Population and globalization

Publication Date: January 2003

Publisher: East-West Center

Author(s): Sumner J. La Croix; Andrew Mason; Shigeyuki Abe

Research Area: International relations; Population and demographics

Type: Brief

Abstract:

Globalization has both direct and indirect effects on population. Certainly the movement of people around the world has accelerated the spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS and SARS. More importantly, however, the global spread of public health, medical, and family planning technology has played a key role in worldwide gains in life expectancy and reductions in fertility. Over the past 50 years, support from international donors has been critical in improving life expectancy and reducing fertility through the global spread of modern health and family planning technology. In several Asian countries, these efforts have contributed to unprecedented economic growth. More broadly, international support has been remarkably successful in reducing the gap in fertility and life expectancy between rich and poor countries. Now is not the time to reduce international assistance to population and reproductive health programs that have proven so spectacularly successful.