The Population Commission 27th session took place 28-31 March 1994. The
following report was adopted by the Economic and Social Council Official Records in 1994.
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Contents
Summary
I. Matters calling for action by the Economic and Social Council
or brought to its attention
A. Draft resolution
B. Draft decision
II. Action by the United Nations to implement the
recommendations of the World Populations Conference, 1974
A. General debate on national experience in population
matters
B. Monitoring of population trends and policies, with special
emphasis on refugees
C. Review and appraisal of progress made towards the implementation
of the World Population Plan of Action
III. Programme questions
A. Programme performance and implementation
B. Proposed programme of work for the biennium 1994-1995
C. Activities of the regional commissions
D. Action taken by the Commission
IV. Follow-up to the recommendations of the International
Conference on Population, 1984
A. Activities of the United
Nations Population Fund
B. Monitoring of
multilateral population assistance
C.
Activities of the United Nations system in the field of population
D. Work of
intergovernmental and non- governmental organizations in the implementation of the World
Population Plan of Action
V. Provisional agenda for the 28th session of the Commission
VI. Adoption of the report of the Commission on its 27th session
VII. Organization of the session

Chapter I. Matters calling for action by the Economic and
Social Council or brought to its attention
1. The Population Commission recommends to the Economic and Social Council the adoption
of the following draft resolution:
Work programme in the field of population
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling General Assembly resolutions 3344 (XXIX) and 3345 (XXIX) of 17 December 1974,
concerning the recommendations of the United Nations World Population Conference, and
39/228 of 18 December 1984 on the International Conference on Population,
Recalling also General Assembly resolutions S-18/3 of 1 May 1990, containing the
Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of
Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, and 45/199 of 21 December
1990 on the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development
Decade, as well as 48/181 of 21 December 1993 on the integration of the economies in
transition into the world economy,
Recalling further its resolutions 1981/28 of 6 May 1981 on the strengthening of actions
concerned with the fulfilment of the World Population Plan of Action, 1985/4 on the
implications of the recommendations of the International Conference on Population and
1985/6 on the status and role of women and population, both of 28 May 1985, 1986/7 of 21
May 1986 on population questions, 1989/89 on the population situation in the least
developed countries, 1989/90 on incorporating population factors in the International
Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade, 1989/92 on
strengthening actions concerned with the fulfilment of the World Population Plan of Action
and 1989/94 on United Nations support for African countries in the field of population,
all of 26 July 1989, and 1991/92 of 26 July 1991 on the work programme in the field of
population,
Stressing the relationship between population and development as stated in General
Assembly resolution 45/216 of 21 December 1990, namely the supportive role of the work
programmes of the United Nations system in the field of population and in the attainment
of the goals and objectives set out in the Declaration on International Economic
Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the
Developing Countries, taking into consideration the specific needs of developing
countries, as well as the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations
Development Decade,
Recalling the report of the International Conference on Population, in which it was
reaffirmed that the principles and objectives of the World Population Plan of Action
remained fully valid,
Recalling also the recommendations of the five regional population conferences that
were convened as part of the preparations for the International Conference on Population
and Development,
Bearing in mind recommendations that may emanate from the International Conference on
Population and Development,
Reaffirming the important role of the Population Commission as the advisory body of the
Economic and Social Council on population matters,
Taking note of the report of the Population Commission on its twenty- seventh session
and the views expressed therein on the progress of work in the field of population and the
proposed work programme,
1. Notes with satisfaction the progress made in implementing the work programme for the
period 1991-1993 and the medium-term plan for the period 1992-1997;
2. Requests the Secretary-General:
(a) To continue to give high priority to the monitoring of world population trends and
policies;
(b) To continue work on the following:
(i) Biennial revisions of estimates and projections of national, urban, rural and city
populations, including demographic indicators and age structure;
(ii) Studies on the interrelationships between population and development;
(iii) Studies on the interrelationship between the status and role of women and
population;
(iv) Comparative analysis of population policies;
(v) Analysis of mortality;
(vi) Studies on family formation reproductive behaviour and family planning and also on
their demographic impact;
(vii) Studies to measure and understand changes in population distribution, including
internal migration, urbanization and displaced persons;
(viii) Studies on levels, trends, policies, determinants and consequences of
international migration, including refugee-related issues;
(ix) Dissemination of population information and further strengthening of the
Population Information Network at the national, regional and global levels;
(x) Provision of technical cooperation support in response to requests from developing
countries and economies in transition;
(c) To continue to work closely with Member States, organizations of the United Nations
system, other intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, as
appropriate, in the implementation of programmes;
(d) To further improve communication and coordination among the Population Division of
the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis of the Secretariat,
the regional commissions and Governments, particularly in order to prepare the most
accurate population estimates and projections possible, an activity in which the
Population Division should continue to play a leading role;
(e) To give high priority to strengthening multilateral technical cooperation
programmes in the field of population, including the utilization of technical cooperation
in and among developing countries, as necessary;
3. Requests the Secretary-General of the International Conference on Population and
Development to continue to make full use of the existing resources of all units of the
United Nations system concerned, in particular the Department for Economic and Social
Information and Policy Analysis of the Secretariat and the United Nations Population Fund;
4. Re-emphasizes the importance of maintaining the scope, effectiveness and efficiency
of the global population programme and of continuing to strengthen coordination and
collaboration among the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis
of the Secretariat, the regional commissions, the United Nations Population Fund, the
World Bank, and other organizations and bodies of the United Nations system in the
planning and execution of their population programmes, as well as the need for
organizations of the United Nations system to strengthen coordination and collaboration
with Member States, other intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental and
national organizations, as appropriate.
