Page 32 - Health, Population and Environment Education 9

bring up children. Hence, the parents are not likely to bear more children in a nuclear
family.

Fig: 8
Joint family Nuclear family

vi. High infant mortality rate
There is no availability of health services in all the parts of nation. Generally, in the rural
areas, there is lack of health services and health manpower. Hence, there is increase in
infant mortality rate. According to 2011 A.D. census, infant mortality rate of Nepal is 48
per 1000. Every parent wants some children survive and remain with them throughout
their life. But, due to high infant mortality rate, parents are not sure of survival of all the
children they give birth. So, they tend to give birth to more number of children thinking
that even if some children die, some will definitely survive and remain with them for the
rest of their life. As a result, there is increase of birth and increase of population.

vii. Status of women
In our context, more than 50% of the total population
is covered by females. But, the status of females is not
better. They are highly dominated by males. They are
not given opportunities for education, empowerment
and other activities. They are simply thought to
remain in home, bear children, take care of family
members, do the household activities, etc. They are
neither given opportunities for planning of family nor Fig: 9
decision making. Hence, the uneducated women lack
knowledge about effects of population growth as well as ways to control it. Moreover, they
encourage their husbands for polygamy if they do not bear son child even after bearing
more daughters. As a result, there is increase of population.

Activity: 2

Despite the legal restriction and awareness generation, early marriage is not reduced in
Nepal.

Make a group, discuss among each other with reasons and present in the class for the
following topics:
a. Is it decreased in rural areas?

b. Is it decreased in urban areas?
32 GREEN Environment Population and Health Education Book-9