<p> High fertility rates may not pose short-term threats to Pakistan's stability however, Pakistan's long-term survival largely depends on reducing the rate at which the population is expanding because this growth is outstripping economic development. This paper seeks to highlight a viable strategy for Pakistan to improve its population planning approach. The Iranian government's experience with population reduction from 1986-2010 will form the basis of comparison in this paper, helping to identify a way forward for Pakistan. The first section introduces the current population growth in Pakistan and the economic and security risks associated with these high fertility rates. This section also explains the similarities between Pakistan and Iran and why Iran's population programs could be paired with elements of population programs being initiated by the Pakistani government. The second section examines family planning promotion in both Iran and Pakistan. Iran's unique strategy in introducing family planning to a nation of conservative Muslims involved several unique approaches. In Pakistan, these same approaches, if implemented, could bolster Pakistani receptiveness of family planning. The third part reviews ways Pakistan could improve their family planning education model. In Iran, family planning education promoted birth spacing as way to reduce the religious stigma that might forbid contraception. Iran's government also undertook a serious effort to educate men, young adults and couples through family planning education workshops. The final reviews the role that female empowerment, literacy and employment have in reducing nationwide fertility in both Pakistan and Iran. The Iranian government elevated of the status of women by integrating them into civil society. This social change reduced nationwide fertility and overall lifetime fertility. In Pakistan, female education has indirectly reduced fertility rates but has not been promoted by the government to the same degree as in Iran.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:1550523 |
| Date | 26 February 2014 |
| Creators | Ladd Patterson, Rachael |
| Publisher | Dartmouth College |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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