Zero Population Growth in RI targeted for the year 2080<\/p>\n
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Indonesia could reach Zero Population
\nGrowth (ZPG) in the year 2080 if the country succeeds in reducing
\nthe fertility rate to 2.1 persons in 2020, an expert said on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
United Nations Family Planning Association (UNFPA) official
\nNessim Tumkaya -- one of the speakers at the family planning
\nconference which opened on Monday -- expressed guarded optimism
\nthat Indonesia could meet the target, saying that the country had
\nmanaged to control its birth rate.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's population accounts for 205 million people with a
\npopulation growth rate of 1.6 percent, meaning the country adds
\n3.28 million people per year.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is one of the four centers of excellence in the
\nfamily planning program in the world. The UNFPA initiated many
\nprograms for other countries to learn from Indonesia's
\nexperience. One such program was the international training
\nprogram launched 12 years ago.<\/p>\n
The one-week conference is to evaluate the outcome of the
\nprogram. There are 25 participants from 12 Asian countries and 45
\nparticipants from donor foundations.<\/p>\n
UNFPA is the Indonesian family planning program's biggest
\ndonor. Since the 1970s, UNFPA has granted more than US$100
\nmillion to the program, and during the economic crisis the
\nassociation topped up the funds with an additional $20 million to
\nsupport continuation of the program.<\/p>\n
However, Nessim urged the government to strengthen the
\nprogram, saying Indonesia was still one of the countries in the
\nworld with a high maternal mortality rate, with between 350 and
\n400 deaths.<\/p>\n
In his opening address to the conference, Minister of
\nTransmigration and Population Al Hilal Hamdi called on non-
\ngovernmental organizations and donor countries to support
\nIndonesia to reach zero population growth.<\/p>\n
"The government cannot achieve the effort on its effort," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Al Hilal also said the family planning program in the country
\nshould treat women as subjects -- not objects -- of the program.<\/p>\n
The conference committee earlier announced that 90 percent of
\nfamily planning program participants are women.<\/p>\n
Al Hilal said Indonesia should endorse a principle that all
\ncouples and individuals be allowed to make a voluntary
\nreproductive choice, adding that the ability to carry out these
\nchoices was a basic right.<\/p>\n
The minister said the program should broaden its scope with
\nefforts to prevent Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV), which
\nleads to the deadly Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
\n(zen\/04)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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