poverty

However, when talking about overpopulation, we should understand that there is a psychological
component as well. Poverty is considered as the leading cause of overpopulation. In the absence
of educational resources, coupled with high death rates, which resulted in higher birth rates, that
is why impoverished areas are seeing large booms in population.

For thousands of years, a very small part of the population had enough money to live in comfort.
The rest faced poverty and would give birth to large families to make up for the high infant
mortality rate.

Families that have been through poverty, natural disasters, or are simply in need of more hands to
work are a major factor for overpopulation.
According to the UN, the forty-eight poorest countries in the world are also likely to be the biggest
contributors to population growth. Their estimates say that the combined population of these
countries is likely to increase to 1.7 billion in 2050, from 850 million in 2010.

5. Child Labor

It is no less than a tragedy that child labor is still in practice extensively in many parts of the world.
As per the UNICEF, approximately 150 million children are currently working in countries having
few child labor laws. The children being seen as a source of income by impoverished families
begin work too young and also lose the educational opportunities reflected, particularly when it
comes to birth control.

6. Technological Advancement in Fertility Treatment

With the latest technological advancement and more discoveries in medical science, it has become
possible for couples who are unable to conceive to undergo fertility treatment methods and have
their own babies.

Today there are effective medicines that can increase the chance of conception and lead to a rise
in the birth rate. Moreover, due to modern techniques, pregnancies today are far safer.

7. Immigration

Many people prefer to move to developed countries like the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, where
the best facilities are available in terms of medical, education, security, and employment. The
result is that those people settle over there, eventually making those places overcrowded.

If the number of people who are leaving the country is less than the number of people who enter,
it usually leads to more demand for food, clothes, energy, and homes.

This gives rise to a shortage of resources. Though the overall population remains the same, it just
affects the density of the population, making that place simply overcrowded.

8. Lack of Family Planning

Most developing nations have a large number of people who are illiterate, live below the poverty
line, and have little or no knowledge about family planning. Besides, getting their children married
at an early age increases the chances of producing more kids.
Those people are unable to understand the harmful effects of overpopulation, and lack of quality
education prompts them to avoid family planning measures.

9. Poor Contraceptives Use

Poor family planning on the part of partners can lead to unexpected pregnancies though
contraceptives are easily available in developed countries.

As per statistics, 76% of women aged between 16 and 49 in Great Britain used at least one form
of contraceptive, leaving a quarter open to unexpected pregnancies. Whereas a study by the World
Health Organization (WHO) shows that this figure drops to 43% in underdeveloped countries,
which leads to higher birth rates.

Fatal Effects of Overpopulation

1. Depletion of Natural Resources

The effects of overpopulation are quite severe. The first of these is the depletion of resources. The
Earth can only produce a limited amount of water and food, which is falling short of the current
needs.

Most of the environmental damage seen in the last fifty-odd years is because of the growing
number of people on the planet. They include cutting down forests, hunting wildlife in a reckless
manner, causing pollution, and creating a host of other problems.

Those engaged in talks about overpopulation have noticed that acts of violence and aggression
outside of a war zone have increased tremendously while competing for resources.

2. Degradation of Environment

With the overuse of coal, oil, and natural gas, it has started producing some serious effects on our
environment. Besides, the exponential rise in the number of vehicles and industries has badly
affected the quality of air.

The rise in the amount of CO2 emissions leads to global warming. Melting of polar ice
caps, changing climate patterns, rise in sea levels are a few of the consequences that we might have
to face due to environmental pollution.
3. Conflicts and Wars

Overpopulation in developing countries puts a major strain on the resources it should be utilizing
for development. Conflicts over water are becoming a source of tension between countries, which
could result in wars. It causes more diseases to spread and makes them harder to control.

Starvation is a huge issue that the world is facing, and the mortality rate for children is being
fuelled by it. Poverty is the biggest hallmark we see when talking about overpopulation.

All of this will only become worse if solutions are not sought out for the factors affecting our
population. We can no longer prevent it, but there are ways to control it.

4. Rise in Unemployment

When a country becomes overpopulated, it gives rise to unemployment as there are fewer jobs to
support a large number of people. The rise in unemployment gives rise to crime, such as theft, as
people want to feed their families and provide them basic amenities of life.

5. High Cost of Living

As the difference between demand and supply continues to expand due to overpopulation, it raises
the prices of various essential commodities, including food, shelter, and healthcare. This means
that people have to pay more to survive and feed their families.

