Central Department of Population Studies

Home | Contact | Feedback

Vol IV, Population and Development in Nepal, June 1996

Child Loss Experience as a Response to High Fertility: Observation from Nepal
Keshab Prasad Adhikari
The policies and programmes in Nepal to bring down the high level of fertility have been found to be ineffective because of peoples' pro-natalist approach to produce more progeny and perceived fear of infant/child loss and societal experience on it. Life time experience of infant and child mortality is crucial to boost up the level of completed fertility operating through the biological and behavioural mechanisms. Death of an infant is supposed to interrupt lactation and shorten lactational amenorrhoea and subsequent birth interval. Similarly, behavioural mechanism inspires couples to have more children to be safe from the fear of old age security and hinder in the use of family planning methods. Therefore, both biological and behavioural mechanisms combinely contribute to higher level of fertility within the couples' lifetime child loss experience. In this paper attempt is made to examine the effect of lifetime child loss experience of the ever married women aged between 15 and 49 years on the level of their completed fertility along with various demographic and socio-economic background characteristics. In each and every case, it is apparent that women who have lost at least one child definitely have had more number of children ever born compared to those who have not lost any child.

Estimation Of Infant And Child Mortality In Nepal
Yogendra B. Gurung
Using the weighted data from NFFHS 1991 an attempt has been made to determine the levels of infant and child mortality in Nepal. For this purpose, two methods, Trussell ( 1975) and Palloni and Heligman (1985), are used to estimate the infant and child mortality parameters as permitted by the nature of data. These two methods are widely used and incorporated all other methods so far developed. MORTPAK Computer Software developed by the United Nations (1988) is used. Using General model of UN model life tables, 100 infants die per 1,000 live births which is slightly lower than that provided by West model (103). Child Mortality rate is under General model which is considerably higher than that under the West model (51). Whereas the corresponding life expectancy at birth is closer from both General models (53 years) and West model (53.4 Years). The study concludes that the substantial decline over time in childhood mortality has been observed.

A Review Of Levels And Trend Of Mortality In Nepal
B.D.S. Dangol
This paper reviews the level and trend of mortality in Nepal based on available secondary information. It compares the estimates of crude death rates, infant mortality rates and life expectancy at birth by sex in terms of both direct and indirect methods. It suggests which pattern of mortality fits best to the country.

Contraceptive Dynamics In Nepal
Govind Subedi
This paper deals with the contraceptive dynamics in Nepal. Data are used from Nepal Fertility, Family Planning and Health Status Survey, 1991. Trend in prevalence rate over the last 25 years has been enumerated by method, women's age and number of living children. Over the years, female sterilization appears to be the most popular contraceptive method. There is an increasing popularity in injectables. Both bivariate and multivariate analysis suggest that number of living sons remains to be the major domain in contraceptive behaviour in Nepalese society. Women's education stands out as the second dominant variable. Prevalence model is used to evaluate the ultimate goal of family planning programme. Had there been no family planning programme, there would have been 42.6 birth rate in 1991 in Nepal. More than four-fifth of the total number of births averted was contributed by sterilization. The share of private sector is on existence but its impact on birth rate is still insignificant.

Family Welfare In Nepal: Some Critical Issues And Future Approaches
P. K. Manandhar
This paper examines the critical issues and future approaches to family welfare in Nepal. It presents family planning as a health issue and discloses gaps in the existing family welfare programmes in Nepal. It iterates some critical issues such as over extended service delivery points, unbalanced contraceptive mix, lack of motivation, lack of institutionalization, ineffective IEC, lack of co-ordination and lack of political commitment. The paper outlines some new approaches to be considered in the future.

An Assessment Of Data Quality On Fertility Levels And Trends Of 1991 Census
Pushp Kamal Subedi
This paper examines the assessment of data quality on the fertility Level. Data of 1991 census are examined. It presents an overview information about the censuses of Nepal and compares results of the quality of fertility estimates derived from 1991 census by using Whipple's Index. Census organization from 1952/54 to 1991 is descriptively evaluated.

Population And Health Status In Nepal: Population Census, 1991
Prem Singh Bisht
This article dealt with Population and Health Status in Nepal particularly with reference to 1991 Population Census. In order to give the correct picture of Nepalese population status the demographic indicators obtained from 1991 census like population size, density, composition, distribution, growth rate, sex-ratio, dependency ratio and the vital rates were briefly dealt. The health related main indicators discussed were infant, child and maternal mortality rates as well as the health related facilities available like health posts, hospital beds and doctors. The socio-economic indicators such as GNP and literacy were discussed in brief.

Getting Younger Or Facing The Problem Of Elderly: The Population Ageing In Nepal
Bhim P. Subedi
This paper examines the situation of population ageing in Nepal based on census data. Nepal does not have a very high proportion of elderly people compared with that of many developed nations. However, it is argued that a country like Nepal, in the face of awfully discouraging economy, even a small size of elderly may pose a serious problem. It is high time that elderly population be given an adequate attention before it is too late.

Ethnodemographic Analysis Of Nepal
Bal Krishna Mabuhang
The population distribution, sex ratio, age structure, religion and mother tongue with respect to the caste and ethnicity are the main thrust of this paper. The population distribution, sex ratio; Nepali language as the widespread one among the mother tongues; and age structure are analyzed with respect to the composition of caste/ ethnicity of four major groups. The religion with respect to each caste and ethnicity is computed in descending order, so it is easy to find the top ten of each religion by caste and ethnicity. Mother tongue by many, two and one group of caste and ethnicity is the new order of linguistic composition at this paper.

Family Planning: Concepts And Issues
Bidhan Acharya
This paper presents the conceptual background to reproductive needs of the people combated by the government sponsored family planning programmes in the developing countries. Family planning programmes are espoused with modern technologies; however the idea of regulating the number of persons is one of the ancient ones that govern human civilisation. There are many unseen social, economic, psychological, cultural and other variables affecting the demand for children. The family planning policy formulators and programme implementers do need to understand the reproductive needs of the people before the programmes are in operation.

Socio-Cultural And Demographic Perspectives Of Nepalese Women: Problems And Issues
Dilli Ram Dahal
In recent years, gender issue is the most common theme of discussion on seminars and workshops in Nepal. Since 1995 women are also demanding equal parental property right for them like men. This paper brings materials from different facets of the Nepalese cultural life and argues that gender issues are systematically tied with the basic social structure of Nepalese society in which cultural values are deeply embedded. Women's problems in Nepal can not be solved by creating a special women's domain alone.