A child is born every 15 seconds in Egypt, and the number of population increases by two million annually – which is equal to the population of a whole state – according to Amr Hassan, Rapporteur of the Population Council.
Hassan stressed the importance of state efforts to reduce the booming population growth, which puts a strain on society and its institutions.
A press release issued by the Health Ministry also encouraged awareness campaigns against overpopulation, given its effects on health, education, job opportunities and poverty rates.
A decreased population would create a social boom in line with the efforts of economic development, according to the statement.
Other negative repercussions according to Hassan were early marriage, which had spread in a number of governorates and “negatively affects the health of mothers and children”, and child labor, which is a flagrant violation of the rights of the child.
Egypt’s population in 1955 was approximately 24 million, while the population of Britain was 51 million people.
In 2018, Egypt is approaching 100 million people, while the population of Britain is 66 million, Hassan mentioned.
The population of Egypt increased by 76 million, while the population of Britain increased by only 15 million, he continued, which confirms that the increase of population devours any efforts to improve the health and education sectors, or any kind of development in general.
Despite economic reforms, ordinary citizens cannot touch economic improvement because of the gap and imbalance between the population growth and the economic growth, Hassan added, pointing out that the economic growth rate should be three times the rate of population growth.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm.
