Health minister says moves to prevent declining birth rate should be convincing: report

TEHRAN,July 8(MNA) - Recently the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) approved the outlines of a plan according to which any action that restricts birth rate will be banned and the violators will face punishment ranging from 2-5 year imprisonment. The actions that restrict birth rate included vasectomy, tubectomies, tubal ligation, abortion, or any form of birth-control promotion. The general content of the legislation to prevent population decline was passed on June 24 by a vote of 106 to 72 with 28 eight abstaining. Health Minister Hassan Ghazizadeh Hashemi reacted to the parliament, saying such moves will not work. Ghazizadeh Hashemi said “we are also concerned” about the declining birth rate but this is not the proper way to deal with the issue. He suggested if the health of a mother and her baby and duration between pregnancies are observed, the society’s view toward birth rate can change. “What is important is that we should not act excitedly” in this regard, he noted. The birth rate in Iran has fallen from 3.22 percent in 1986 to a current low of 1.22 percent. To counter the declining birth rate a plan should be introduced by the parliament or the cabinet that can be put into action and don’t “harm” the people, the minister noted. “What I am worried about is that by inexpert decisions again underground activities which we witnessed in the first two decades of the revolution would spread again… activities such as illegal abortions, continuous ….between women, and also serious psychological problems.” He adds, “I have repeatedly said that in case of population our moves should be convincing.” The society should realize that the country needs young forces for its “security”, “independence”, and “progress”. The minister said any “forceful” approach will not work and therefore in this case there is “no alternative other than convincing” the people that this trend will lead to an aging population. The minister said he thinks that by referring the issue to the Majlis Health Committee and consultation that the committee will do with experts in this regard decisions will be taken which will benefit the country. Mohammad Esmail Motlagh, a Health Ministry official in charge of the population, family and school health, also recently said that the health of mothers and children and especially citizens' rights should be taken into consideration in preventing decreasing population. Motlagh said instead of introducing punishments, Majlis could introduce incentives to encourage new births. Some MPs warned that criminalizing permanent forms of contraception would lead to new problems and do little to promote population growth. “Passing this bill will definitely lead to illegal procedures in dark corridors and unregulated offices. We have to take cultural action and I’m pleading with the speaker of parliament that we cannot make people to have children with prison terms and lashes,” lawmaker Mohammad Davatgari stated.