2. The Population Commission also recommends to the Economic and Social Council the
adoption of the following draft decision:
Provisional agenda and documentation for the twenty-eighth session of the Population
Commission
The Economic and Social Council approves the provisional agenda and documentation for
the twenty-eighth session of the Population Commission set out below:
1. Election of officers.
2. Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters.
3. Review of population trends, policies and programmes:
(a) General debate on national experience in population matters;
(b) Monitoring of world population trends and policies;
(c) Monitoring of multilateral population assistance.
Documentation
Concise report of the Secretary-General on the monitoring of world population trends
and policies: addendum (Council decision 87 (LVIII))
Report of the Secretary-General on the monitoring of multilateral population
assistance: addendum
Report of the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund on the
activities of the Fund
4. International Conference on Population and Development: follow-up action to be taken
by the United Nations:
(a) Consideration of the recommendations of the International Conference on Population
and Development;
(b) Implications of the recommendations of the International Conference on Population
and Development for the work programme on population.
Documentation
Report of the Secretary-General on a review of the implications of the recommendations
of the International Conference on Population and Development for the work programme on
population
5. Programme questions:
(a) Programme performance and implementation;
(b) Proposed programme of work for the biennium 1996-1997.
Documentation
Report of the Secretary-General on the progress of work in the field of population,
1994-1995
Note by the Secretary-General on the proposed programme of work in the field of
population for the biennium 1996-1997
6. Provisional agenda for the twenty-ninth session of the Commission.
7. Adoption of the report of the Commission on its twenty-eighth session.

Chapter II. Action by the United Nations to implement the
recommendations of the World Populations Conference, 1974
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3. The Population Commission considered item 3 of its agenda at its 452nd to 454th
meetings, on 28 and 29 March 1994. It had before it the concise report of the
Secretary-General on the monitoring of world population trends and policies, with special
emphasis on refugees (E/CN.9/1994/2).
A. General debate on national experience in population
matters [ Up ]
4. In the general debate on national experience in population matters, several
delegations reported on the demographic situation in their respective countries and
provided information on recent demographic trends, population policies and programmes, the
integration of population and development, and international cooperation and assistance.
The general debate provided an opportunity to highlight the population issues that
required special international attention.
5. Several delegations reported that their countries were carrying out activities in
the field of population, including population research, the provision of technical support
for population activities and the funding of population programmes through bilateral or
multilateral cooperation. A number of delegations noted their active involvement in the
preparations for the International Conference on Population and Development. The need to
promote population research and the exchange of data was emphasized. Some delegations also
stressed the need to enhance public awareness about population issues through special
educational activities. It was acknowledged that the effective formulation of population
policy required accurate information and a number of delegations commended the work of the
Population Division in producing comparable estimates of population indicators, evaluating
their quality and making them available to a wide public.
6. Most delegations reaffirmed their support for the provision of family planning
services that would ensure reproductive choice. They emphasized the need to expand access
to a wide range of contraceptive methods, to provide information and make greater use of
education campaigns, and to ensure that family planning services also encompassed
reproductive health. Some delegations stressed that abortion should not be used as a
method of family planning. The importance of reducing the number of pregnancies among
teenage women was also underscored.
