 |
PFI Brochure 1995 |
|
|
1 Page 1 |
▲back to top |
POPULATION
FOUNDATIO/N
OF INDIA
(Incorporating Family Planning fouodaw:m;
|
|
2 Page 2 |
▲back to top |
Introductory
Nearly 25 years old, the Population. Foundation
of Ind'41 (formerly the Family Planning Foundation) was
established in 1970 to meet a pressing need-the need
for an independent body to respond to the challenge
of population. During these years, it has grown to be
one of India's premier non-governmental organisations
in the area of family planning so much so that today
it has an affiliate status with Economic and Social
Council of the United Nations. This fact emerged
forceful1y when Me Bot-{¥q fEou:\\nr Ghali, Secretary
General of the United Nations, while conferring the UN
Population Award 1992 on Mr. J. R. D. Tata, founder
Chairman of the Foundation, said that the Family
Planning Foundation has "remained the country's pre-
eminent non-governmental organisation for field
research on family planning."
The Foundation was established by Mr.J.R.D. Tata
and a dedicated group of luminaries with a view to
pinpointing the strengths and weaknesses of the national
family planning programme, and to assist it by
encouragtng experimentation in strategies and
methodologies as wel1 as promoting basic and applied
research in bio-medical fields to contribute to the success
of population control strategies in India. Thus, there has
been a constant interface between those charged with
policy-making and progranune implementation in the
goverrunent and the Foundation.
The scope of this interface is now being broadened
in order to bring about regular interaction with State
Governments since programmes are actually implemented
in the field.
The chief rationale of the Foundation has been:
T Enlisting the cooperation of the best available national
talent and institutions in different areas of population
concern in order to strengthen the Foundation's
initiatives. Some of the top-most names in the
country, wo~king in their respective fields of
specialisation, have general1y offered assistance.
T Undertaking population research as an integral
element of the development spectrum, but with the
main focus being on population stabilisation.
|
|
3 Page 3 |
▲back to top |
The basic aims of the Foundation, as enunciated
by its founders, were :
••. To help raise the level of family planning beyond its
traditional confines, by focussing on critical variables
restricting its operation;
••. to support innovative research, experimentation and
social action from the point of view of bringing the
grey areas of the progranune into bold relief, and
throwing up viable, replicable models for furthering
the objectives of the family planning programme;
••. to serve as a forum for pooling of experience and
sharing of professional expertise to strengthen and
enlarge the operational base of the programme; and
••. to assist official and public agencies in the
advancement of the cause of promoting human
welfare through family planning and other development
progranunes.
Governing Board
The Governing Board, headed by Dr. Bharat Ram
as Chairman, guides the Foundation in formulating
policies and programme strategies including priorities of
funding. The other members of the Board, all distinguished
in their respective fields of interest, are:
Mr S P Godrej
Mr H P Nanda
Mr B G Verghese
Mrs Avabai B Wadia
Mr Justice G D Khosla
[>r D P Singh
Dr B K Anand
lJr V A Pai Panandiker
Mr Hari Shankar Singhania
Dr (Mrs) Banoo J Coyaji
Begam Bilkees Latif
Prof Ranjit Roy Chaudhl\\ry
Mr Ratan N. Tata
Mr V K Shunglu
(Ex-officio as Secretary,
Ministry of Heath and Family Welfare)
Mr Harish Khanna (Executive Director)
|
|
4 Page 4 |
▲back to top |
Advisory Council
An Advisory Council consisting of eminent experts
in cognate fields such as Sociology, Demography,
Conununications, Health Services, Environment, Education,
Management, Women's Development, Bio-medical Services
etc., contributes to the formulation of the Foundation's
policies and programme and reviews its achievements
from time to time to suggest further possibilities. Its
present members are:
Dr M S Swaminathan, Chairman
Dr P C Joshi
Prof Ramlal Parikh
Dr Rashnli Mayur
Dr J K Satia
Prof M N Srinivas
Dr K Srinivasan
Prof G P Talwar
Dr (Mrs) Vina Mazumdar
Dr Yash Pal
Dr B B Vohra
Mr P Padmanabha
Mr T V Antony
Advisory Panels
To assist the Foundation, from the very start, panels
of experts relating to principal subjects areas have been
consulted to help arrive at well considered decisions on
project rationale, methodology and other essential aspects.
