Blog #4: Expanding Too Quickly?

Summary:
Experts say the rapid growing population in Yemen, is facing a large challenges, because the population affects health aspects, economics, and the environment. Indicators show Yemen's population will continue to grow exponentially, due to the high numbers of individuals under the age of eighteen. UNICEF announced this statistic in 2011, and it will only become larger. Yemen's population is expected to double by the year 2050 according to a survey from the United Nations in 2012. National Population Council in Sana’a in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund held a meeting called, “Population Programs …the Reality and Future Challenges.” In this conference, Dr. Ahmed Burji talked about the negative impacts of the growth rates in this country and how external immigration and internal migration attributes to the uncontrolled growth. In the 1990s, Yemen's government introduced family planning programs and this strategy only made a dent into the population growth rate. After the North and the South unified as one country, population indicators have seen decreases in population size/growth, birth rates and mortality rates. Even though population is an issue in Yemen, the population rate has decreased to 2.9% from 3.4% in 1994. The number of people has declined, but unfortunately this is still problematic. The government in Yemen will not be able to meet the population's needs in the next ten years. This has now become a government priority. According to Dr. Ahmed Burji, their government will soon incorporate a two-year action plan. This plan will include health and population-related issues, such as family planning.

Analysis:
With Yemen's population growing exponentially, this is obviously a major problem when it comes to all aspects of life. Regarding economics, resources, and interactions among the community of this culture is directly affected by their growth. It is clear they are in desperate need of family planning, which is thankfully about to become incorporated in the next few years. After further analysis, Yemen is undergoing major problems with their growth. If their population were to double within the next three or more decades, then their country will only see further problems. With programs such as the "Population Program," conference, this should help push them into the right direction. Family planning has only helped somewhat when it comes to population control. If Yemen's government were to implement better methods of birth control or give access to information, this may help their population much greater than it has in the past. With these methods, it should hopefully bring them into a world with greater economic stability, better sanitation, and increased amount of resources.

Source:
http://www.yementimes.com/en/1758/report/3522/Expanding-too-quickly.htm%20target=
Published February 25, 2014