7. One representative noted that the reduction of population growth in her country was
seen as an important factor that would accelerate socio-economic development and improve
people's standard of living. She reviewed the progress made in the implementation of her
country's family planning programme and its contribution to the stabilization of the world
population. Economic development, the improvement of women's status and the promotion of
social welfare services were major factors that led to reduction of the birth rate.
8. Improvements in the status of women were considered essential by most delegations.
The need to provide women with equal access to education and employment was stressed. It
was noted that as women acquired greater control over their own lives, they were more
likely to choose responsibly the number and spacing of their children. It was suggested
that society should strive to increase the solidarity between the sexes so that men and
women would share equally their parental responsibilities.
9. Given the continued decline in fertility in many world regions, the medium- and
long-term consequences of population ageing were singled out as a matter of concern for a
growing number of countries. In some countries, population ageing was already straining
social security systems. To improve the situation of the aged, it was judged necessary to
strengthen the solidarity between generations, both at the level of society at large and
within the family.
10. Several delegations stressed that greater efforts were needed in order to combat
preventable diseases, reduce morbidity and prevent premature mortality. The growing impact
of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) pandemic was a major source of concern
and it was acknowledged that more research was necessary to improve the understanding of
the epidemiology of the disease.
11. A number of delegations considered that the magnitude and implications of
population movements both within and between countries were a source of concern. The
impact of migration on population distribution, especially on urbanization, was identified
as an issue of continued policy relevance, particularly for developing countries. The need
to adopt an integrated approach in the formulation of population policies was stressed and
it was noted that rural development should be part of a balanced development strategy.
12. The delegations of several central and eastern European countries, including the
successor States of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), described the
important demographic changes that had taken place in their countries after the major
political developments that had occurred since 1989. As a result of economic stringencies,
declining standards of living and growing uncertainty about the future, people in those
countries were postponing marriage, child-bearing and even divorce. Fertility had declined
sharply in several of the economies in transition and there was growing evidence that
mortality was rising, particularly among men and children. Because access to effective
contraceptive methods was limited in some of those countries, the number of induced
abortions was high and that was a source of concern. Although policies to improve health
care and access to family planning methods were being formulated, assistance and
international cooperation were needed for such policies to be successful.
13. Another important change that the economies in transition were undergoing was
related to both internal and international migration. Several countries that formerly had
been primarily countries of origin had become receiving countries for various types of
migrants, including asylum-seekers, refugees, returning citizens and migrant workers.
Short-term migration between neighbouring countries was increasing. Some delegations noted
that although their countries were willing to grant asylum to people in need of
protection, they needed the assistance of the international community in order to ensure
the continued well-being of the people concerned.
B. Monitoring of population trends and policies, with
special emphasis on refugees
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14. The Commission expressed general satisfaction with the concise report on the
monitoring of world population trends and policies, with special emphasis on refugees
(E/CN.9/1990/2) and welcomed, in particular, the inclusion of the special topic on
refugees, which was of major relevance for the international community. The full report,
entitled World Population Monitoring, 1993, was available to the delegations as a
background document (ESA/P/WP.121). Many delegations expressed their appreciation of the
role of the Population Division in compiling and evaluating data and monitoring population
levels and trends. The need for timely and accurate information on population levels and
trends was underscored.
15. However, several delegations noted that important recent developments regarding the
movement of refugees were not reflected in the concise report, although some were
mentioned in the full report. Examples were the flows of refugees occurring within the
successor States of the former Yugoslavia and refugee flows directed to other central and
eastern European countries, including the Russian Federation. In most instances, those
flows were said to have been caused by ethnic conflict. It was considered important to
strengthen the analysis of the causes leading to world-wide refugee flows, especially in
view of the need for the international community to address the root causes of forced
population movements.
16. A number of delegations recognized that it was difficult to ensure that a
comprehensive treatment of refugee movements world wide would be perfectly up to date,
especially given the volatility of many situations. Furthermore, it was acknowledged that
the main sources of information on refugee flows were reports by the Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and that not all forced migrants were
necessarily recognized as refugees. Some delegations mentioned the efforts made by their
Governments to streamline the consideration of asylum applications and ensure that only
those persons granted asylum would stay. International cooperation and international
agreements were seen as necessary to ensure an effective control of international
migration flows.
