Overpopulation and poverty in the developing world

"We can't expect the poor to limit their family sizes when they need children to help support their family. The real problem in their world is not overpopulation but poverty and the unequal distribution of wealth. These must be tackled first." Examine this statement and discuss appropriate solutions. While overpopulation is a problem that plagues many developing nations, it would be wrong to assume that it is their main problem, or that the countering of …

…poverty. Once the population is provided with sufficient food, shelter and clothing, you can begin to target other areas such as social justice, recognizing the role of women, improving education and public health awareness, and birth control or family planning. If we continue to ignore the problem of poverty and the unequal distribution of wealth, the gap will continue to widen and the solutions will become even harder to obtain. Action must be taken immediately.