Attempts to Manage Population Change to Achieve
Sustainable Development
To know who Mr Condom is and understand how he
helped Thailand to achieve sustainable population growth.
Learning objectives
The concept of sustainable development dates from the first Global Environmental Summit held in
Stockholm in 1972.
Population change and sustainable development
It was based upon the following environmental objectives:
• Maintain ecological processes
• Preserve genetic diversity
• Ensure the sustainable utilisation of species and ecosystems
Today’s definition derives from the Brundtland Report of 1987
Population change and sustainable development
“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs”
Memorise this!
There are a variety of social policies aimed at ensuring that population change is sustainable.
Population policies
Policies to reduce the fertility rate, usually by family planning (China, Kerala,
Thailand)
These are aimed at increasing the population, and may be voluntary or imposed (France, Russia, Sweden)
Some countries control their population by controlling immigration (Australia),
encouraging emigration (Philippines) or transmigration (Indonesia)
Anti-natalist policies
Pro-natalist policies
Migration policies
Anti-natalist case study: Thailand
In 1969, women averaged 6.5 children each
16% of the population used contraception
Population growth was 3% a year
Population was 26.4 million
GNP US$110 per capita
Fill in your fact sheet…
Anti-natalist case study: Thailand
By 1999 the fertility rate was 1.7
Population growth was 0.8% per year
Population was 55 million
GNP US$2500 per capita
72% of the population used contraception
How was this achieved?
Much of the success is directly attributed to Mechai Viravaidya, a former government
economist and public relations genius who
launched the Population and Community
Development Association (PDA), the largest non-
government organisation in Thailand.
Otherwise known as Mr Condom!
‘Mr Condom’
Watch this video to learn who Mr Condom is and how he made Thailand a “better
place”.
To know who Mr Condom is and understand how he
helped Thailand to achieve sustainable population growth.
Learning objectives
How was success achieved?
The success of the PDA family planning programme is attributed to a number of factors.
Discuss these with your partner and list your ideas.
How was success achieved?
The success of the PDA family planning programme is attributed to a number of factors:
• Creativity of the family planning approaches.
• Openness of the Thai people to new ideas.
• Willingness of the government to work with the Population Development Agency (PDA).
• Relationships between men and women are considered to be more egalitarian than in most of the developing world.
• The prevalence of Buddhism (95% of Thais are Buddhist) has supported the family planning programme as the Buddhist scripture preaches that ‘many children make you poor’.
1. Target mothers – wanted contraceptive pills
2. Involve everyone – not enough doctors so train shop keepers, etc.
3. Use religion – bless contraceptives
4. Involve schools – sexual alphabet, etc.
5. Micro–credit schemes – only available to women using contraception
6. Free vasectomies
7. Involve the military – Radio and TV used to fight HIV
8. Condoms everywhere! (Cops And Rubbers, In Rubber We Trust, Weapons of Mass Protection…)
Recap
• Although condoms became the trademark of the campaign, the Thai government supported Mechai’s efforts by making a wide range of contraceptives available to the public.
• Thailand was amongst the first countries to use the intravenous contraceptive DMPA and still remains one of its largest users.
• The contraceptive services were extended to even remote rural areas.
How did Thailand manage to achieve population change?
1. Cut out the cards you have been given.
2. Divide a page in two and write the headings: Family Planning Policy and Impacts.
3. Now categorise the cards under the appropriate heading.
Activity: Card sort
Family Planning Policy
Impacts (Positive/Negati
ve)
Categorise the impacts into social,
economic and political.
Exam question
With reference to an example you have studied, outline the successes and failures of
an anti-natalist policy. (12 marks)
Define this term
Outline the policy introduced in Thailand by Mechai. Say when
and why it was introduced
Summarise what worked (the successes)Summarise the aspects of the policy that
were less successful (the failures)
Design a poster to summarise the main elements of Thailand's population policy.
Include the various ways that the government and PDA:
1. Made contraception widely available
2. Educated people about contraceptives
3. Encouraged people to use contraceptives
Activity: Poster