6. Pandemics and Epidemics

Poverty is linked to many environmental and social reasons, including overcrowded and
unhygienic living conditions, malnutrition and inaccessible, inadequate, or non-existent health
care, for which the poor are more likely to be exposed to infectious diseases. Further, high densities
of population increase the chance of the emergence of new pandemics and epidemics.

7. Malnutrition, Starvation and Famine

When the availability of resources is scarce, starvation, malnutrition, along with ill health and
diseases caused by diet-deficiency such as rickets become more likely.

Famine is typically associated with less-developed regions, and there is a high correlation with
poverty levels.
8. Water Shortage

Roughly 1% of the world’s water is fresh and accessible. Overpopulation is a major issue that
creates immense pressure on the world’s freshwater supplies.

As per the study, the human demand for freshwater would stand at approximately 70% of
freshwater available on the planet by 2025. Therefore, people living in impoverished areas that
already have limited access to such water will be at great risk.

9. Lower Life Expectancy

A large proportion of the world’s population growth occurs in less developed countries. Therefore,
lower life expectancy caused by the booms in population is experienced by less-developed nations.

This causes a shortage of resources in these countries resulting in less access to medical care,
freshwater, food and jobs, and ultimately in a sharp fall in life expectancy.

10. Extinction

The impact of overpopulation on the world’s wildlife is severe. As demand for land grows, the
destruction of natural habitats, such as forests, becomes common.

Data has also been collected to show a direct link between increases in human population and
decreases in the number of species on the planet. If present trends continue, as many as 50% of the
world’s wildlife species will be at risk of extinction, some scientists warn.

11. Increased Intensive Farming

With the growth of population over the years, farming practices have evolved to produce enough
food required to feed a larger number of people. However, this intensive farming methods cause
damage to local ecosystems and the land that may pose problems in the future.

Furthermore, intensive farming is also contributed to climate change due to the machinery
required. If the population continues to grow at its current rate, this effect will likely intensify.
12. Faster Climate Change

Overpopulation forces larger nations, like China and India, to continue to develop their industrial
capacities. They now rank as two of the three largest contributors to emissions in the world, other
than the United States.

According to 97% of the scientific community, human activities are changing global temperatures.
If more is not done to reduce individual carbon footprints on a wide scale, larger populations may
speed these changes up.

Incredible Solutions To Overpopulation

1. Better Education

One of the first measures is to implement policies reflecting social change. Educating the masses
helps them understand the need to have one or two children at the most.

Similarly, education plays a vital role in understanding the latest technologies that are making huge
waves in the world of computing. Families that are facing a hard life and choose to have four or
five children should be discouraged.

Family planning and efficient birth control can help in women making their own reproductive
choices. Open dialogue on abortion and voluntary sterilization should be seen when talking about
overpopulation.

2. Education for Girl Child

Currently, over 130 million young women and girls around the globe are not enrolled in school.
The majority of these live in male-dominated societies, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and
South and West Asia, that does not give women equal right to education as men.

Entrenched gender norms and child marriage further disrupt their access to education. The girl
who receives less education is more likely to have children early and vulnerable to exploitation.
Moreover, impoverished families are less likely to enroll their female children in school.
3. Making People Aware of Family Planning

As the population of this world is growing at a rapid pace, raising awareness among people
regarding family planning and letting them know about serious after-effects of overpopulation can
help curb population growth.

One of the best ways is to let them know about various safe sex techniques and contraceptive
methods available to avoid any unwanted pregnancy.

4. Tax Benefits or Concessions

The government of various countries might have to come up with various policies related to tax
exemptions to curb overpopulation.

One of them might be to waive a certain part of income tax or lowering rates of income tax for
those married couples who have single or two children. As we humans are more inclined towards
money, this may produce some positive results.

5. Knowledge of Sex Education

Imparting sex education to young kids at the elementary level should be a must. Most parents feel
shy in discussing such things with their kids that results in their children going out and look out
for such information on the internet or discuss it with their peers.

Mostly, the information is incomplete, which results in sexually active teenagers unaware of
contraceptives and embarrassed to seek information about the same. It is, therefore, important for
parents and teachers to shed their old inhibitions and make their kids or students aware of solid
sex education.

6. Social Marketing

Social marketing has already been started by some societies to educate the public on
overpopulation effects. The intervention can be made widespread at a low cost. A variety of print
materials (flyers, brochures, fact sheets, stickers) can be distributed in places such as at local places
of worship, sporting events, local food markets, schools and at car parks.
 Population Pyramid
A population pyramid is the graphical representation of the distribution of the population by sex,
and age group. It takes the shape of a pyramid when the population is growing. Population
pyramids are also known as age pyramids because it is a graphical representation of age.
Structure of a Population Pyramid
A population pyramid is a graphical representation that demonstrates the distribution of ages
across a population.
It is divided from the centre between male and female individuals. The males are shown on the left
side and the females are on the right side from the centre of the graph.
The population size is shown on the x-axis and ages are shown on the y-axis.

