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PFI Brochure 1977 |
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1 Pages 1-10 |
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There is no disputing the all-to 0
overwhelming threat of India's escala ting
population growth.
Statistics tell an alarming story. Every
two seconds a baby is born in India.
Every year, 13 million people are added to a
population that already numbers over
600 million. At the turn of the century, if the
present birth rate hol.ds, a staggering number
of over one billion people will inhabit this
country, already one of the most densely
populated in the world.
How will a nation struggling to satisfy
the basic human needs of its existing
population cope with the people's hugely
multiplied demands? For food and shelter,
clothing and education, medical care and
employment.
Even viewed optimistically, the situation
is grim. But it is not hopeless. The time
bomb is ticking away relentlessly.
But with prompt, imaginative and
well-considered action, there is still time to
prevent the explosion.
The threat of uncontrolled population
growth in India can be contained.
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India was among the first few countries
to recognize the dangers of uncontrolled
population growth and efforts to contain it
began soon after Independence.
However, this early initiative was not
matched by a sustained and effective
commitment. The programme was pursued
with some vigour only from the late sixties.
This has resulted in bringing down the
birth rate from 41 per 1,000 to 33 per 1,000
and succeeded in averting some
33 million births.
However, in the 30 years since 1947,
India's population has gone up by 270
million - the total present population of the
United States. Clearly, a much wider and
more intensive effort at family planning
must be made - an effort that must grow in
proportion to the present exponential growth
of India's population.
The task is formidable. But not beyond
India's technological and organizational
capacity if the necessary national will is
there. The Government is aware of the
urgency and dimensions of the problem ..
It has earmarked Rs 7,650 million - the
highest ever allocation made for the family
planning programme - in the present Five
Year Plan (1978-83). This is a measure of
India's official concern. But at the same
time, the family planning programme has been
politicised into an explosive issue by the
events of recent years and needs to be
defused and backed solidly by a political and
public commitment. Only then can the
Herculean task be accomplished.
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Government effort alone is not enough.
Now, more than ever, there is need for
voluntary action: for involvement by
individuals and institutions who can bring in
imaginative and innovative approaches
that can catalyse both Government and
private agencies. Together they can mount
the massive campaign crucial to the future of
this country and, by extension, to the
future of people all over the world.
That's where FPF comes in.
FPF is the Family Planning Foundation.
a private non-profit organization which
was set up in 1970. It represents a
voluntary effort by Indian industrialists, social
workers and professionals under the
leadership of Mr. J. R. D. Tata, concerned
with the magnitude and complexity of India's
population problem who realized that
official action must be supported and
supplemented by effective popular initiative.
FPF is a responsible, non-governmental
body which works in close collaboration
with the Government of India and its
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
But it is an independent organization
that functions freely and creatively
outside the circumscribed pattern of
official activities.
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FPF does not itself undertake family
planning activities. It plays a catalytic role
motivating, supporting, guiding and
funding the work of other agencies. Its
approach is flexible and responsive.
It supports innovative programmes in
population and family planning and is willing
to take calculated risks in promising but
untried areas. It initiates creative
motivational and research programmes. It
engages the services of experts, entrusts
projects to independent agencies but
reserves,for itself the role of monitoring and
evaluation, often through other specialists
and experts.
Understandably, the FPF staff is small
and its administrative overheads are low.
Recently FPF had its operations
subjected to the scrutiny of an independent,
high-powered evaluation committee
comprising several eminent personalities.
The committee carried out a performance
audit of FPF's activities since 1971 and
concluded:
It has succeeded in securing recognition
as an important organization with a
dynamic role in helping to solve the
national problem of population control.
It has become known as a national
body seeking and promoting various
potentials in the field of biomedical
research for acceptable contraceptives
and initiating and supporting
programmes of educating the people and
arousing their awareness of the
consequences of over-population.
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Between 1971 and 1978, FPF has
disbursed nearly Rs 10 million in support of
more than 100 projects, big and small, all
over India. Such projects hava ranged
all the way from basic research in relevant
sciences to action programmes at the
grassroot level.
As an organization, FPF has succeeded
in creating a climate for enterprising research
into the many aspects of population control.
By teaming together medical ~pecialists
and social scientists, it has promoted the
adoption of an inter-disciplinary
approach to the complex problems of family
planning.
The experience,of family planning
programmes in India shows that new
avenues of research in biomedical and
behavioural sciences need to be explored
Such research can help to locate safer,
simpler and more acceptable contraceptivlJ
techniques than available at present.
