Kathmandu, July 11

As World Population Day was marked across the country by organising various programmes today, 24 per cent of married women in the country continue to be deprived of access to modern essential modern contraception.

Family planning methods are considered key solution  to control population growth and this year’s World Population Day was celebrated with the theme ‘Family Planning is a Human Right’

According to Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016, around 1.5 million (24 per cent) married women have an unmet need for family planning services. With large numbers of women still deprived of such facilities, the country’s population growth rate is 1.35, which according to experts will lead to double the population in 53 years if the situation persists.

Subash Chandra Shrestha, acting executive director of Family Planning Association of Nepal, said, “Population and family planning are directly interrelated. Family planning plays a crucial role in improving the health of infants and mothers.” He said Nepal’s fertility rate was 2.3, which needed to be brought down to 2.0.

Gun Raj Lohani Director General of Family Health Division said that family planning was a human right.