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Dept for International Development

Answer

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the impact which population growth is having on the ability of Ethiopia to reach the United Nations' millennium development goals. [87174] Clare Short: Ethiopia's population of 67 million is growing at 2.7 per cent. per annum. Rapid population growth makes it harder to achieve the millennium development goals; when households have many children, investment in education or health per child tends to be lower, especially for poor people. Population pressure on natural resources in some parts of Ethiopia is leading to environmental degradation, undermining the livelihoods of rural people. The objective of the Government of Ethiopia's national population policy is to maintain balance between the size of the population and the country's resource base. Through activities in the health sector and on female education the aim of the policy is to reduce fertility rates, increase rates of contraceptive prevalence and reduce maternal, infant and child morbidity and mortality rates.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

396 c692-3W;396 (Not in Bound Volume); 87174

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Disadvantaged Contraceptives Increases Health education Population Sustainable development Ethiopia

Contains statistics

Yes