The IUD in India has not met with the
same success as elsewhere because of the
bleeding problems it sometimes causes and
the high incidence of anaemia among
Indian women. Similarly, the pill has been
found to be less acceptable than elsewhere
because of the difficulty in the logistics of
delivery and the daily motivation it
needs for its success.
FPF's major thrust in the biomedical
field has been to seek improvements in
existing contraceptives as well as to support
research into new and pioneering techniques.
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With FPF's support, work is now in
progress on the elimination of the pill's side
effects. FPF has also backed research
into developing newer modes of delivering
contraceptives steroids into the body to
simplify their intake. One such research may
lead to the development of intravaginal
rings - perhaps an answer to reaching the
family planning to the rural areas.
FPF was amongst the first institutions to
recognize the potential in the development
of an anti-pregnancy vaccine. It took the
bold initiative of supporting the promising
researches at the All India Institute of
Medical Sciences in New Delhi well ahead
of international support for this project.
FPF has promoted research projects into
the role of hormones, enzymes and
prostoglandins in the prevention of
pregnancy. Some of this raises hopes of the
evolution of a self-insertible vaginal
suppository.
FPF has also encouraged biomedical
research on innovative male methods of
contraception. Some projects which aim at
preventing the male sperm from maturing
Me at present under way.
To encourage research in the most
promising areas of fertility control, FPF has
instituted the Career Development Research
Awards Scheme. This is with a view to
raising a cadre of middle level and senior
scientists who will devote their attention to
research in reproductive biology. Eight
fellowships under this scheme have been
awarded and more are expected to be
announced soon.
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FPF has helped open up a long
neglected area of research - that of
traditional Indian systems of medicine - in
aid of family planning. Realization has
now dawned that indigenous methods of
contraception may provide acceptable
solutions in a tradition-bound rural country
like India.
However, the folk remedies require to be
scientifically tested and evaluated for safetv
and efficacy. FPF has launched a herbs
research programme under which severAl
Indian remedies for fertility control and
legulation are being investigated.
Moving abreast with these medica'
researches are various projects in the soc,al
and behavioural sciences which FPF has
sponsored. These can provide vital clUl~sto
help make family planning programmes
mOre acceptable.
FPF has recognized the need to study
fertility behaviour at the family and
community level - studies which can help
to influence or change present attitudes to
family planning. These studies are being
carried out under FPF sponsorship with the
aid of the country's foremost social and
behavioural scientists engaged in
population worl<-
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Scientific research and studies to be
meaningful must be backed by appropriate
social action in the field. FPF has supported
or undertaken various pilot projects to
ensure the delivery of health care to the
community and the community's own active
participation in it.
FPF-funded projects preceded by several
years the official programme for introducing
community health workers in the rural
areas. Thus women slum dwellers in
Madras were trained to serve as pregnancy
counsellors. This was a new applpach
which brought together for the first time
medical and social workers. In Kerala,
community nurses were helped to establish a
new supervisory link between doctors
and para-medical personnel.
Another notable FPF project that relies
on local community action to provide
comprehensive health care services is at
Sokhodeora Sarvodaya Ashram near Patna in
the tribal belt of Bihar. Results from the
initial project were so encouraging that
the scheme has been extended to cover the
entire block. It provides yet another
model for voluntary action.
An area of crucial concern, both from
the health and family planning point of view,
is the legalization of abortion. Despite
the passing of the MTP Act, medical
termination of pregnancy has still to acquire
social acceptance and respectability,
especially in the rural areas. FPF is making
a major contribution in this field by
supporting a network of government MTP Act.
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clinics in one state, upgrading their skills and
equipment, and by trying to understand
the psychology of those seeking abortion.
A highly innovative experiment sustained
with FPF funds has involved the promotion
of family planning and community health
services among a comunity of industrial
workers at UPASI. Here a unique,
no-birth bonus scheme was married to the
comprehensive delivery of a labour welfare
plan which included services like health care.
creches, recreation clubs and primary
schools for local workers.
Altogether FPF has led the way in
recognizing that the infrastructure of
organised industry provides a ready platform
for pursu ing population goals.
FPFs work in the communication field
is creative and wide ranging. It has
undertaken a special project to make
leadership at the political and administrative
level aware of the dangers of complacency
and timidity in tackling population issues
which has contributed greatly to the revival
of the population debate in the post
Emergency era.
FPF h3S developed various information
materials for neo-literates. This includes a
film with a strong family planing message
in a popular idiom.
Another FPF sponsored film - Parvati -
has won the best promotional document'3ry
film award at the National Film Festival.
