Ukraine: Population Crisis

Purcell Consulting Company is world's foremost independent consulting company regarding policy issues for governments, and we are glad that you have chosen us in helping with your policies. As addressed in your personal statement, you are extremely concerned about your country's population decline, and the years to come. This problem, distressing to say, is notably related to the way your government is governed, as well as other factors including health issues, and economics that puts a strain on the your population. In this assessment I will brief on specific reasons for your countries declining population, as well as sufficient solutions in solving this apprehensive problem.

First I would first like to address health issues surrounding this problem. Ukraine, like many other Eastern European states generally have poor health conditions. Most Ukrainian citizens drink more alcohol, have bad nutrition, and visit doctors less frequently. As a result death comes quick, along with diseases, and lowered fertility rates (Jamestown). According to the 2001 Census, Ukraine registered a 6.1 percent decline in population. Dr. Oleh Wolowyna, a professor at the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, also reports mortality rates in infants and adults have risen due to a poor health care system. The main reason behind an increase in infant death rates is due to an increase in "perinatal complications," that arise from birth---low birth weight, poor-prenatal nutrition, birth/pregnancy problems, and pre mature birth---- of which are all related to a poor health care system. Adult mortality rates has also risen almost 60% due to a "circulatory diseases" --- stroke, heart attack, and high blood pressure (Jarosewich). Moreover, AIDS has contributed generously to Ukraine's declining population. According to the UN, AIDS is growing faster in Ukraine than any other post-communist European country and is also growing faster then anywhere else outside Africa (Jamestown). The UN predicts that about 400,000 people are affected by AIDS of which almost to none will survive (FHI). Nevertheless, we must not be quick to blame your citizens for a poor health care system, or a declining population. We must concentrate on economics, and how it contributes heavily on your declining population.

. Economics is a theory of business science that deals with production, and consumption of products and services. In basic terms it tells how much a person earns, and how he or she spends their earnings in order to survive. Economics, as mentioned above, is why there is a failing health care system. Most citizens can't afford to have regular check ups for their health. Most are rather concerned with saving and earning enough money for food and shelter for themselves and their family. In addition, due to economics, fertility rates have also dropped. Dr. Wolowyna believes that Ukrainian couples decide not to have children due to the inability to support a child (Health care, school and etc), as well as to be besieged by economic responsibilities of aging relatives and spouses (Jarosewich).

Furthermore, Ukraine's population is also at a decline due to migration. For example, official Ukrainian statistics state that about 100,000 people emigrated from Ukraine to neighboring countries such a Poland and Russia. Ukraine's parliamentary commissioner for human rights, Nina Karpecheva, claimed last year that about 7 million Ukrainians were seeking work abroad because of poverty and unemployment at home (Jamestown). In my opinion as well as Dr. Wolowyna, Ukraine's declining population is a "primary reflection of [Ukraine's] economic crisis (Jarosewich).

In hopes of stopping a declining population, you must enforce new innovated governmental policies in Ukraine. For example, you must boost your economy by providing more jobs. A good way to do this is to learn from