The Population Problem and the Concept of 'Unmet Need' for Family Planning - Should 'Unmet Need' Serve as a Guide to Policy Decisions
(2005)Department of Economics
- Abstract
- This paper has its starting point with the discrepancy between the ICPD Plan of Action and the Millennium Development Goals with regards to their separate emphasis on the importance of family planning services as a reproductive health component. The population problem can be looked upon from various theoretical schools. This paper examines the sharply contrasting views of economists, on the one hand, and demographers who support family planning on the other. One central argument is put forward in the paper. Policies that focus solely on the elimination of an ‘unmet need’ for contraceptives are not likely to be successful. In fact, evidence suggests that ‘unmet need’ does not correspond to latent demand for contraceptives. Instead a broader... (More)
- This paper has its starting point with the discrepancy between the ICPD Plan of Action and the Millennium Development Goals with regards to their separate emphasis on the importance of family planning services as a reproductive health component. The population problem can be looked upon from various theoretical schools. This paper examines the sharply contrasting views of economists, on the one hand, and demographers who support family planning on the other. One central argument is put forward in the paper. Policies that focus solely on the elimination of an ‘unmet need’ for contraceptives are not likely to be successful. In fact, evidence suggests that ‘unmet need’ does not correspond to latent demand for contraceptives. Instead a broader assessment of the underlying components that cause women/couples to have many children is essential for understanding the reasons for high fertility rates. In addition, including a gender perspective in the analysis would further broaden the discussion. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/1336021
- author
- Hedblom, Erik
- supervisor
- organization
- year
- 2005
- type
- H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
- subject
- keywords
- poverty, unmet need, family planning, fertility, Economics, econometrics, economic theory, economic systems, economic policy, Nationalekonomi, ekonometri, ekonomisk teori, ekonomiska system, ekonomisk politik
- language
- English
- id
- 1336021
- date added to LUP
- 2005-12-01 00:00:00
- date last changed
- 2010-08-03 10:53:16
@misc{1336021,
abstract = {{This paper has its starting point with the discrepancy between the ICPD Plan of Action and the Millennium Development Goals with regards to their separate emphasis on the importance of family planning services as a reproductive health component. The population problem can be looked upon from various theoretical schools. This paper examines the sharply contrasting views of economists, on the one hand, and demographers who support family planning on the other. One central argument is put forward in the paper. Policies that focus solely on the elimination of an ‘unmet need’ for contraceptives are not likely to be successful. In fact, evidence suggests that ‘unmet need’ does not correspond to latent demand for contraceptives. Instead a broader assessment of the underlying components that cause women/couples to have many children is essential for understanding the reasons for high fertility rates. In addition, including a gender perspective in the analysis would further broaden the discussion.}},
author = {{Hedblom, Erik}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{The Population Problem and the Concept of 'Unmet Need' for Family Planning - Should 'Unmet Need' Serve as a Guide to Policy Decisions}},
year = {{2005}},
}