FAMILY-PLANNING - PERSONAL AND POLITICAL PERSPECTIVES FROM CHOISEUL PROVINCE, SOLOMON-ISLANDS

Rapid population growth has put family planning on personal and politi cal agendas in the Solomon Islands. With the release of a population p olicy in 1988, national leaders sanctioned the concept of family plann ing as a key strategy in reducing the rate of population growth. On a personal level, Solomon Islanders share their government's concern abo ut population problems. There is a shortage of arable land, health ser vices are stretched, and there are limited places in school for childr en. A study in Choiseul Province, a rural area in Solomon Islands, sug gests that people want smaller families but have limited means to cont rol their fertility. Meagre resources and infrastructure, compounded b y geography, climate, culture and religion, constrain the development of family planning services.