Page 31 - Health, Population and Environment Education 9

considering them as the gift of god. Similarly, they do not like to use contraceptive devices
to control population. They consider using contraceptive devices as a sin or committing
a crime. Hence, they do not adopt any efforts to control population and keep on bearing
children. As a result, there is increase of birth.

ii. Importance of son
In our society, people give priority for a son. People need to bear a son child in a family.
They think son is required to transfer parental properties, to continue the generation, to
complete all the funeral rites, to provide fire on the pyre of dead body of parents, to offer
“Pinda Paani” during ‘Shradda’ after the death of parents. Hence, they think there should
be at least one son in the family. Ultimately, they keep on bearing more and more number
of daughters in the hope of bearing a son child. As a result, there is increase of birth.

iii. Early marriage
Generally, in the rural areas, people like to get their
children married at the young age. Many grand
parents and parents want to get their grand daughters
or daughters married before starting of menstruation
cycle. They say they will have spiritual satisfaction by
doing so. Due to early marriage, there is extension in
fertility period in females and there is high chance of
bearing more children by them. If a female gets married
at the age of 15, she will have at least 6/7 children in next
20 years by the time she becomes 35/36 years of age. Fig: 7
Hence, the tradition of early marriage leads towards
increase of birth.

iv. Universality of marriage/ marriage as compulsory
Marriage is compulsory in our society. Sooner or later, everyone likes to get married. People
think of being happy by getting married. The society looks upon a person in negative way
if he/she does not get married. People are thought not to get place in heaven without
marriage. Once people get married, they like to become parents as soon as possible. When
they bear children, they feel entire satisfaction. In case if the married couple does not bear
children within (3–4) years of marriage, there starts back biting from family members,
friends, relatives, neighbours, etc. Hence, people want to bear children after marriage. As
a result, there is increase of birth and increase of population.

v. Family structure
The type of family in which people are living also affects the birth of children. Generally,
in joint family, people of 3-4 generation live in the same house. People have the concept
that larger the family easier the task. In that joint family, it becomes easier to bring up
children. It is not compulsory for the parents to look after their children by themselves in
joint family. Some other family members can take care of them easily. Hence, the married
couples are encouraged to bear more children in joint family. But in the nuclear family,
there is presence of parents and children only. In that family, it becomes very difficult to
GREEN Environment Population and Health Education Book-9 31