These panels consist of individuals who are known for
outstanding work in their respective areas ..The subjects
are:
.• Health and Biomedical;
.• Gynaecology and Obstetrics;
.• Social Anthropology, Sociology, Economics;
.• Social Sciences;
.•. Politics and Psychology;
.• Population Policy;
.• Conununications;
.• Management;
.• Environment;
.• Evaluation;
.• Conullunity Participation; and
.• Rural Development.
|
|
5 Page 5 |
▲back to top |
supportfrom Institutes of
Higher Learning
The Foundation has the privilege of interacting with
and receiving strong support for its policies and
programme as. well as evaluation of its projects from such
prestigious centres of higher learning in the country as :
Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalorej National Institute
of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi; All India
Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhij International
Institute of Population Studies, Bombayj Tata Institute of
Social Sciences, Bombay; Postgraduate Institute of Medical
Sciences and Research, Chandigarhj Srichitra Tirunal
Institute of Science in Keralaj GandtUgram Institute in
Tamil Nadu, etc.
Operational Areas
In the twenty four years since its inception, the
Foundation has supported 280 projects. Several prominent
institutions and persons commanding respect in their
respective specialities have been associated with these
projects. These projects have:
T helped break fresh ground in areas ranging from
search for new contraceptives to development-based
family planning programmes, drawing strength from
community participationj
T identified the gaps in action programmes and
suggested corrective measures;
T explored fields which had somehow failed to receive
adequate attention and supported institutions/people
having the will and competence to explore them;
T encouraged research and experimentation in family
planning determinants;
T financed research institutions of repute in developing
suitable strategies for dealing with problems of high
fertility;
T highlighted the intimate relationship that exists
between family planning and such variables as socio-
economic factors, cultural milieu, status of women
and infant mortality, with a view to assisting planners
as well as voluntary organisations in formulating
sound and practical programmes; and
T helped in general in placing before the public crucial
issues relating to unstable population and its
unavoidable social and economic consequences in
order to obtain heightened awareness and stronger
commitment to individual and group action as well
as responsive policy intervention.
|
|
6 Page 6 |
▲back to top |
Projects Completed
Some of the most important projects supported or
implemented by the Foundation are :
T An India-wide study of the relationship between
population and economic developmentj
T Involving ·the parliamentarians and legislators in
promoting family planning at national levelj
T A diagnostic study of population growth-rates and
family planning in a development perspective in the
States of Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh,
Rajasthan and Gujaratj
T An integrated rural socio-economic programme linked
with family planning - Uttar Pradeshj
T An action-demonstration project for integrated parasite
control and family planning services in UNICEF-assisted
area development programme - Keralaj
T A family planning action research project in urban and
rural. settings - Andhra Pradeshj
T A demonstration project in community-based distribution
of contraceptives - Karnatakaj
T A mother, child and family welfare project - Orissa;
T Setting up of a Task Group on injectable contraceptives
- Indiawidej
T Promoting development of anti-pregnancy vaccine and
pregnancy testing kit in the AIIMS, New Delhi;
T Clinical trials of contraceptive effectiveness of Banjauri
(Vicoa Indica) in Karnataka and PGI, Chandigarh;
T Studies of carrier proteins for water-soluble vitamins in
pregnancy - Karnatakaj
T Orientation training of mukya-sevikas in health and
family welfare - Tamil Nadu;
T An experimental project linking population education
with adult education - Orissa, Haryana and Rajasthanj
T Identification of determinants of fertility change - Tamil
Naduj
T A demonstration project for primary health care and
family planning services through a milk cooperative
infrastructure - Punjabj
T A demonstration/action project in development of
grassroot worker-leaders: experiment in leadership
training - Tamil Nadu;
T A district development and demonstration project -
Tamil Nadu;
•. Integrated health care delivery including family
planning with conununity-participation - Biharj
T Video software development fqr TV and non-broadcast
channels;
|
|
7 Page 7 |
▲back to top |
T A critical study of allocations for fan1.ilyplanning during
1971-81 in the context of policy implications;
T An impact study on SoapOpef'd (HUMRAHI)- Resource
support.
