EDITORIAL ANALYSIS : Demographic transition and change in women’s lives                                      

Source: The Hindu

• Prelims: Census, The Census Act, 1948, life expectancy, demographic transition, India Human Development Survey (IHDS) etc
• Mains GS Paper I and II: Government policies and interventions for development of various sectors and issues arising out of them etc

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

• The passage of World Population Day (July 11)-India’s demographic journey has changed the lives of its citizens, particularly its women.
• India’s population grew from about 340 million at Independence to 4(one point four)billion.

INSIGHTS ON THE ISSUE

Context

What is the Demographic Transition and Demographic Dividend?

• A demographic shift refers to a change in the composition of a population over time.
• This change can occur due to various factors such as changes in birth and death rates, migration patterns, and changes in social and economic conditions.
• A demographic dividend is a phenomenon that occurs when a country’s population structure shifts from having a high proportion of dependents (children and elderly) to having a higher proportion of working-age adults.
• This change in population structure can result in economic growth and development if the country invests in its human capital and creates conditions for productive employment.

Demographic changes in India:

• In 1941, male life expectancy was about 56 years; only 50% of boys survived to age 28.
  • Today, life expectancy for men is 69 years, and nearly 50% live to see the ripe old age of 75.
• Total Fertility Rate fell from 7(five point seven) in 1950 to 2.1(two point one)in 2019.
• With four children: The chance of not having a son was barely 6%, but with two children, it grew to 25%.
  • Social norms and patrilocal kinship patterns combined with lack of financial security reinforce a preference for sons.
• The India Human Development Survey (IHDS) found that:
  • 85% of women respondents expected to rely on their sons for old age support
  • 11% expected support from their daughters.
• Parents who want to ensure that they have at least one son among their one or two child families, resorted to sex-selective abortion, and, in some cases, the neglect of sick daughters.
• The number of girls per 100 boys, ages under five dropped from 96 to 91 between 1950 and 2019.

Changes for Indian women:

• Women’s childhood, adulthood, and old age have been transformed over the course of demographic transition, sometimes positively, sometimes negatively.
• A fertility decline: It created space for education and employment.
• National Family Health Survey: The number of years women spend caring for children under five declined from 14 years in 1992-93 to eight in 2018-20
• The years spent caring for children ages six to 15 dropped from 20 to 14 years.
• Women’s educational attainment increased, with over 70% of girls enrolling in secondary education
  • Early marriage and childbearing remain the predominant forces defining women’s lives.
• Article by Park, Hathi, Broussard, and Spears documents: The average age at first birth has hardly budged about 20 for women born in the 1940s and still remains well below 22 years for those born in the 1980s.

Issues:

• Early motherhood: The lower fertility does not translate into higher labour force participation for women.
• Women need to establish secure connections to the labour market and gain work experience if they are to get skilled jobs.
• By the time peak childcare demands end they miss the window for occupations that require specific skills
  • only unskilled work is open to them.
• Demographic shifts also affect women’s lives at older ages.
• With rising life expectancy the proportion of the female population aged 65 and above increased from 5% to 11% between 1950 and 2022.
  • It is projected to reach 21% by 2050.
• The 2011 Census: only 18% of men above age 65 are widowed, about 55% of the women are widowed.
  • For widowed women, the lack of access to savings and property results in dependence on children, mainly sons.
  • It brings the vicious cycle of son preference to full circle.

Way Forward

• Changing patriarchal norms may take a long time: Enhancing women’s access to employment and assets will reduce their reliance on sons.
  • It could break the vicious cycle of gendered disadvantage, stretching from childhood to old age.
• Any efforts at improving women’s labour force participation must be accompanied by access to safe and affordable childcare.
• A World Bank evaluation based on a randomized controlled trial(Madhya Pradesh) found that the expansion of Anganwadis to include a crèche led to an increase in the work participation of mothers.
  • Examples of the importance of childcare is documented in a study based in urban China by Du and Dong.
    • It found that as state support for childcare declined, employment rates for mothers fell from 88% to 66%.
  • NREGA being used to build physical infrastructure: It can be used to develop social infrastructure where NREGA workers can help staff crèches.
  • The burgeoning self-help group movement can be harnessed to set up neighborhood child-care centers in urban and rural areas.

QUESTION FOR PRACTICE

Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail.(UPSC 2021) (200 WORDS, 10 MARKS)