It focuses on the issue of women's status
and its close link with family planning
attitudes.
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2 Pages 11-20 |
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2.1 Page 11 |
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Nurturing new agencies for the
propagation of family planning and adding
new dimensions to the efforts of dedicated
workers is another facet of FPF's many-sided
endeavours. An outstanding achievements
has been its success in involving Sarvodaya
workers in the cause of population control.
A national seminar helped the emergence
of a liberal and conscientious group of
workers who understand the need to go
beyond the conservative, Gandhian approach
of abstinence - a dent in orthodox thought
which could, in time, have great national
impact in the cause of family planning.
FPF studies on population problems
range from small, intensive studies of
particular groups - Harijans in Tamil Nadu,
Muslims in Delhi's resettlement colonies,
Khasi and Garo tribes in the North East -- to
policy making reviews.
FPF's support has also helped in the
development of the country's only
organization to undertake demographic
research and in the publication of the first
population journal.
Through conferences and seminars, FPF
has sought to educate decision makers on
the urgency and importance of population
control programmes.
At the international level, ESCAP which
is currently bringing out monographs on
population for each country in the region,
has entrusted the task of preparing India's
monograph to FPF in collaboration with
the Indian Association for the Study of
Population. This is an exception: an
acknowledgement of the high degree of
population expertise available within India.
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But MuCh More Needs To Be
Done
FPFs comprehensive concerns during
the past seven years of its existence have
given it the experience to counsel and guide
individuals and agencies involved in family
planning activities with greater confidence
and expertise. It is a growing organisation
with access to resources and skills that can
be channelled effectively for population
control and family planning programmes.
In the past, the funds for FPF operations
have been raised from business houses in
India. The Ford Foundation made a
handsome grant which was subject to a
matching amount being raised by Indian
industry in the ratio of 3 : 1.
The Governing Board of the Family
Planning Foundation has now decided to
launch a new fund raising drive. Its target
for donations over the next two years is
Rs. 8 million in India from the private
sector. FPF will also seek funds from
international agencies and philanthropic
organizations and individuals abroad.
FPF is an approved body under the
Indian Income Tax Act of 1961. All
donations made to FPF in India are 100
per cent tax deductible,
FPF invites you to share in its concern
and efforts in meeting the challenge of
population control in India. A challenge that
not only faces India but is of global
relevance.
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GOVERNING BOARD
Mr J. R. D. Tata
Chairman
2. Or Bharat Ram
Vice-Chairman
Members
3. Mr M. V. Arunachalam
4. Mrs Tara Ali Baig
5. Dr Dipak Bhatia
6. Mr S. P. Godrcj
7. Mr JusticeG. D. Khosla
8. Mr A. L Mudaliar
9. Mr Arvind N. Lalbhai
10. Mr H. P. Nanda
11. Mr Rajashwar Prasad
12. Dr L M. Singhvi
13. Mr T. T. Vasu
14. Mr B. G. Verghese
15. Mrs Avabai B. Wadia
16. ~r K. L Wig
17. Prof J. C. Kavoori
Executive Director FPF
ADVISORY COUNCIL
1. Dr Malcolm S. Adiseshiah
Chairman
2. Mr Charles M. Correa
3. Dr (Mrs) A. Dass
4. Dr (Mrs) Kumudini Dandekar
5. Mrs Serla Grewal, IAS
6. Dr A. M. Khusro
7. Miss Mehra Masani
8. Dr N. R. Moudgal
9. Mr J. P. Naik
10. Dr Nitya Nand
11. Dr V. A. Pai Panandikar
12. Dr Samuel Paul
13. Dr Bhaskar Rao
14. Dr V. Ramalingaswamy
15. Mr Chanchal Sarkar
16. Dr M. N. Srinivas
ADVISORY PANEL
(Biomedical)
1. Dr K. L. Wig
Convener
2. Dr P. N. Chhuttani
3. Dr (Mrs) A Dass
4. Dr K. R Laumas
5. Dr M. K. Krishna Menon
6. Dr Nitya Nand
7. Prof M. R. N. Prasad
8. Dr V. Ramalingaswamy
9. Dr Somnath Roy
10. Mr Chanchal Sarkar
11. Mr Justice S. M. Sikri
ADVISORY PANEL
(Non- Biomedical)
1. Prof P. B. Desai
2. Dr George Joseph
3. Dr S. N. Ranade
4. Dr R. K. Sanyal
5. Dr Y P. Singh
6. Dr T. R. Tewari
FAMILY PLANNING
198, Golf Links,
New Delhi-l10003
FOUNDATION