17. The need to improve the availability, reliability and comparability of data on
international migration flows and on the various types of international migrants was
stressed. It was suggested that the United Nations provide assistance to interested
countries in improving statistics on international migration, including assistance in
formulating definitions of different types of migrants, collecting statistics on legal
migration and estimating unauthorized or illegal migration. It was judged important that
migration statistics distinguish between the migration of foreigners and that of citizens,
since in some countries citizens constituted the majority of the migrant inflows.
18. Regarding international migration policies, one representative noted that the
concise report did not properly reflect the conditions under which a passport allowing
emigration from his country could be obtained. Representatives of other central and
eastern European countries noted important policy changes that had recently occurred,
particularly with respect to the treatment of refugees and asylum-seekers. Representatives
of other countries stressed the importance of ensuring that legal migrants were not
subject to discrimination, that their integration was fostered and that xenophobia was
combated. Family reunification was considered an important right, but it was subject to
restrictions in some countries.
19. Some delegations suggested that in presenting or discussing future population
trends, several alternative scenarios should be provided in order to avoid
misunderstandings about the meaning of projections. Given the recency of certain changes
in population trends, it was suggested that the medium variant of the projections might
not represent the most likely path for certain regions. For instance, the sharp fertility
declines registered recently in several central and eastern European countries, including
the Russian Federation, would only be taken into account in the next revision of the
projections. Similarly, there were a number of countries that had experienced mortality
increases in recent years, a development that was not yet reflected in the concise report.
Representatives suggested that more attention had to be given to the particular situation
of central and eastern European countries, where worsening economic conditions, a
deterioration of the health infrastructure, poor quality of medical services and growing
occupational hazards had led to rising mortality rates. In developing countries, the
growing AIDS pandemic was one of the factors that contributed to increasing mortality
levels. The need to undertake an in-depth study of adult mortality in both developed and
developing countries was noted, as well as the need to better understand the mechanisms
leading to mortality decline even under deteriorating economic conditions.
20. Several representatives called for a more comprehensive treatment of the
demographic situation of the economies in transition, especially in view of their need to
formulate policies to cope with the changes taking place. A major concern was the
widespread use of induced abortion prompted by the lack of access to effective
contraceptive methods. Although policies to increase the availability of contraceptives
were being formulated, international assistance was needed to ensure adequate reproductive
choice.
21. Several delegations noted that declining fertility trends were noticeable in all
major developing regions and that the information on contraceptive use presented in the
report was very useful in assessing the unmet need that still existed in many countries of
the world. Such data could be and were used by donor Governments to target their
population assistance. The results of the Seventh Population Inquiry among Governments
were also useful in that regard.
C. Review and appraisal of progress made towards the
implementation of the World Population Plan of Action
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22. At the 453rd meeting, on 28 March 1994, the Commission was informed that the report
of the Secretary-General on the fourth review and appraisal of the World Population Plan
of Action (A/CONF.171/PC/3) was before it for information, but that discussion and action
on that document would take place at the third session of the Preparatory Committee for
the International Conference on Population and Development.

23. The Population Commission considered item 4 of its agenda at its 454th, 455th and
458th meetings, on 29 and 31 March 1994. It had before it the following documents:
(a) Report of the Secretary-General on the progress of work in the field of population,
1991-1993: Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis
(E/CN.9/1994/3);
(b) Note by the Secretary-General on the programme of work in population for the
biennium 1994-1995 (E/CN.9/1994/4).
24. The report of the Ad Hoc Inter-agency Working Group on Demographic Estimates and
Projections of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) (ACC/1992/20) was made
available to the Commission.
25. Before its general debate on programme questions, the Commission was informed about
the restructuring of the United Nations in the economic and social sectors. Technical
cooperation activities in the field of population, previously the responsibility of the
former Department of Technical Cooperation for Development, had been incorporated into the
work programme of the Population Division of the Department for Economic and Social
Information and Policy Analysis, formerly the Department of International Economic and
Social Affairs, of the United Nations Secretariat.
26. The Commission was also informed about the substantive preparations for the
International Conference on Population and Development carried out by the Population
Division during the period 1991-1993. Detailed reports on those activities had been
submitted to the Preparatory Committee for the Conference for discussion and action at its
second and third sessions.
27. Many delegates praised the high quality of work of the Population Division. The
publications and other materials produced by the Division were considered exemplary and
were reported to be widely utilized throughout the world by Governments, universities,
research centres and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.
28. The Commission stressed the importance of maintaining the scientific objectivity
and independence of the Population Division.