Structure of Population Pyramid

Types of Population Pyramids
There are mainly three types of the population pyramid or population graphs

 Expansive

 Stationary

 Constrictive
Expansive Pyramid
These types of pyramids have a much larger population of pre-reproductive and reproductive age
groups and a population of post-reproductive age groups is very less compared to pre-reproductive
and reproductive age groups.
These types of pyramids are seen in developing countries. Here in these countries, the fertility
rate is usually high but life expectancy is very less. So the base of the pyramid is wide and tapers
towards the top with a triangular shape.
A pyramids with a broad base (or triangular structure):
It indicates a high percentage of young individuals. In rapidly growing young populations birth
rate is high and population growth may be exponential as in yeasty house fly, Paramecium, etc.
Under such conditions, each successive generation will be more numerous than the preceding one,
and thus a pyramid with a broad base would result in as follows structure.

Examples of countries having expansive pyramids are India and Nigeria.

Expansive Population Pyramid

Stationary Population Pyramid
Stationary population pyramids have an equal population in each group. That's why the name
stationary means the birth and death rates are equal and the population is neither increasing nor
decreasing. There are usually not any major changes in the mortality rate and fertility rates. Bell-
Shaped Polygon:
It indicates a stationary population having an equal number of young and middle aged individuals.
As the growth rate becomes slow and stable, i.e., the pre-reproductive and reproductive age groups
become more or less equal in size, post-reproductive group remaining as the smallest.

The shape of this pyramid is bell-shaped.

These types of pyramids are generally of the developed countries such as America.

Stable Population Pyramid

Constrictive/diminishing Population Pyramid
As the name itself suggests that the population is decreasing here, these types of pyramids show
declining birth rates, low fertility rates, high life expectancy, and low mortality rates.

These graphs are narrow at the base and show the decreasing size of the population. These graphs
are urn-shaped.

Here the post-reproductive and elderly population is more than the pre-reproductive and
reproductive population.
An urn-shaped structure:
It indicates a low percentage of young individuals and shows a declining population. Such an un-
shaped figure is obtained when the birth rate is drastically reduced the pre-reproductive group
dwindles in proportion to the other two age groups of the population

This type of graph is seen in Japan.

 Constructive Population Pyramid

Uses of the Population Pyramid

There are various uses of the population pyramid

 It tells about the composition of the population of any particular area

 It tells about the number of dependent individuals (Children, elderly people) in any area

 It also tells us about the difference in sexes of any given area.

 It also tells about the mortality rate and fertility rate

 Use to find data on the future growth of the population

Interesting Points
 Only 10% of the world's population lives in the southern hemispheres

 The size of the European population is decreasing and the size of the African population is
increasing.
  If every female in the world received secondary schooling, the population could be 3 billion
short by 2050.


Total Fertility Rate

The total fertility rate is the average number of children that a woman will have during her lifetime.
It is measured in terms of children per woman.

 It’s calculated by adding up all of the age-specific fertility rates over five-year intervals.
 Below-replacement fertility is defined as a combination of fertility and mortality rates that
results in a negative population growth rate and, as a result, a shrinking population.
 TFR is regarded as one of the most useful fertility indicators.
 The TFR is usually simply described as the average number of children per woman which
makes it an intuitive measure of fertility.

Reasons for Decline in TFR

The decrease in fertility is due to a number of factors, including improved contraception and
government health and family welfare programmes.

 However, education for girls and efforts to improve overall health and nutrition are
important factors.
 Higher education, increased mobility, later marriage, financially independent women, and
overall prosperity all contribute to the TFR falling.

