Population Foundation of India expresses deep concern over the directives issued at China’s National Women’s Congress on 23 October, which urge women to prioritize marriage and childbearing above their professional goals, as reported by The New York Times. Gender equality should not be eclipsed by demographic challenges, and such directives offer a misguided approach to China’s demographic crisis. Like many countries, China’s population is aging and declining, and the government faces the daunting prospect of a diminishing workforce.
The country is bearing the brunt of coercive policies like the one child norm introduced in the late 1970s in an attempt to slow down the rapid population growth, before reversing it in 2016 to allow families to have two children. On Monday, May 31, 2021, China relaxed its childbirth policy to allow each couple to have up to three children, marking the end of a two-child policy in the country after the Census data reported population growth in the country at its slowest pace in decades.
It is essential to recognize that women’s participation in the workforce may present a universal solution amidst varying global demographic trends. As of April this year, India has surpassed China as the most populous nation. The correlation between women’s economic engagement and fertility rates is well-established. To quote UNFPA’s State of World Population Report 2023, “In ageing, low-fertility countries with labour productivity concerns, achieving gender parity in the workforce is considered the most effective way to improve productivity and income growth. In high-fertility countries, empowerment through education and family planning is known to yield enormous dividends in the form of economic growth and human capital development”.
Moreover, the International Monetary Fund has highlighted a burgeoning trend in the developed world: the interplay between women’s careers and family life is increasingly influencing fertility rates in affluent countries. Nations with comprehensive public childcare, like Sweden and Denmark, report higher rates of female employment and fertility compared to those with limited childcare services. Additionally, fertility tends to be higher in countries where fathers are more involved in childcare and domestic duties.
Poonam Muttreja, the Executive Director of the Population Foundation of India, asserts, “Enabling women to maintain paid careers through supportive policies can foster sustainable fertility rates in both developed and developing contexts.” She emphasizes the necessity of balancing these policies with gender equality to address demographic issues effectively. The stance taken by Chinese leadership, as reported, could represent a regression in women’s rights and may prove detrimental to the long-term demographic stability of any country.
The Population Foundation of India reaffirms its dedication to gender equality and the empowerment of women, which are vital not only to a nation’s growth but also to the overall health of global societies.
