Fertility Decline

Decline 
This is with refrence to your news report “Fertility rate down among Nepali women: Report”
(THT, April 6, Page 2). It is obvious that the fertility rate is decreasing every year. As
both males and females are very busy these days, they have barely enough time to think of
having and taking care of children. These days, the people have all their attention on
their career, not family. As per the survey, fertility in Nepal has declined over the past
15 years, with 4.6 in 1996, 4.1 in 2001 and 3.1 in 2006. It has also shown that fertility
varies by residence and by region. And also the women who have passed SLC and higher
education have an average of 1.7 children, while women who have had no schooling have an
average of 3.7 kids. This is all due to the awareness among the educated people. It is
also true that people in urban areas have fewer children than those in the rural parts.
Pollution, tension, stress, work pressure, meeting deadlines to complete tasks, etcetra
have helped in the decline in the fertility rate. Stress free life is almost impossible in
this modern city, as people are very conscious regardig their career. The decline in the
fertility rate in Nepal is a matter of concern. The time seems to have come to encourage
the people to have more children for which the state should offer incentives.

Moin Uddin, Ghattekulo, Kathmandu
(This was published in the newspaper "TheHimalayanTimes" on 10th April 2012, Tuesday at page 8 at letter's column.)