Less Poverty =
Less Overpopulation
- The higher the death rate for children in a region, the higher the birthrate… When people know their children will survive, they have few children. Addressing global poverty and keeping children alive is crucial for reducing overpopulation.
- The UN projects the population of the 48 poorest countries in the world will double from 850 million in 2010 to 1.7 billion in 2050.
(Population Institute) - Today, more than 200 million women in developing countries who don’t want to get pregnant lack access to contraceptives. This is a life and death crisis. Complications in pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death for women in Africa.
- Poverty and the lack of access to education leads to higher birthrates and overpopulation.
(USAID)
2.3%
The annual population growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa.
.8%
Annual U.S. population growth rate.
Where Poverty Rates Drop, Birthrates Soon Follow
Extreme poverty in Guatemala has decreased by nearly 40% since 1992, and with that decline in poverty, the average family size has fallen from almost 6 children to just over 3.
In 1992, the average family in Cambodia had nearly 6 children; by 2011, extreme poverty (living on less than $1.25 per day) in Cambodia had fallen 22% and average family size had decreased by half.
The last 20 years in Namibia have seen extreme poverty rates fall by 20% and average family size halved.
(USAID)