Concerns with the reducing TFR:

 Policymakers and planners should be concerned about both high TFR and TFR below
replacement levels. Lower fertility levels are both a cause and a consequence of social and
economic changes.
 Fertility decreases as a result of education and development. The aged population grows
and the labour force shrinks when a population does not reproduce enough to replace one
generation of humans with the next. This could have a negative impact on the economy.
 As a result, countries such as Japan and Germany have considered incentivizing increased
fertility and encouraging immigration.
Recommendations for Policymakers:

 Focus on Girl Education: The government should prioritise educating girls across the board, as
education improves a family’s overall well-being. Education increases young people’s awareness and
well-being, which helps them avoid early marriages and pregnancies. Also read: Beti Bachao Beti
Padhao
 Decentralisation of Policies: Decentralised policies can be implemented on a priority basis in states
like Bihar, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, which require special attention to reduce fertility
levels.
 Availability of Resources: Task shifting and equipping primary health care workers with the resources
they need to run a long-term, results-oriented campaign to help spread the word about family planning
and the advantages of having a smaller family.
 Increased Investment: India must invest heavily in human capital, health, and education to ensure a
healthy and productive population that can contribute to the country’s national and global achievements.
 Family Planning and Medical Cost Reduction: Adults must be educated about family planning and
reproductive health, and they must be encouraged to use these methods. As the population ages and
productivity declines, the government must devise policies to address rising medical costs.

Infant mortality rate

Infant mortality is the death of an infant before his or her first birthday. The infant mortality
rate is the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births. In addition to giving us key
information about maternal and infant health, the infant mortality rate is an important marker of
the overall health of a society. In 2020, the infant mortality rate in the United States was 5.4 deaths
per 1,000 live births.
The infant mortality rate is the rate that defines the number of deaths of children before their first
birthday. This means it shows the data of younger age groups i.e less than one year. This rate acts
as a physical health indicator of the human community. High IMR shows poor health conditions
are there in the country along with other requirements which play a vital role in developing the
good health of the child. This rate helps in understanding the causes as well as the extent of deaths
of infants in a particular region.

Causes of Infant Mortality

Almost 20,000 infants died in the United States in 2020. The five leading causes of infant
death in 2020 were:

1. Birth defects.
2. Preterm birth and low birth weight.
3. Sudden infant death syndrome.
 4. Injuries (e.g., suffocation).
5. Maternal pregnancy complications.
Some of the causes of infant mortality are mentioned as below:-

 The leading cause of infant mortality is birth defects. Other leading causes also
include congenital malformations, pneumonia, asphyxia etc.

 Poor water quality and sanitation malnourishment of the Infant and inadequate
Medical and prenatal care are also some of the main causes of infant mortality.

 Preventable causes of Infant mortality rate include smoking and alcohol

consumption during pregnancy, lack of prenatal care and usage of drugs are sure to
cause severe complications during pregnancy.

 Sudden infant death syndrome, preterm birth and low birth weight, birth defects
injuries and suffocation and maternal pregnancy complications are also some of the
causes of infant mortality.

 It is caused by birth defects along with babies being born such as cleft lip & palate,
down syndrome, as well as heart defects, etc.

 Premature births of children are also one of the major reasons. If the birth of the
children happens before 37 weeks, it can be called preterm birth which can cause
various health problems. Due to this, the low weight of the babies during birth is
also one of the reasons.

 It is caused at the time of the birth children are dying because sometimes proper
treatment or care is not given to the baby or after the birth.

 Infections and lack of breathing are also the causes of infant mortality.

 It is caused by premature birth in which the baby is taking birth before the time.

 One of the reasons is sudden infant death syndrome. This child dies in their sleep
without any symptoms of it.

 Due to malnutrition infant mortality is there. If any woman does not take proper
nutrients and vitamins which is necessary for the development of the body then it
will adversely affect the growth of the children.

 The environment also has an impact on infant mortality. If the environment of the
place is not good and pollution-free then there will be more chances of deaths.
  At the time of war, it is also the reason for infant mortality because where the war
begins, at that type of place women having babies are taking the stress and it gives
a bad impact on the body and its fetus.

 Some trauma is also caused by the deaths of children that are happening at an early
age like physical and mental abuse of a child.

Fertility rate
Population scientists study fertility rate for a number of reasons, including predicting
population growth or decline. Fertility rate is defined as the number of births per 1,000 women
between the ages of 15-44 in a calendar year. Population scientists also look at total fertility rate.
Although they sound similar, fertility rate and total fertility rate are actually very different. Total
fertility rate determines the number of children a hypothetical woman would have if she lived to
be 44 years old. It also assumes that she has the exact same number of children in the future as
women currently have. To show the vast difference between the two, the total fertility rate in the
United States as of 2013 is just under 1.9 (babies); fertility rate is 62.5 (births). As you can see,
those numbers differ greatly!