T Population Socialisation among Indian Teenagers : A
Socio Demograpl1.ic Study into Appropriate Youth
Communication Strategies - a collaborative project with
A.I.R.;
T Non-governmental Organisations in India engaged in
promotion of Family Planning : Strengths and
Weaknesses.
T Tripartite project for intensifying Family Welfare activities
in the Industrial Sector to involve small, medium and
large industrial units of Okhla;
T Promoting social awareness and group dynamics in a
slum community in Delhi and promoting health and
family planning consciousness;
T Propagation of family welfare in the mral areas through
trained mral physicians of all systems of medicine, social
workers and teachers;
T Prospective Evaluation of the Adverse Effects of
pregnancy on the Gastrointestinal Tract;
T Perceptions of family planning methods and quality of
services amongst different COlrunlmitiesand mobilisation
of socio-econon1.ic factors;
T Development of indigenous leadership to promote
female literacy, higher age at marriage and small fan1.iIy
norm through neighbourhood family networks in
Rajasthan;
T Action-research project on Population Education and
Leadership Development progranmle for women in
Kanpur slums and labour colonies;
T Sensitising youth leadership to Human Survival Values:
A collaborative project with Nehm Yuvak Kendras.
Two Appraisals
During these years, the Foundation has broadened
its vision and scope after two self-appraisals. The first
appraisal in 1985-86 was conducted by Mr Justice G D
Khosla, an eminent jurist and administrator. This exercise
led to looking "Beyond Fan1.iIyPlanning", interlocking the
thrust of population stabilisation strategies with those
aspects of development which are supposed to be
generally influencing fertility behaviour. The second
appraisaJ was the result of a similar exercise conducted
by the Foundation's experts such as Dr (Mrs) Banoo J.
Coyaji, Dr V A Pai Panandiker, Dr T C 1\\nand Kumar, Dr
J K Satia and Mr Harish Khanna. This group was led by
the late Dr Dipak Bhatia. The recoirunendatiollS of this
|
|
8 Page 8 |
▲back to top |
group were further subjected to the deliberation of a one-
day symposium held on "Family Planning in the 90s :
Search for New Approaches".
After a great amount of thought and deliberations,
the Foundation decided to changes its name to Population
Foundation of India, underlining the need of broadening
its perspective from monitoring and supporting family
planning to influencing quality and quantity of population
as a whole. Besides, it was strongly felt that it was no
longer possible to moderate population growth through
family planning, as aspects such as human development,
environment, migration, etc., also affect the population
scenario profoundly.
Challenges of 90s : New
Thrust Areas
To meet this challenge, the Population Foundation
of India has decided to adopt suitable strategies in the
following six areas:
.•• Social MobiIisation: It should develop practical
approaches to mobilise the youth, especially women,
as well as local organisations active in the population
field.
.•• Social Development: It should play a catalytic role
in accelerating pace of social development, particularly
in the 46 districts which have been identified as
seriously lagging behind.
.•• Programme Innovations: It should continue to
encourage prograrrune innovations for more efficient
quality of family planning services to people, particularly
the poor.
.•• Contraceptive Technologies: It should build upon
its earlier work in the area of bio-medical research, and
concentrate on facilitating introduction of appropriate
contraceptive technologies which are safe and effective
and are in harmony with the interests of the users .
.•• PrivatelVoluntary Effort: It should network with
selected organisations so as to catalyse such efforts and
serve as a vehicle for implementation of innovative
ideas developed through research, sponsored by
the Foundation.
.•• Population Policy: It should attempt to influence the
formulation and implementation of population policies,
which are in consonance with its broader perspectives.
In view of these objectives, the Foundation set up
another Advisory Group consisting of Dr (Mrs) Banoa J.
