Reproductive Health – Problems and Strategies

India was among the first countries in the world to launch national action plans aimed at reproductive health as a social goal — these began in 1951 under the name 'family planning', and have been reassessed and expanded periodically ever since. Today they operate under the broader banner of Reproductive and Child Health Care (RCH) programmes.

Creating awareness is a central task of these programmes. Government and non-government agencies use print and audio-visual media to spread information, but parents, relatives, teachers, and friends play just as big a role. Sex education in schools is encouraged specifically to replace myths and misconceptions with accurate information — about reproductive organs, the changes of adolescence, safe and hygienic sexual practices, and sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS.

Beyond awareness, the programmes aim to actively educate people — especially couples of childbearing age — about birth control options, care during pregnancy, post-natal care for mother and child, the importance of breastfeeding, and equal treatment for male and female children. There's also a deliberate push to build awareness of the problems caused by uncontrolled population growth and social ills like sex-abuse and sex-related crime, so that people are equipped to help prevent them. …