Replacement level
Replacement level is the amount of fertility needed to keep the population the same from
generation to generation. It refers to the total fertility rate that will result in a stable population
without it increasing or decreasing. It is expressed as the total number of live births a woman would
need to have over her child bearing years, which is typically ages 15-44.
In other words, scientists look at the population that is decreasing due to death or mobility and
estimate the replacement rate, or the number of births necessary to replace the loss. They also look
at the number of childbearing women and fertility rates in each group to determine replacement
levels. This is why the number varies greatly from region to region; many of these factors change
quite a bit over a period of time. While the replacement rate doesn't change drastically across a
small region, it can show big changes across the globe.
 SEX RATIO

INTRODUCTION

 Sex Composition of the human population is one of the basic demographic

characteristics; as changes in sex composition largely reflect the underlying socio-
economic and cultural patterns of society in different ways.
o It is an important social indicator to measure the extent of prevailing equity
between males and females at a given point in time
o It also becomes important for various types of planning and for the analysis
of other demographic characteristics such as mortality, migration, marital
status, economic characteristics, etc.
 Sex composition is expressed with the help of a ratio known as sex ratio
o SEX RATIO is defined as ”number of females per 1000 males in the
population”
o Thus, a sex ratio of 1000 implies complete parity between the two sexes
o Ratios above 1000 indicate excess of females over males; those belo w 1000
indicate a deficit of females
 There are three reasons why the sex ratio of populations varies and is rarely equal:
o Differences in mortality rates and life expectancy for women and men.
Women, on average, live longer than men. This means that all else being
equal, we would expect females to account for slightly more than half of the
total population.
o Sex ratios at birth are not equal. In all countries, there are more male than
female births
 In the absence of selective abortion practices, births in a given
population are typically male-biased – the chances of having a boy
are very slightly higher than having a girl.
o Migration can also affect the sex ratio of the population. If in some countries
there is a significant amount of imported male-dominant labour, all else being
equal, we would expect males to account for more than half of the total
population

SEX-RATIO IN INDIA
  According to figures of 2011 Census, out of 1210.1 million population, 623.7
million are male and 586.4 million are females
 Thus, the overall sex ratio for Indian Population according to the 2011 Census,
is 943
o This suggests that the number of females is quite less as compared to males
o In other words, the sex ratio in the country had always remained unfavorable
to females
o The sex-ratio was 933 in the previous census 2001.
 Following are some important factors responsible for low and declining sex ratio:
o More males are born than females
 This is a worldwide phenomenon and India is no exception to this
 According to the findings of the Census of India, the imbalance in the
number of males and females starts in the beginning
 It is now a well-established law of nature, that the males exceed
females at the time of birth
 Many demographers believe that left to its own, this is an unalterable
constant
o Practice of female infanticide in the past, and the cognizant feticide at
present have resulted in low sex ratio
 The preference for male child, leads to sex determination tests and the
resultant termination of pregnancy in case fetus happens to be a female
 The pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic Technique(Prohibition of
Sex Selection) Act, has failed to yield the desired result, because of
its inherent loopholes and faulty implementation
o With small family norms, many young couples do not go for a second child,
if the first child happens to be a male

Consequences of Low Child Sex Ratio

 The shortage of women has led to a sharp rise in violence against them
o This has led to a situation where, apart from the ingrained son preference,
people don’t want girls all the more as they feel that it is difficult to keep
them safe
 In a study done by the Centre for Social Research in Haryana, fear of violence is a
cause for female foeticide
 It will impact marriage patterns in several ways
o Having lesser women of marriageable age will mean that a significant
proportion of men will have to delay their marriage
 The reduced demographic share of women, in democratic regimes would translate
into a weaker political voice in public decision-making, a trend that could be
 reinforced by women’s lessened involvement in non-domestic activities, such as
outside employment and civil life

The steps taken to improve the sex ratio in India

 Complete ban under law on sex determination during pregnancy under the PCPDNT
Act
 Declaring 24th January as the National Girl Child Day in 2012
 Sabla scheme launched on the International Women’s day in 2011, aims at enabling
self-development and empowerment of adolescent girls, improving their health and
nutrition status; and spreading awareness about health, hygiene, nutrition,
reproductive health, family and child care
 Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme was launched in 2015 in Panipat, Haryana to
address the issue of decline in child sex ratio, whose objectives are:
o Prevention of gender biased sex selective elimination
o Ensuring survival & protection of the girl child
o Ensuring education and participation of the girl child
 Other recommendations/suggestions:
o Rolling out campaigns on sensitisation towards women and children
o Effective implementation of the existing women- and children-related
policies
o Improving women’s status in the society, could help change the bias for son
preference
o Investing on education and economic prosperity could help empower women
and reduce gender gap
 Women’s Education

 Nowadays, the importance of women's education is growing day by day. It is not

only important to educate girls and women, but also it is necessary to provide them
with basic facilities. In many countries, especially in developing countries, the
literacy rate of women is low as compared to men.


