Egypt to promote limiting reproduction

Egypt has introduced a campaign to encourage people to limit themselves to two children. In addition to advertising, they will also offer contraceptives at reduced prices. Best of all, child financial support will be limited to the first two kids.

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A government programme called “two is enough” has been launched to encourage people to limit family size. From this month, the prime minister, Mostafa Madbouly recently announced, the government will cease to provide financial support to a family after their second child.

The five-year, $19m (£15m) programme comprises a poster campaign as well as growing a network of mobile and fixed family planning clinics across Egypt. Posters covering the walls of Egypt’s metro show an Egyptian 50-pound note, worth about £2.20, torn into five. “Would you rather divide this into five, or into two?” it asks.

However some people are bashing the scheme on the grounds that the government should also improve sex education and work on women's choices. I agree those are worthwhile things, but that doesn't make the campaign automatically bad. Meanwhile, when countries try to promote fertility without an iota of scientific backing, hardly anyone says boo unless the campaign is especially offensive.

This is revealing. We all know about China's now-ended one-child rule and many of you have heard about official programs in India, but I think it's the first time a Muslim country has implemented such a policy.

The photo in the background of "children" appears to be all boys. While limiting population sounds good for the planet overall (and overpopulation) not sure how this will affect the Egyptian culture. Also, if there is a political backlash where the limit on reproduction is frowned upon it could undo all the good from this. It takes years and generations dying off to eliminate a mindset. The birth control pill was invented around 1960 and 58 years later there are still people in the US who think any form of birth control is murder.

Until sex education and women's choices are improved not sure how successful this will be, as they go hand in hand with smaller family choice. Not sure a financial incentive will work if the husband is not onboard with it especially when men have the financial power in the household.

Guessing Egypt is a bit more liberal than I thought as the article discusses options for single women but it seems to be approx. 90-95% Muslim from internet sources.