The Commission believed that it was vital to maintain the highest scientific standards
in reviewing and appraising demographic levels and trends and population policies and
programmes. To that effect and in the context of the numerous population challenges lying
ahead in every country, the Commission recommended that the Population Division be
strengthened.
1. Analysis of demographic variables at the world level
29. The Commission noted with satisfaction the publication of the report entitled Child
Mortality Since the 1960s: A Database for Developing Countries and its use in the
monitoring of mortality in childhood. Its timeliness was commended, particularly because
the data it contained would prove useful in assessing progress towards achieving the goals
for the reduction of infant and under-five mortality adopted at the World Summit for
Children in 1990.
30. The Commission took note of the completion of the study analysing the effects of
reproductive behaviour on child survival. The results, to be published under the title The
Health Rationale for Family Planning: Timing of Births and Child Survival, were found to
have special policy relevance since they showed that even in the presence of other health
interventions, the use of family planning to prevent child-bearing among teenagers and to
increase the interval between consecutive births could significantly reduce child
mortality.
31. The Commission noted with interest the publication of the proceedings of the Expert
Meeting on the Feminization of Internal Migration under the title Internal Migration of
Women in Developing Countries. The Meeting, which had taken place at Aguascalientes,
Mexico, in October 1991, was recognized as having made a major contribution to the
understanding of internal migration in general and of the role of women in the migration
process in particular. Women were said to constitute about half of all internal migrants,
and their growing participation in internal migration had been closely associated with the
expansion of employment opportunities in a number of developing countries. The Commission
took note of the recommendations to improve the prospects of migrant women included in the
proceedings of the Meeting.
32. In the area of international migration, the Commission was informed of the
continued updating of the data bank on international migration, its further
computerization and its use in the monitoring of international migration trends. Although
the study on forced migration proposed to the Commission at its twenty-sixth session could
not be carried out because of lack of funds, the Commission was pleased to note that an
analysis of the refugee situation had been selected as the special topic included in World
Population Monitoring, 1993. 3/ The Commission acknowledged the forthcoming publication of
the proceedings of the Expert Group Meeting on International Migration Policies and the
Status of Female Migrants and the publication of a paper entitled "Europe without
internal frontiers and international migration" in a forthcoming issue of the
Population Bulletin of the United Nations.
33. The Commission was informed that work on the substantive preparations for the
International Conference on Population and Development had included the organization of
the Expert Group Meeting on Population Distribution and Migration which was held at Santa
Cruz, Bolivia, in January 1993. The report of the Secretary-General of the Conference on
the Recommendations of the Expert Group Meeting (E/CONF.84/PC/9) had been presented to the
Preparatory Committee for the Conference at its second session, held in 1993.
34. The Commission was pleased to learn that several projects in the area of fertility
had been completed during the period 1991-1993. Three case-studies on the association of
women's status and fertility had been published, namely, Women's Education and Fertility
Behaviour: A Case-study of Rural Maharashtra, India; Fertility Transition and Women's Life
Course in Mexico; and Women's Status and Fertility in Pakistan: Recent Evidence. In
addition, a global comparative study on low fertility entitled Patterns of Fertility in
Low-fertility Settings, had been published.
35. The Commission was informed that research on the status of women was being further
expanded by a comparative analysis of 26 countries which would be published under the
title Women's Education and Fertility Behaviour: Recent Evidence from the Demographic and
Health Surveys. The study reviewed recent trends in women's educational status in
developing countries and updated existing evidence on the direct and indirect linkages
between education and reproductive behaviour, marriage and desired family size.
36. Work on the status of women was also being approached through a comprehensive
household study. The report, entitled Living Arrangements of Women and their Children in
the Third World: A Demographic Study, was to be published in 1994.
37. The Commission was pleased to learn about the new computerized databases on
fertility and family planning and strongly endorsed continuation of the recent practice of
disseminating information on those topics in multiple formats, including wall charts and
diskettes as well as analytic reports.
38. The Commission was informed that in the area of family planning and its demographic
impact, a study on levels and trends of contraceptive use would be completed in 1994. In
addition, a wall chart on the levels of contraceptive use and types of method was planned
for release before the 1994 Conference. An article summarizing recent levels and trends in
contraceptive practice would also appear in a forthcoming issue of the Population Bulletin
of the United Nations.
39. The Commission was pleased to note that information about contraceptive knowledge
and use had also been made available in machine-readable form. A set of eight
contraceptive-use data diskettes entitled World Contraceptive-Use Data Diskettes with an
accompanying user's manual (ST/ESA/SER.R/120) had been issued in 1992. The
contraceptive-use data bank was being updated continuously within the Population Division.
