Birth rate in India is decreasing thus affecting population
Why are women refusing to become mothers, what do social studies and experts say. In the film Deewar, Shashi Kapoor belittles Amitabh's car, bungalow and bank balance and says, "Mere paas Maa hain." Similarly, a mother also has infinite love, harmony and dedication for her children. It is said that becoming a mother is the most beautiful feeling in the world. Robert Browning has said that motherhood is where all love begins and ends.
But what if a woman is deprived of this happiness. Some women do not become mothers due to health reasons and some do not become mothers by their own will. So are these women inferior? Is this okay to label them as 'Selfish and incomplete' according to social conservative standards.
Birth rate is decreasing rapidly in India
You must be wondering why we are suddenly talking about the choice of becoming or not becoming a mother today. So it is because, in the last few years, the birth rate in our country has descreased rapidly. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2019-21 survey, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in India has come down from 2.2 children per woman to 2.0 children per woman.
This figure is less than the replacement rate of 2.1. The replacement rate is the birth rate in which the balance of birth and death remains and the population remains stable. If the birth rate of a country falls below the replacement rate, then the population there starts decreasing. The reason why in the last few years, questions are being raised on having fewer children in countries around the world including India. The women who decide not to become mothers are being questioned. The conservative section is also advocating for strict laws on abortion. As if the entire responsibility of running the earth and increasing the lineage lies only with women.
