Towards Reducing Fertility, a Continuing Policy Challenge in Egypt

Aliaa Amer, Cairo demographic Centre

Towards Reducing Fertility, A Continuing Policy Challenge in Egypt Dr.: Aliaa` Abdelraouf Amer Egypt formulated its first notional population policy in 1966, aiming at reducing the high rate of population growth as an ultimate goal. To achieve such goal, the country adopted a national family planning program targeting married couples to use contraceptives in order to reduce the high fertility levels. Since the middle of 1980s fertility level started to show considerable steady decline up to early 1990s, Unfortunately, the last decade has shown a plateau in the fertility level as no considerable decline was observed. Monitoring the change in fertility levels has been one of primary reasons for conducting a series of demographic surveys in Egypt during the last two decades. The prevailing norms in Egypt for a long period appreciated greatly large families especially in rural areas.