40. The Commission was informed that a study analysing the effects of improved child
survival on fertility had been completed. The study, which included three country
case-studies, on Ecuador, West Timor island, Indonesia and Zimbabwe, would be published
under the title Child Survival, Health and Family Planning Programmes and Fertility.
41. The Commission was informed that work on the substantive preparations for the
International Conference on Population and Development had included the organization of
the Expert Group Meeting on Population and Women, held at Gaborone, Botswana, in June
1992, and of the Expert Group Meeting on Family Planning, Health and Family Well-being,
held at Bangalore, India, in October 1992. Reports on those two meetings (E/CONF.84/PC/6
and 7) had been presented to the Preparatory Committee for the Conference at its second
session, held in May 1993.
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2. World population projections
42. The Commission expressed satisfaction with the completion of the 1992 revision of
the thirteenth round of global estimates and projections of population and with the timely
publication of the results in World Population Prospects: The 1992 Revision, The Sex and
Age Distribution of the World Populations: The 1992 Revision, and the wall chart World
Population, 1992. The Commission noted with pleasure the analytical comparison of the
results of United Nations population projections over the past 20 years.
43. The Commission noted with appreciation the improvements in the new revision -
particularly the incorporation of the effects of AIDS into the projections - and the
additions and changes in the list of countries for which detailed projections had been
performed. The Commission was informed that the 1994 revision was under way and would
include cohort-component projections by sex and age for 26 additional countries.
44. The Commission was pleased to note that the 1992 revision of the global estimates
and projections of urban and rural populations had been completed on time, and the results
published in World Urbanization Prospects: The 1992 Revision.
45. The Commission noted with satisfaction that in the estimates and projections of
urban agglomerations, the time-horizon had been extended to 2010 and the minimum size
lowered to 750,000. The Commission noted the publication of the wall chart Urban
Agglomerations, 1992.
46. The Commission expressed its appreciation for the timeliness of the 1992 revisions
and the variety of forms in which they had been disseminated to users, including
monographs, wall charts, specialized data sheets, articles, detailed publications, and
machine-readable form.
47. The Commission took note of the publication in 1992 of Preparing Migration Data for
Subnational Population Projections.
48. The Commission noted with satisfaction the publication in 1992 of Long-range World
Population Projections: Two Centuries of Population Growth, 1950-2150.
49. The Commission was informed that the seventeenth session of the Subcommittee on
Demographic Estimates and Projections of the Administrative Committee on Coordination
(ACC) had been held in Rome in June 1992. The Commission was pleased to note that the
Population Division, at the request of the ACC Subcommittee, had issued a working paper
entitled "Urban and rural areas by sex and age: the 1992 revision"
(ESA/P/WP.120).
50. The Commission expressed its appreciation for the extensive work done to
incorporate the effects of AIDS into demographic estimates and projections and was pleased
to note the forthcoming publication of AIDS and the Demography of Africa.
3. Population policy and socio-economic development
51. The Commission was pleased to be informed that a project on the status of women and
population policies had been completed during the period. As part of the project, the
United Nations Nuptiality Chart, 1991 had been issued. The major output of the project had
been a publication entitled Abortion Policies: A Global Review, which would analyse the
evolution of abortion law and practice in 190 countries. In addition, a wall chart
summarizing some of the key information from the three volumes had been published.
52. The Commission was informed that a case-study focusing on the formulation,
implementation and evaluation of population policies in Argentina had been issued in 1992.
This was the last case-study in the series issued under the general title Case-Studies in
Population Policy. 53. The Commission noted with satisfaction that a project on the
world's largest urban agglomerations had been completed during the period. The project's
major output, a volume containing profiles that focused on the demographic
characteristics, economy, infrastructure, social services, and population policies of more
than 100 of the world's largest cities from all world regions, had been submitted for
publication. As part of the project, a database on the world's largest agglomerations had
also been completed and was available on diskette.
54. The Commission was informed that as part of the ongoing work programme of the
Population Division, research on policy issues in the world's mega-cities was continuing,
with the publication of a case-study on population growth and policies in Sþo Paulo, the
thirteenth publication in the mega-cities series.
55. One of the major activities in population policy during the biennium 1992-1993 was
the Expert Group Meeting on Population Policies and Programmes, which had been held at
Cairo in April 1992. The Commission noted with appreciation the publication of the
proceedings of the Meeting, entitled Population Policies and Programmes: Proceedings of
the United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Population Policies and Programmes, Cairo,
Egypt, 12-16 April 1992.
