Page 33 - Health, Population and Environment Education 9

Activity: 3

“The occupational status of people affects the increase or decrease of population.”

Conduct a sample survey in your locality with a questionnaire to show relation of
occupation and size of family. Use the following headings;
age, sex, caste, education, occupation, size of family, number of children

b. Economic factors
Those factors which are related with jobs and income generation are called economic
factors. They are regarded as important factors affecting birth. There are various economic
factors affecting birth. Some of them are as follows:

i. Poverty
More than 25 % of total population in Nepal is under
poverty line. They have difficulty to manage their
daily needs and requirements. They cannot afford
education, health services and other facilities. But,
they tend to give birth to more children. Actually, they
consider their children as source of income and want
to bear more children. They think that when they have
more children, the children will grow up, get involved
into some jobs, start generating income, fulfill their Fig: 10
needs easily and they can have better life in future.
Hence, they bear more children which increases population growth.

ii. Unemployment
There is lack of job opportunities for majority of rapidly
growing population in the developing countries.
Unemployment has become one of the problems there.
Unemployment supports in increasing population in
a place. As people are unemployed, they remain idle
in home. They have nothing else to do in home. When
people have more free time in home, there is high
chance of getting involved in sexual intercourse. As a Fig: 11
result, the fertility of females is increased and they bear more children.

iii. Occupational status
The profession in which people are involved affects
the birth of children. Generally, people involved in
agriculture profession want to give birth to more
children. They want to use their children in various
household activities. In agriculture profession, people
need more manpower. When people bear more
children, they can utilize them as free and honest Fig: 12
GREEN Environment Population and Health Education Book-9 33