Egypt Struggles with Overpopulation
"Disaster Will Ensue Without Birth Control Measures"
Unlike South Korea, which is facing a severe low birthrate problem, Egypt is struggling with an overpopulation issue.
On the 6th (local time), according to foreign media such as Bloomberg and Egypt Today, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi expressed concerns about population growth during a cabinet meeting.
President El Sisi pointed out, "If birth control measures are not implemented, a disaster could occur," adding, "If this is not resolved, it will be difficult to maintain the government budget for education and healthcare as it is now."
Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Egypt's Minister of Health and Population, also emphasized, "We need to prevent citizens from marrying at a very young age and encourage delaying pregnancy," and "We must also end school dropout rates and create jobs not only in the service sector but also in the manufacturing sector to meet local demand."
Egypt Surpassed 100 Million Population in 2020... Total Fertility Rate of 3.5
Egypt's population has steadily increased since 2008, surpassing 100 million in 2020. If this trend continues, Egypt's population is expected to grow to 128 million by 2030. The total fertility rate of Egyptian women was 3.5 in 2020.
The specific reasons for Egypt's continued population growth have not yet been identified. However, traditions that regard having many children as a blessing, misunderstandings or intentional misinterpretations of religious teachings, and customs that consider family planning taboo appear to have influenced this trend.
The side effects of rapid population growth are affecting society as a whole. Egypt's poverty rate (population below 50% of median income) increased from 27.8% in 2015 to 31.9% in 2020, and the unemployment rate is approaching 7%.
Previously, the Egyptian government launched a campaign in 2018 promoting the message "Two children are enough," but it failed to achieve results. President El Sisi stated, "Some people do not recognize the seriousness of the population problem, and our society is paying the price," adding, "If the population were not so large, people would not feel a lack of good health services, good education, and good employment."
Baby Cries Stop... South Korea's Q2 Total Fertility Rate at 0.7
Unlike Egypt, which is struggling with overpopulation, South Korea is considered a country facing a severe low birthrate crisis. In particular, South Korea's total fertility rate in the second quarter of this year recorded an all-time low of 0.7.
According to the 'June 2023 Population Trends' released by Statistics Korea last month, the total fertility rate, which is the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, was 0.70 in the second quarter, down 0.05 from a year earlier. This is the lowest figure ever recorded for any quarter since related statistics began in 2009.
Foreign media have focused on South Korea's low birthrate problem and suggested that structural social issues such as employment difficulties, career interruptions, high education costs, and intense competition need to be addressed.
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