56. The Commission was informed that analysis of the results of the Seventh Population
Inquiry among Governments, which was to have been completed during the biennium 1992-1993,
had been postponed until 1994 because the replies from many Governments had been received
only recently. The Commission was pleased to be informed that, overall, the quality of the
replies had been excellent, with rich and useful information on new and emerging
population policy issues, such as policies in response to the human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV)/AIDS pandemic.
57. The Commission noted with satisfaction that the population policy data bank had
been expanded. In 1992, the third edition of the population policy database Global
Population Policy Database, 1991 (ST/ESA/SER.R/118) and of Global Policy Diskette
Documentation (1991) (ST/ESA/SER.R/117) had been issued. However, the fourth edition,
which was due to be issued in 1993, had been postponed until 1994 in order to incorporate
recently received replies to the Seventh Population Inquiry.
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58. Regarding work relating population to development issues, the Commission noted with
satisfaction that the manual Projection Methods for Integrating Population Variables into
Development Planning, vol. I, Methods for Comprehensive Planning, Module Three:
Techniques for Preparing Projections of Household and Other Incomes, Household
Consumption and Savings and Government Consumption and Investment (ST/ESA/SER.R/90/Add.2)
had been published and that all population and development methods presented in the three
modules of the manual had been made available in the form of a microcomputer software
program called Population and Development Projection Methods for Personal or Microcomputer
(PDPM/PC), version 1.0, and a user's guide entitled Population and Development Projection
Methods for Microcomputers: A User's Guide (ST/ESA/SER.R/123).
59. The Commission was informed that reports had been published documenting the
experiences of integrated development and population planning in three countries: Thailand
(ST/ESA/SER.R/110), Turkey (ST/ESA/SER.R/112) and India (ST/ESA/SER.R/114).
60. The Commission noted with satisfaction that the proceedings of the United Nations
International Symposium on Population and Development Planning, organized in 1989 in Riga
by the Population Division, in collaboration with the Latvian State University and the
Moscow State University, had been published. The publication was entitled Population and
Development Planning: Proceedings of the United Nations International Symposium on
Population and Development Planning, Riga, Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, 4-8 December
1989.
61. The Commission noted that work under the project aimed at assessing the demographic
consequences of major development projects had been completed and that an overview report
on three case-studies (Costa Rica, India and Morocco) would be issued as a working paper.
62. The Commission was informed that work under the project on the economic and social
aspects of population ageing in selected developing countries had been completed and that
two case-studies had been published, one focusing on Argentina (ST/ESA/SER.R/113) and the
other on India (State of Kerala) (ST/ESA/SER.R/119).
63. The Commission was pleased to learn that the proceedings of the International
Conference on Ageing Populations in the Context of the Family, which had been organized in
1990 by the Population Division and the municipal Government of Kitakyþshþ, Japan, in
collaboration with the Japan Ageing Research Centre, the former Centre for Social
Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations Office at Vienna, and the
United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), had been submitted for publication.
64. The Commission was informed that the Population Division, in collaboration with the
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and San Diego State
University, had organized a Round Table on the Ageing of Asian Populations which met in
Bangkok in 1992. The proceedings of the Round Table had been submitted for publication.
65. The Commission was informed that work on the substantive preparations for the
International Conference on Population and Development had included the organization of
two expert group meetings. The first, the Expert Group Meeting on Population, Environment
and Development, had been convened in New York in January 1992. A report on the meeting
(E/CONF.84/PC/4) had been presented to the Preparatory Committee for the Conference at its
second session, held in May 1993, and proceedings of the meeting had been submitted for
publication. The second, the Expert Group Meeting on Population Growth and Demographic
Structure, had been convened in Paris in November 1992. A report on the meeting
(E/CONF.84/PC/8) had also been presented to the Preparatory Committee for the Conference
at its second session, held in May 1993.
4. Monitoring, review and appraisal, coordination and dissemination of population
information
66. The monitoring of world population trends and policies and the review and appraisal
of progress made towards the implementation of the World Population Plan of Action are
discussed in chapter II.
