On Tuesday, the second-most populous nation in the world woke to headlines like “Govt bans condom ads from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. because they are ‘indecent'” and “Ban on condom ads symptom of schizophrenia over sexuality, morality.”
But the general response is of alarm – not just about censorship and a chilling effect on creative advertising — but also about India’s exploding population. Data projections indicate that India, with an estimated population of 1.32 billion, is poised to have 1.7 billion citizens by 2050, overtaking China. Contraception — particularly condom usage — is falling, according to official figures from the latest National Family Health Survey, which covers the years 2015 and 2016.
“Most of the projected population growth will occur in the very poorest areas of India,” says Robert Walker, president of the Population Institute, an international nonprofit that promotes family planning. “Unless fertility rates fall faster than now projected in those areas, it will be difficult to make much progress in reducing severe poverty. The projected population growth will also put severe pressure on the environment and intensify concerns about water scarcity.”
The National Family Health Survey also indicates that condom use has dropped drastically, at least where population control is measured by the authorities. The government distributed 660 million condoms in the years 2008 and 2009; last year, fewer than half that number were distributed.
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