Marilyn Hempel
CREATIVE SOLUTION: FINLAND Stabilizes its Population and Climbs to the Top in Human Development
Often the U.S. press carries stories hinting at dire consequences for those countries that are no longer growing. What really happens when a country stabilizes its population? Let’s examine one example. Did you know that only 134 years ago, 40% of all the children in Finland died of starvation? Today, Finland is at the very top of the world’s nations by almost every indicator, be it technology, economic growth rate, human development, children’s welfare or the status of women. How did this happen?
In the late 1860s Finland must have been one of the worst places to live. In 1866 almost 20% of the population died either of hunger or of diseases resulting from poor nutrition. In 1868 40% of all children died. This was the last non-war-related famine in Europe.
The remaining Finns picked themselves up and focused heavily on education. The Lutheran Church made literacy its primary goal. Ministers traveled from house to house teaching people to read. The basic strategy was universal education, equal for boys and girls. Young people were allowed to marry only if they could read. Look at the results: In 1940, only 10% of Finns had a secondary school education; 50 years later 99% graduated from high school.
Today, Finnish women are well educated and enjoy equal opportunities. Women take part in political life and have actively influenced the development of education and welfare services, and 85% work outside the home.
Finland has a comprehensive family planning program that is the envy of many other nations. It provides not only reproductive health but also public support for families with children in the form of child day care, child health care and home help services. Specific services include:
• Preventive health services, counseling and contraceptives given free of charge.
• Childbirth preparation training for mothers and fathers-to-be. New mothers receive a maternity kit, which contains infant care supplies and also condoms.
• Sex education included in the curriculum for 14-16 year-old pupils.
• Every 16-year-old receives a leaflet about dating, human relations, sexuality and family planning, including a sample condom, published by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
• The Finnish media and the Lutheran Church have also provided practical, informative material on family planning and sex education.
Successful family planning in Finland has led to:
• Very low number of teenage pregnancies and abortions.
• The number of unwanted pregnancies has decreased so much that there are not enough babies for adoption needs.
• The number of abortions has been halved in the last 20 years.
• The incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, is low in international comparison.
• According to surveys young people do not start their sexual activity younger than before, nor is sexual promiscuity on the increase.
• Nationwide surveys show that the Finns are now more satisfied with their sexual lives.
The Finnish government believes that its programs can insure that every child born is wanted and as healthy as possible, and that people can independently choose the ideal size of their family.
The Pop!ulation Press welcomes your comments:
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