AMMAN — Jordan has achieved its national goal of reducing the fertility rate to 3.5 children per woman by the year 2012, and set another target for the next five years, according to officials. 

In collaboration with concerned partners, the Higher Population Council (HPC) this week launched a National Reproductive Health (Family Planning) Strategy for the years 2013–2017 that seeks to reduce the fertility rate to three children per woman by 2017.

“Implementing a successful family planning programme will enable Jordan to reduce the total fertility rate and … ultimately, the country’s national development goals,” the HPC said in an executive summary of the strategy, a copy of which was sent to The Jordan Times.

The council added that the 2013–2017 National Strategy provides a roadmap for implementing a successful family planning programme, as it has been developed based on an in-depth analysis of the status of reproductive health/family planning programmes in Jordan. 

The strategy focuses national efforts on all geographical areas and socio-economic strata, with emphasis on the needs of Jordanians, and seeks collaboration with all sectors.

According to the strategy, Jordan’s high population growth rate presents a challenge for social and economic progress as compared to its limited resources and low economic growth. 

“Population size and growth rates are influenced by births, deaths and migration. Jordan has experienced changes in each of these.”

The Kingdom’s population increased from 586,000 in 1952 to 6.4 million in 2012. 

“In spite of the relative decrease in the birth rate from 50 per 1,000 in 1952 to 29 per 1,000 in 2011, there was a decrease in the death rate in the same period from 20 per 1,000 to seven per 1,000,” the HPC said.

In addition, the population of Jordan has been influenced by migration, most notably through migration of refugees from neighbouring countries, such as Iraq and Syria, the council added.

According to the strategy, if the current rate of natural increase of 2.2 per cent annually continues, the total population of Jordan is projected to double to 13 million by 2040, mainly due to the high birth rate.

Other challenges stated in the strategy include potential shortages in financial and human resources, change in the economic and political situations in the country like forced migration, loss of motivation and commitment by decision makers, and slow changes in behaviour and attitudes among providers, clients and the community.