In Plan B 4.0, Lester Brown gives an example of how family size can be quickly reduced:
Increase
- In 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini assumed leadership of Iran
- Khomeini dismantled well-established family planning programs and advocated large families
- Annual population growth climbed to a peak of 4.2 percent in the early 1980s
- The country's leaders faced overcrowding, environmental degradation, and unemployment
Interventions
- The government restored its family planning program
- The government ministries of education, culture, and health encouraged smaller families
- Iran Broadcasting raised awareness of population issues and of family planning services
- All forms of birth control, including contraceptives such as the pill and sterilization, were free
- Couples were required to take a class on modern contraception before receiving a marriage license
- Female literacy was boosted from 25 percent in 1970 to more than 70 percent in 2000
- Female school enrollment increased from 60 to 90 percent
Results
- Family size in Iran dropped from seven children to fewer than three
- From 1987 to 1994, Iran cut its population growth rate by half
Graph plot by Wolfram Alpha
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