ABSTRACT
In the first part of the chapter, the background and significance of population planning in Pakistan is delineated. A critical analysis, in terms of strengths and weaknesses, of all 5-year plans are also presented. This analysis shows that the history of population planning is one of shifting from one strategy of planning to another. From unidimensional to multidimensional programs; from nonclinical to clinical methods; from Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) to male and female motivators under Continuous Motivation System (CMS); from CMS back to TBAs; from centralized to decentralized programs; from single sector to multisector and from administrative to top-down to community-participation approaches. Add the ups and downs of political support, the difficulties to maintain consistency in development become apparent. It is suggested to empower the department through putting marriage, divorce, separation, violence, and other family issues with the Population Department; incentives to couples and quality workers; premarital counseling; quality of care; continuity of effective programs; and promoting responsible fatherhood.
In the second part, the issues and problems of labor force, particularly women and child labor, have been presented. The focus has been on rural, gender, poverty, community and household issues affecting the levels and trends of the labor force in the country. There is not any single policy measure that can be prescribed in this case. There is a felt need for coordinated efforts to improve socioeconomic indicators. The most important direction for policy that emanates from analysis in this chapter is that people have to be protected from adverse social implications of macroeconomic crises. Increasing school enrolment rates in the country as a fundamental objective, the rural child; especially girls neither attend school nor do work need the first attention of policy experts. These children are double in numbers in rural settings compared to urban areas. This suggests that cause-based efforts to increase enrolment in rural schools must be strengthened. In policy terms, there is a need to understand the close link between adult-female and female-child labor markets. This needs focus on promoting a female-friendly environment in agricultural labor markets. However, it is difficult to claim that reduced female child labor, even through implementing the law against child labor in the agricultural markets, will improve school enrolment. This is due to a competing demand for female children in home production and as domestic workers. It is further recommended that awareness campaigns in the communities should be arranged regularly and effectively. Last but not least, there is a dire need to strengthen the quality of schools through occasional curriculum revision and hiring qualified, committed, interested and hard-working teachers. It should lessen the dropout of students in general and female students, in particular.