 The main reason behind this illiteracy rate among women is the lack of proper
resources. Women's Education In India, the situation of women's education is not
very good. According to the 2011 census, the literacy rate of Indian women was
64.6%. This number is quite low as compared to the literacy rate of men, which is
80.9%.


Essay on Women’s Education:

 There are many reasons behind this illiteracy rate among women. The most
important reason is the lack of proper resources. In India, most of the women are
illiterate because they are not allowed to go for education. Society thinks that men
must educate their children, especially girls, because they think that women's role
is only to take care of the house and family. If she starts going to school or
university, then who will look after her house? Moreover, sometimes when women
send their children to schools, they are not allowed to sit in the same class as their
male counterparts.

 This is because of the social customs and traditions which are still prevailing in our
society. The Government of India has made it mandatory for all the schools to
provide education to girls till middle school. However, this is not being
implemented properly because of the lack of resources. The lack of resources is not
the only reason behind the illiteracy rate of women. The mindset of people is also
one of the main reasons. In our society, the role of women is still considered to be
limited to the house and taking care of the family. This mindset is changing slowly,
but it will take some time to change completely.

 India is considered to be one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Its
democracy is also quite overwhelming for the entire world as the country comprises
many cultures, religions, and diversities. Since independence from the Colonial
Rule, India has done miracles in different phases and made significant development.
This development is also due to women's education and empowerment steps taken
by the Government.

 The social stigma of gender bias and inequality is changing rapidly. India is
becoming a superpower due to the similar contribution of both genders. By
promoting education for women, India is also achieving a higher literacy rate very
fast. This, on the other hand, will impressively help our country to progress in all
aspects. The literacy rate of women was 8.6% after independence and has increased
to 64% within 7 decades. Despite the glorifying facts, India is still wreaked with
different malpractices and social stigmas in the deeper corners.

 Child labour, child marriage, dowry, etc., are a few of the prime reasons for gender
inequality. Women were meant to be inside the house when men gathered food. This
happened thousands of years ago when humans understood the biological
differences between the genders. The time has changed. We have a haven for all of
us to live and prosper. Women should enjoy every right men are enjoying. One of
the prime rights of women that is entitled to be is education. Education is the prime
weapon to fight all such social stigmas and illogical practices.

 This is the major step towards the brighter future of India. There are many reasons
why women are still not given similar rights to enjoy and get educated. They are
thought to be the burden of a family. Even today, female feticide is practised. It
means that this gender has less value in society. We need to educate the entire
society regarding the social rights of all genders. Women should get educated to
understand their rights as well.

 If you look a little deeper, we will find that many crimes circle women, such as
trafficking, rape, feticide, murder, dowry, etc. Gender-based discrimination is the
prime reason behind such crimes. Until and unless both genders are considered to
be equal, these crimes will carry on as usual. Women should be educated first. This
is the stepping stone to such a beautiful future.

 Even in the 21st century, many families feel reluctant to send their girls children to
pursue schooling and higher studies. One of the prime reasons behind such
 malicious thought is economic disparity. Many families are unable to send their
children to schools. When it comes to gender, they choose their sons and could not
afford education for girl children.

 There are many reforms and acts that the Government has amended to patronize
women's education. Aids are distributed, and education is almost made free for
children in rural areas so that women can get proper education to create a
foundation. Their future is not restricted between the four walls of a house. Our
society needs to believe that women are no less than men. They can pursue their
dreams and compete with men in all phases.

 We need to promote the benefits of women's education. Major changes are made in
bills to encourage women's education. Strict actions are taken, and crimes related to
gender should be penalized to stop gender discrimination. We should also teach our
children that all genders are equal and should be treated accordingly. It is when
women are educated, they will be empowered to make excellent decisions and will
contribute to the economic growth of our country.

 There are Many Reasons behind the Importance of Women Education. Some
of these Reasons are as Follows:
 1. Women education is important for the development of a country. A country can
only develop if its women are educated.

 2. Educated women can play an important role in the development of their families.

 3. Educated women are less likely to get married at an early age.

 4. Educated women can contribute to the economic development of their countries.

 5. Women education is necessary for the empowerment of women.

 6. Educated women can raise awareness about various social issues.

 7. Educated women can act as role models for the younger generation.

 Conclusion:
 Women education is very important for the development of a country. It is necessary
to provide girls and women with proper resources so that they can get educated.
Girls and women have the potential to contribute to the economic development of
 their countries. They can also play an important role in the development of their
families. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to women education.

