Despite the Indian government’s long-term commitment to increasing female literacy rates, more than 60 per cent of the female population remain illiterate. Tis low level of literacy negatively affects the lives of Indian families. Illiterate women have higher levels of fertility, while also having higher levels of child mortality. Tis is particularly true in rural areas of India, where illiteracy rates are nearly double that of males: 38 per cent male compared to 64 per cent female. Girls who begin school are also more likely to drop out as their families ask them to look aſter younger siblings.
India – 2014 Male
90–94 95–99 100+
70–74 75–79 80–84 85–89
10–14 15–19 20–24 25–29 30–34 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64 65–69
0–4 5–9
65 52 39
Population (in millions)
26 13 0 0 Age group 13 26 39 52
Population (in millions)
: Fig. 2.18 Population pyramid of India
By the age of 11, over 50 per cent of girls in India who started school will have dropped out.
If a family has to choose between educating a son or a daughter, typically the son will be chosen. Education of a son is seen as an investment, as a son and his wife will look aſter the son’s parents in old age. Educating a girl is not seen as a worthwhile investment, as a daughter and her husband will look aſter the husband’s parents, meaning the girl’s family of origin will not benefit.
As daughters are expected to marry young and assume roles of homemaker, wife and mother, birth rates are high. While the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act states that a girl in India cannot marry before the age of 18, UNICEF estimates that 47 per cent of marriages in India are to girls under 18, with an estimated 18 per cent occurring before the age of 15. As these girls have not received an education and have little say in the home, family planning is not used. As a result of this, the country’s birth rates are high, leading to overcrowding in cities, high urban populations and overpopulation.
As males are seen as more desirable than females, couples have as many children as possible in order to produce male heirs to carry on the male family name. More male children are also seen as a means of increasing social status, as they will receive dowries from the bridal families. Having many children is also seen as a plan for economic survival – a kind of insurance policy for parents, as they will have someone to look aſter them in later life. As infant mortality rates are still high in India, couples have as many children as possible to ensure that enough of the children will survive to look aſter the parents in old age.
While the educational status of women is a major contributor to overpopulation in India, so too is the under-utilisation of a major food resource because of religious limitations placed on the consumption of beef. Te dominant religion of India is Hindu, which forbids the killing of cows, as they are considered to be a sacred animal. Since cattle are not culled, cattle numbers have risen rapidly – despite a national shortage of food. As a result of these poor farming practices, undernourished cows have reduced daily yields of milk, leading to overpopulation.
Combined with religious limitations on food supply, the Hindu practice of purdah also affects women. Purdah means that women are secluded from men outside of the household. Te religion also places women at a lower
ACTIVE LEARNING
1. Discuss how religion influences birth rates in some countries.
2. In what way has the role of women in society impacted on birth rates in India?
3. How does the practice of Purdah cause higher levels of infant mortality?
4. Go to
www.youtube.com and search for ‘role of women in Indian society’ for a series of videos in which the issue is discussed.
65 Female
GEO DICTIONARY
Constraints: limitations or restrictions
Utilisation: making use of something
Purdah: the practice in some Muslim and Hindu societies of screening women from men or strangers
OVERPOPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT 51
A
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Elective 5: Human CHAPTER 2
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