At last, a step in the right direct for the nation’s family planning strategy.
In 2021, one woman gave birth to 2.85 children. Seven years before, 3.5 children were delivered from one womb.
So said a statement by the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), where the population clock ticks on at 108,352,581...and counting.
In other words, this year could see 23.64 births per thousand (children are rounded down to two significant figures), down from 24.25 births per 1000 people in 2022.
Amid fears of a demographic crisis, the government has been offering generous incentives to encouragewomen to bring 1.6 offspring into the word from 2.8per family to 1.6 children per family.
Regular mamographs and a LE60,000 ($1,986.47)insurance policy at 45 years are among the incentives for mothers to have only two children.
Tahr Hassan, who is formerly of CAPMAS, said: “Egypt suffers from a huge overpopulation, whichaffects its economic development plans despite the fall in the birth rate in previous year.”
“Overpopulation costs the state more for education, health and housing,” Hassan said in statements to CNN Arabic. “It is important to raise public awareness of the dangers of runaway population growth. Such a campaign should be stages in schools and colleges.”
Rania el-Jazairly, who sits on the parliamentary Culture and Media Committee, said she submitted a draft law on birth control and it is being debated, CNN Arabic said.
The draft law proposes other incentives to commit to birth control, such as concessions added to the ration card and scholarships abroad, el-Jazairly said.
A law must be passed soon as to combat the danger of overpopulation, which affects national security and economic growth, el-Jazairly added.
Economic growth was up 4.4 per cent during the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2022/2023, despite the repercussions of the global economic crisis and the war in Ukraine.
China‘s One Child Policy was in place for 35 years, the parliamentarian said.
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