Скачать или смотреть EGYPT: POPULATION GROWTH

(18 Dec 1995) English/Nat

Egypt's population grows by 1.2 million every year.

The government and development organisations see this huge growth as a threat to the effective development of the country.

But Islamic activists are opposed to family planning efforts, which they say are against the teachings of Islam.

Egypt is staggering under the weight of its population.

Population growth is putting more and more pressure on housing, public transport and education.

So the government is pouring money and manpower into family planning programmes.

Clinics like this one offer classes and free birth control products.

The clinics show the women how to take care of their children and try to break down the idea of the large family as an insurance against infant mortality.

SOUNDBITE: (In English)

"If Egypt is to advance or develop, it has to slow down, even at a higher rate, it has to slow down its population growth."

SUPERCAPTION: Saad Eddin Ibrahim, Chairman of the Ibn Kaldoun Centre for
Research.

But Islamic activists argue that the use of contraception by women in good health is against the teachings of Islam, and therefore wrong.

SOUNDBITE: (In English)

"For health reasons only, but if she has good health she cannot use it, it is haram, to stop more children."

SUPERCAPTION: Sheikh Yousef El Badri, Islamic cleric.

Haram means against Islam, and in this pre-dominantly Islamic country, many people would not be prepared to go against the teachings of their faith.

But some accuse the government's Islamic critics of harboring political motives.

SOUNDBITE: (In English)

"Many Islamic activists have tried to sabotage the government policy for family planning and for slowing the rate of birth control, the rate of population growth."

SUPERCAPTION: Saad Eddin Ibrahim, Chairman of the Ibn Kaldoun Centre for Research.

Islamic activists dismiss the argument that a curb in population growth is essential for the development of Egypt.

Children -- they say -- are blessing of God.

SOUNDBITE: (In English)

"If the people become more and more and more Allah (God) will give us more and more and more."

SUPERCAPTION: Sheikh Yousef el Badri, Islamic Cleric

Until the conflict between family planning and Islam is resolved, development efforts will not be able to keep up with population growth.

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