Initiatives taken by Non-governmental Organizations (NGO) for

Environmental Protection
Introduction
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a legally constituted organization created by
natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government and a term usually used
by governments to refer to entities that have no government status.
In the cases in which NGOs are funded totally or partially by governments, the NGO maintains its
non-governmental status by excluding government representatives from membership in the
organization.

The term is usually applied only to organizations that pursue some wider social aim that has
political aspects, but that are not overtly political organizations such as political parties. Unlike the
term “intergovernmental organization”, the term “non-governmental organization” has no
generally agreed legal definition. In many jurisdictions, these types of organization are called “civil
society organizations” or referred to by other names.

1. The Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA):

The Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA) is a Sierra Leone non-governmental organization
founded in 1992 that aims to protect and restore the environment in Africa. It has led environmental
education and awareness raising campaigns, restored degraded lands and conserved pristine
forests, minimized the impacts of civil war on the environment and its inhabitants, and equipped
thousands of people with sustainable livelihood skills such as agro forestry.

Today EFA specializes is environmental awareness raising and capacity building at the national,
regional and international levels using high impact communications tools and training programs
to build an environmentally conscious society motivated to maintain the integrity of nature in
Africa.

2. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF):

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization
working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment,
formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the
United States.
It is the world’s largest independent conservation organization with over 5 million supporters
worldwide, working in more than 90 countries, supporting around 1300 conservation and
environmental projects around the world. It is a charity, with approximately 60% of its funding
coming from voluntary donations by private individuals. 45% of the fund’s income comes from
the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The group says its mission is “to halt and reverse the destruction of our environment”. Currently,
much of its work focuses on the conservation of three biomes that contain most of the world’s
biodiversity: forests, freshwater ecosystems, and oceans and coasts.

Among other issues, it is also concerned with endangered species, pollution and climate change.
WWF’s current strategy for achieving its mission specifically focuses on restoring populations of
36 species (species or species groups that are important for their ecosystem or to people, including
elephants, tunas, whales, dolphins and porpoises, and big-leaf mahogany), conserving 35 globally
important eco-regions around the world (including the Arctic, the Amazon rainforest, the Congo
Basin and the Coral Triangle), and reducing people’s ecological footprint in 6 areas (carbon
emissions, cropland, grazing land, fishing, forestry and water).

The organization also works on a number of global issues driving biodiversity loss and
unsustainable use of natural resources, including finance, business practices, laws, and
consumption choices. Local offices also work on national or regional issues

3. Conservation International:
Conservation International (CI) is a non-profit organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C.
metropolitan area, which seeks to ensure the health of humanity by protecting Earth’s ecosystems
and biodiversity. CI’s work focuses on six key initiatives that affect human well-being: climate,
food security, freshwater security, health, cultural services and species contribution. The group is
also known for its partnerships with local non-governmental organizations and indigenous peoples.

4. Greenpeace:
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over 40 countries
and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Greenpeace states its goal
is to “ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity” and focuses its work on
worldwide issues such as global warming, deforestation, over fishing, commercial whaling and
anti-nuclear issues. Greenpeace uses direct action, lobbying and research to achieve its goals.

The global organization does not accept funding from governments, corporations or political
parties, relying on more than 2.8 million individual supporters and foundation grants. Greenpeace
is an independent global campaigning organization that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to
protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace by:
i. Catalysing an energy revolution to address the number one threat facing our planet: climate
change.

ii. Defending our oceans by challenging wasteful and destructive fishing, and creating a global
network of marine reserves.

iii. Protecting the world’s remaining ancient forests which are depended on by many animals,
plants and people.

iv. Working for disarmament and peace by reducing dependence on finite resources and calling
for the elimination of all nuclear weapons.

v. Creating a toxic free future with safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals in today’s products
and manufacturing.

vi. Campaigning for sustainable agriculture by encouraging socially and ecologically responsible
farming practices.

Top NGOs Working in India

Here, we have a compilation of the top NGOs working in India for environmental protection. Let’s
view them closely.

Indian Environmental Society (IES):

This organization was started in 1972 to promote environmental improvement initiatives in India.

