Fertility Policy and Family Planning in the Arab Countries

Abstract

An increasing number of Arab countries are instituting family planning programs to lower their populations' high fertility rates. This article examines Arab governments' perceptions of their countries' fertility situation, their desire to intervene in order to reduce or increase the rate of population growth, and the measures they have taken to influence the level of fertility. Special attention is given to family planning programs and access to methods of fertility regulation. A combination of stronger program effort and improved socioeconomic conditions account for much of the variation in contraceptive prevalence rates in 11 countries. Socioeconomic setting and political factors are found to be of primary importance in determining Arab fertility policies.