Coyaji, Dr V A Pai Panandiker, Mr George Verghese and
Mr Harish Khanna to draw up a perspective plan. Dr
Bharat Ram headed this group.
|
|
9 Page 9 |
▲back to top |
Wide Range of Projects
After the first appraisal, the Foundation adopted a
new approach towards its projects. The new projects were
expected to be development oriented; innovative; replicative;
gap-filling; economical; and path-finding.
In line with the same criteria, the Foundation had
conducted a multic~ntric study in collaboration with IDRC
(Canada) to f~d out critical factors that impinged upon high
infant mortality prevailing in India and its consequential
impact on fertility with a view to devising suitable strategies
to be adopted in the field. This project was spread over the
States of U.P., M.P., Orissa, Karnataka and Bombay covering
1,20,000 households in rural and urban, hilly and tribal areas
falling in 800 villages, 80 blacks and 40 districts. The second
phase of the'project is trying out interventions in Orissa,
U.P. and Madhya Pradesh.
In recent years, the Foundation has been moving in
other areas too, mainly, dealing with policy and advocacy.
Special attention is being directed towards the adolescent
and younger population. Some of the projects are:
T Developing a model for promoting contraception in
urban slums;
T Developing and testing a tripartite model (involving
management employees and the government) for
promoting family planning among industrial workers
(with over 24 million workers in the organised sector.
This could serve as a highly important pathfinder);
T . Identifying voluntary organisations and building their
capacity for family planning activities;
T Appreciation of grassroot level perceptions of family
planning and developing suitable communication
strategies and effective population education materials;
T Studying of programme management, particularly at
the micro level, with a view to identifying problems
and deficiencies in the system and suggesting practical
improvements;
• Designing of a coUrse of lectures on dynamics of
population as well as strategies of family planning in
the foundation training of IAS probationers and allied
services officers;
T Evolving a dependable' contraceptive mix for the
country as a whole in order to dilute emphasis on
sterilisation;
T Promoting integrated projects using broad-based social
development strategies with a focus on education,
empowerment of women, employment generation,
mobilisation of youth and organised labour, aiming,
in the last analysis, at full involvement of the community;
T Studying sexual and reproductive health of young
people which programme has become almost
|
|
10 Page 10 |
▲back to top |
"While the world is rightly worried about 1.8 billion
Indians in the next century, are we?"
]RD Tata
quintessential in view of the widespread incidence of
SID and AIDS,due to lack of correct information; and
T Undertaking with the support of various NGOs
projects aimed at rehabilitation, job generation and
all-round social development.
Sources of Income
The income of the Foundation is derived from
donations made by the private sector industries as well as
return on its investments.
Donations to the Foundation are exempt from Income
Tax under Section 80(G)2(a)vii of the Income Tax Act 1961
and the income by way of interest and rent is also exempt
from income tax under Section 10(23CXvi).
The Foundation has come a long way since 1970.
Beginning with pure research-oriented studies, it has now
many action research projects in the field. The broadening
of its field of action in view of the new policy parameters
embracing the entire gamut of population concerns as
endorsed by the Governing Board is bound to expand its
activity-base manifold.
There is a two-way process of selecting the
Foundation's projects: One, those the Foundation receives
from known experts and institutions from all over the
country and funds the selected ones after examining with
advice from subjects specialists, their merits objectively;.
two, the Foundation develops in itsProgramme Development
Section suitable new projects consistent with its aims and
objectives, and then finds appropriate non-governmental
and professional agencies in the field to implement them.
This collaborative effort has been 'found to be mutually
rewarding. The idea is to benefit from new leads to
influence population scenario in the country in a positive
manner and advance the cause. Thus, while controlling the
population growth remains the main thrust area of the
Foundation, placing itina developmental and environmental
context with due regard to crucial local factors means
embracing the wider field of social development.
Published by Mr. K Balakrishnan, secretary, Population Foundation of
India, 8-28, Qutub Institutional Area, Tara Crescent, New Delhi-
110016, and designed and printed by Reproductions India, F-39 East
of Kailash, New Delhi-11 0 065