IES focuses on environmental education, biodiversity conservation, information dissemination,

solid waste management, ecotechnology, and heritage conservation. Furthermore, this
organization suggests global solutions for critical environmental issues at both local and national
levels. The goal of IES is to give an advancement system that is ecologically stable, self-
supporting, and evenhanded in the distribution of resources and opportunities.
Moreover, it has taken part in solid waste management, heritage conservation, and the environment
in Himachal Pradesh and the recycling of marble slurry waste to protect the environment in
Rajasthan.

Wildlife Trust of India:

The wildlife trust of India is a nonprofit, charitable organization. Mr. Vivek Menon started this
organization in 1998 to conserve the declining wildlife of India.
They mainly focus on animal welfare, wildlife conservation, and environmental protection.
Further, it has more than 150 professionals all over the country. They work to conserve wildlife
and its habitat, which is beneficial for individual wild animals. They also serve nature
by recovering threatening species and protected areas. The wildlife trust of India has done many
works effectively. They have turned whale shark hunters into staunch protectors in Gujarat,
relocated distressed Hoolock gibbons in Arunachal Pradesh, reduced elephant deaths due to train
hits in Uttarakhand, and many more.

TERI:
TERI represents the energy and resource institute. The motto of TERI is to create innovative
solutions for a sustainable future. This organization was established by Mr. Darbari Seth in 1974.
They focus primarily on promoting proper use of resources, increasing access and uptake of
sustainable inputs, and reducing the effect on the environment and climate. However, this
innovative organization has high capabilities in research, consultancy, policy, and implementation.
The mission of TERI is to guide the changes to a cleaner and sustainable future through the
conservation and efficient use of energy and other resources. This independent and
multidimensional organization is working to increase sustainable inputs and access to basic
service.

Aaranyak:
Aranyak was founded by Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar in 1989. The first project of Aaranyak was
to save the white wood-duck from extinction. The objective of Aaranyak is to create public
awareness about the maintenance of ecological balance in the neighborhood. Aaranyak has a
mission to promote the conservation of biodiversity in Northeast India through research,
environmental education, capacity building, and advocacy. For their dedicated work, they have
achieved many awards, such as institutional awards in the field of science and technology in 2017,
lighthouse activity awards in 2014, and many more. They work to secure the future of
all threatened species and to protect nature.

ATREE:
ATREE stands for Ashoka’s trust for research in ecology and the environment. This organization
was established in 1996. The motivation of this organization is to generate interdisciplinary
knowledge to inform the policies and rules towards conservation and sustainability. This
organization works at the grassroots level to implement environmental and sustainability
interference and also spreads knowledge to the public. They have programs on forests,
water, climate change, biodiversity, landscapes and livelihood, and northeast initiatives.
Vanarai:
Padma Vibhushan Mohan Dharia had started this NGO in 1982. The motto of Vanarai is to turn
the villages into self-reliant with people’s participation. So, they focus on soil and water
conservation, afforestation, horticulture development, training of farmers, skill development, etc.
In other words, we can say that Vanarai has a mission of rural development and environmental
protection. Vanarai follows Mahatma Gandhi’s words ‘ Go back to villages’ and works on it. This
organization has also achieved many successes. They have conserved approximately 37.15 crore
liter water. They are planting one lakh trees every year and are building thousands of toilets and
drainage lines to manage wastes.

LEDeG:
LEDeG stands for Ladakh ecological development and environmental group. Helena Norgberg-
Hodge, in 1983 had established this organization to support the local communities and economy.
This grassroots organization has 35 full-time employees in the general administration who
implement various projects, and then those projects are sanctioned by a board of 100 members.
Further, LEDeG has been working on several projects. Some recent projects are urban water
health project-II, fruit processing in collaboration with Sir Dorabji Tata, trust Mumbai, etc. This
organization’s mission is to promote ecological and sustainable development that coordinates with
and establishes the local traditions and culture in Ladakh. LEDeG works in several areas such as
agriculture and food processing, rural building center, handcraft, and much more.

Vanashakti:
Vanashakti was founded by Meenakshi Menon, Namita Roy Ghose, Peter Armand Menon in 2006.
This nonprofit environmental NGO is based in Mumbai. According to Vanashakti, there are two
groups in this world. The first group creates environmental issues, and the second group becomes
a part of the solution. Thus, Vanashakti encourages people to be a part of the second group.

Furthermore, they play a crucial role in spreading public awareness about the vital part of the forest
in human wellbeing.

The mission of Vanashakti is to demonstrate the critical link between ecosystem and human
welfare, especially for the poor, by communication, community building, and projects.
They mainly focus on promoting conservation and environmental education. Besides these,
Vanashakti generates income development for forest communities who depend on ecology.