TEHRAN
TIMES SOCIAL DESK
TEHRAN - A member of the Scientific Board at Mazandaran University,
sociology professor Sadeq Salehi, said, "It is predicted that Iran's population
growth rate will reach zero in 1389
[March 2010-March 2011] through family planning. The decline in the
population growth rate to 1.2 percent in 1380 from 3.2 percent in 1365
is a great success." He went on to say, "Although economic conditions play
a role in decreasing the population growth rate, educational programs should
not be neglected."
He added that family planning programs have encouraged people to have
smaller families, citing statistics that show that the average Iranian
woman now has three children whereas the figure was seven in the past.
He said that it is expected that this rate will drop to two children per
woman in 2010, which is a stable birth rate.
He added that government support is necessary to improve family planning
programs.
He also mentioned the participation of men and the mandatory participation
of couples in these programs as the second and third most important factors
which could lead to the success of theses programs.
He said that raising the level of education is another effective way
to realize this goal, noting that the literacy rate for men in Iran reached
84 percent in 2000 from 28 percent in 1970.
He concluded by saying that Iran is one of 17 countries which are facing
a water shortage in the future, but this problem could be solved by lowering
the rate of population growth.