2: Kerala, India -- a success story
Kerala State, in south-west India, has achieved some of the developing world's best rates of life expectancy, literacy and maternal and infant mortality, despite having one of the lowest per capita incomes. Especially notable is the nearly equal distribution of developmental benefits to urban-rural, male-female, and high-caste and low-caste sections of the population.
An even population distribution (i.e., less urban crowding than in other States of India), a cosmopolitan trading history, and a strong participatory democracy movement are the main explanations for Kerala's achievements. Large scale public health action, accessible medical facilities, and widespread literacy in both men and women combine and reinforce each other to maintain and expand Kerala's achievements. 10
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| |
| Kerala | All India |
| Per capita domestic product (1991) | US$200 | US$225 |
| Infant mortality per 1000 live births | 71 | 83 |
| Women's life expectancy at birth (1992) | 74 years | 59 years |
| Girls dropping out of school grades 1-5 (1991) | 0 | 50% |
| Female literacy (1991) | 87% | 34% |
| Couples using contraception (1991) | 80% | 43% |
| Maternal deaths per 1000 live births (Government of Kerala, 1990) | 2.0 | 5.8 |
| Average births per 100 women (1990) | 190 | 400 |
State of the World's Children. 11
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