But this situation changed in the period between the 1700s to the 1800s when death rates dropped due to improved standards of living and control over major disease brought about by discoveries and inventions in medicine (vaccines and antibiotics), agriculture and public health (water and sanitation). These advancements spread throughout the world as a result of which population began soaring rapidly.

British economist Thomas Robert Malthus theorized in the late 1700s that human population tends to increase beyond the limit of the earth’s ability to support it, and warned that unless there was a slowing of growth rate the world will soon become overpopulated. Overpopulation is defined as a situation in which the earth is populated with more people than can live on it properly, namely, enjoying a reasonable standard of living, happiness, comfort and good health. Human population increased from 1 billion in 1810 to 2 billion in 1930 and 5.8 billion in 1996. The United Nations Population Fund expects it to reach 10 billion by the year 2025.

Recent years have witnessed a steady increase in world poverty, damage to environment and depletion of natural resources. Expert and general consensus lay the blame for this firmly at overpopulation, which they identify as the greatest single threat to the future of mankind as it is causing alarming destruction to the Earth’s vital life support systems.

Given the severity of the situation, population control has emerged as the greatest challenge to mankind, one that has to be solved in a hurry. Experts recommend the ‘replacement method’ whereby the birth rate is reduced to ‘replacement level’ (enough people are born to replace those who die) that they put at 2.1 children per woman. The overall net result is called ‘zero population growth’ (ZPG). Although in some advanced nations like the U.S and some Western European countries the birth rate has fallen to below replacement level, the major part of the world (notably Asia, Africa and Latin America) have women averaging 7 to 8 children, the prime examples being China, India, Nigeria and Pakistan.

Birth Control, or Planned Parenthood or Family Planning are terms used to include all methods to regulate or prevent birth of children. It was Malthus who first put forward the concept of birth control; in his ‘Essay on the Principle of Population’ in 1798, he recommended that couples should postpone marriage in order to reduce births. The birth control movement took off since the 1800s as an increasing number of people started working to promote birth control in Europe and the U.S.

Today, the birth control movement has spread to all parts of the world; those countries have themselves realized its importance and additional stress, encouragement and monetary help is provided by the United Nations to help them in this vital endeavor. Different birth control methods (called contraceptives) are in existence.

They are surgical sterilization (vasectomy for males and laparoscopic sterilization for women), hormones drugs (oral birth control pills and contraceptive implants), Intrauterine devices (IUD’s), condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps and spermicide. Natural family planning methods such as premature withdrawal method (during sex) and the rhythm method are less popular. Abortion (outlawed in many countries) is another method that is used very infrequently, mostly when the mother’s life is perceived to be in danger.

Japan was the first country to tackle population control on a national footing in 1948, followed by the two most populous countries of the world (China and India) in the 1950s. Today, about 80 countries have national birth control campaigns in place. It is hoped that their example will be copied by other nations in their own interest.

The world should realize that individual choice, human rights and collective responsibility are the main factors that can control population. Teachers, parents, politicians, community forums and other stakeholders should address this issue urgently and persistently, recognizing it for what it is – the stiffest challenge to the survival of human beings on our planet.