POPULATION  CONTROL  AND  ECONOMIC  STABILITY:  ANALYZING  POLICY INTERVENTIONS  ACROSS  NATIONS

Dr. Sajitha P K

doi:10.69980/6wdk6e31

Authors

Dr. Sajitha P K Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Sir Syed College, Kannur University, Taliparamba, Kannur, Kerala, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2543-3297

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69980/6wdk6e31

Keywords:

Population control, Economic stability, Fertility rate, Population growth, Policy intervention

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between population-control policy interventions and economic stability across nations. Population growth, fertility decline, dependency burden, and age-structure change have become important concerns for governments seeking to balance demographic pressures with sustainable economic development. The study adopts a quantitative panel-data approach using country-year observations from 2000 to 2024 to analyze how policy strength, fertility rate, population growth, education, dependency ratio, and macroeconomic indicators are associated with economic stability. The main dependent variable is the Economic Stability Index, while the key explanatory variables include Policy Strength Index, active population policy, fertility rate, and population growth percentage. Descriptive statistics, trend analysis, correlation analysis, regression-based interpretation, and regional comparison are used to examine the relationship among the study variables. The findings indicate that stronger population-control policy intervention is associated with lower fertility rates and slower population growth. The results also show that lower fertility, reduced population growth, higher education levels, and lower dependency pressure are linked with improved economic stability. However, inflation, unemployment, GDP growth, and fiscal balance remain important determinants of macroeconomic performance. The study concludes that population-control policies can contribute to economic stability when implemented as part of a broader development strategy. Effective interventions should be voluntary, rights-based, and supported by education, healthcare, employment generation, women’s empowerment, and sound macroeconomic governance.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1.Canning, D., Raja, S., & Yazbeck, A. S. (Eds.). (2015). Africa's demographic transition: dividend or disaster?. World Bank Publications.

2.Dörflinger, M., & Loichinger, E. (2024). Fertility decline, changes in age structure, and the potential for demographic dividends. Demographic Research, 50, 221-290.

3.Bhattacharjee, N. V., Schumacher, A. E., Aali, A., Abate, Y. H., Abbasgholizadeh, R., Abbasian, M., ... & Bahri, R. A. (2024). Global fertility in 204 countries and territories, 1950–2021, with forecasts to 2100: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The lancet, 403(10440), 2057-2099.

4.Goli, S., James, K. S., Singh, D., Srinivasan, V., Mishra, R., Rana, M. J., & Reddy, U. S. (2023). Economic returns of family planning and fertility decline in India, 1991–2061. Journal of Demographic Economics, 89(1), 29-61.

5.Goodkind, D., Lollock, L., Choi, Y., McDevitt, T., & West, L. (2018). The demographic impact and development benefits of meeting demand for family planning with modern contraceptive methods. Global health action, 11(1), 1423861.

6.Götmark, F., & Andersson, M. (2020). Human fertility in relation to education, economy, religion, contraception, and family planning programs. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 265.

7.but Slow, S., & amid Divergence, R. (2024). WORLD ECONOMIC OUTLOOK. World Economic Outlook.

8.Miles, D. (2023). Macroeconomic impacts of changes in life expectancy and fertility. The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, 24, 100425.

9.Myrskylä, M., Hellstrand, J., Lappo, S., Lorenti, A., Nisén, J., Rao, Z., & Tikanmäki, H. (2025). Declining fertility, human capital investment, and economic sustainability. Demography, 62(2), 489-514.

10.Rusatira, J. C., Silberg, C., Mickler, A., Salmeron, C., Rwema, J. O. T., Johnstone, M., ... & Zimmerman, L. (2021). Family planning science and practice lessons from the 2018 International Conference on Family Planning. Gates Open Research, 4, 43.

11.Vollset, S. E., Goren, E., Yuan, C. W., Cao, J., Smith, A. E., Hsiao, T., ... & Murray, C. J. (2020). Fertility, mortality, migration, and population scenarios for 195 countries and territories from 2017 to 2100: a forecasting analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study. The Lancet, 396(10258), 1285-1306.

12.World Bank Group. (2021). Global Economic Prospects, January 2021. World Bank Publications.

13.Alkema, L., Kantorova, V., Menozzi, C., & Biddlecom, A. (2013). National, regional, and global rates and trends in contraceptive prevalence and unmet need for family planning between 1990 and 2015: a systematic and comprehensive analysis. The Lancet, 381(9878), 1642-1652.

14.Bearak, J., Popinchalk, A., Ganatra, B., Moller, A. B., Tunçalp, Ö., Beavin, C., ... & Alkema, L. (2020). Unintended pregnancy and abortion by income, region, and the legal status of abortion: estimates from a comprehensive model for 1990–2019. The Lancet Global Health, 8(9), e1152-e1161.

15.Child, E. W. E. (2015, February). The global strategy for women's, children's and adolescents' health (2016-2030).

16.Fabic, M. S., Choi, Y., & Bird, S. (2012). A systematic review of Demographic and Health Surveys: data availability and utilization for research. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 90, 604-612.

17.Kantorová, V., Wheldon, M. C., Ueffing, P., & Dasgupta, A. N. (2020). Estimating progress towards meeting women’s contraceptive needs in 185 countries: A Bayesian hierarchical modelling study. PLoS medicine, 17(2), e1003026.

18.Starrs, A. M., Ezeh, A. C., Barker, G., Basu, A., Bertrand, J. T., Blum, R., ... & Ashford, L. S. (2018). Accelerate progress—sexual and reproductive health and rights for all: report of the Guttmacher–Lancet Commission. The lancet, 391(10140), 2642-2692.

19.Nations, U. (2017). Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2017). World population prospects: the 2017 revision, key findings and advance tables. Working Paper No ESA/P/WP/248, 46.

20.Department of Economic. (2024). World Population Prospects 2024: Summary of Results. Stylus Publishing, LLC.

21.World Bank. (2023). Women, business and the law 2023. World Bank.

22.Bongaarts, J., & Hodgson, D. (2022). Fertility transition in the developing world (p. 144). Springer Nature.

23.United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). (2025). State of World Population 2025: The Real Fertility Crisis-The Pursuit of Reproductive Agency in a Changing World. Stylus Publishing, LLC.