67. The Commission was pleased to learn that in spite of the additional
responsibilities the Population Division had taken on in terms of substantive preparations
for the International Conference on Population and Development, it had maintained a high
level of output in its overall dissemination programme. During the period 1991-1993, 33
research studies, technical manuals, proceedings of expert group meetings and seminars and
wall charts had been issued, in addition to six issues of the Population Bulletin of the
United Nations and the Population Newsletter. In response to an increasing demand for
information in computer-readable form, 14 new databases and software products had been
produced. The Commission was informed that the demand for publications remained strong and
that efforts to improve dissemination were continuing.
68. The Population Commission was informed that since its twenty-sixth session, the
activities of the global Population Information Network (POPIN) had included the convening
of the fifth POPIN Advisory Committee Meeting at Geneva in September 1992 and
participation in POPIN exhibits at the Fourth Asian and Pacific Conference at Bali,
Indonesia, in August 1992 and in the Working Group on the Management of the POPIN
Thesaurus, which had been convened in New York in September 1992 by the Committee for
International Cooperation in National Research in Demography (CICRED). The Commission was
pleased to note the publication of the third edition of the POPIN Thesaurus in English,
French and Spanish under the auspices of CICRED.
69. The Commission was pleased to learn that the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
had provided funding for POPIN and that a global POPIN Coordinator had been appointed on 1
October 1993. As one of its first activities, the reactivated global POPIN Coordinating
Unit, along with the regional Population Information Networks and the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), had established an electronic population information service
on the Internet. The service, known as the POPIN Gopher, included population resources
such as journals and newsletters, software, statistical tables, bibliographic and
demographic databases, news summaries, press releases and documentation of the
International Conference on Population and Development and of the twenty-seventh session
of the Population Commission.
5. Technical cooperation in population
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70. The Population Commission was informed of the technical assistance provided to 50
countries in the areas of population training, analysis of demographic and socio-economic
data, population policy, and population and development. Formulation of population
policies and strengthening of national capacities had been given special emphasis.
71. The Commission noted with satisfaction that joint short-term training and research
with member States, institutions and the regional commissions in demographic data
analysis, dissemination and utilization had been undertaken, with the aim of improving
national capacities for microcomputer analysis of the 1990 round of population censuses.
72. The Population Commission was also informed of the new system of technical support
services to population programmes in developing countries. Under the new arrangement,
provision of technical advice and back-stopping of projects at the country level had been
decentralized to eight country support teams based in the major developing regions. The
new system would utilize national and regional capabilities to bring technical cooperation
closer to the countries concerned.
6. Demographic and social statistics
73. The Population Commission was informed that in the 1990 census round, 206 countries
or areas had taken their population and/or housing censuses during the period 1985-1994.
The Statistical Division of the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy
Analysis of the United Nations Secretariat was currently engaged in preparations for the
2000 World Population and Housing Census Programme. In order to support countries in
conducting population and housing censuses, work on a new series of population and housing
censuses handbooks was being continued. Two parts of the handbook series, one dealing with
planning, organization and administration of population and housing censuses and the other
dealing with selected demographic and social characteristics, had been published. Two
other parts, dealing with economic characteristics and migration characteristics, would be
issued during the biennium 1994-1995.
74. Work on vital statistics and civil registration had included the implementation in
developing countries of the International Programme for Accelerating the Improvement of
Vital Statistics and Civil Registration Systems. As part of the Programme, three workshops
had been held - in Buenos Aires, Damascus, and Beijing. Participants in the workshops had
underscored the need for a national master plan for the improvement of the systems and
emphasized that countries themselves needed to make a commitment to accelerating
improvement and to rely largely on their own resources in implementing reforms.
75. In the field of social statistics, significant progress had been made on
methodology and data collection relating to persons with disabilities. The data would be
useful in the monitoring of disability at the community level.
76. The Commission was pleased to learn that an updated issue of The World's Women,
1970-1990: Trends and Statistics, would be completed in 1995, in time for the Fourth World
Conference on Women.
77. The Commission was informed that the publication of the annual Demographic Yearbook
and of the quarterly Population and Vital Statistics Report was continuing on a regular
basis. A special issue of the Yearbook dedicated to population ageing and the situation of
elderly persons had been completed and was expected to be released shortly. In observance
of the International Year of the Family, the Statistical Division had produced a
statistical chart on world families, with the cooperation of the secretariat of the
International Year of the Family.
78. The Statistical Division had also completed a project, with funding from UNFPA, to
develop the Demographic and Social Statistics Database in a microcomputer-based system.
When fully developed, the Database would make available all demographic and related
statistics disseminated through the United Nations Demographic Yearbook since 1948 for 220
countries and areas in the world.
79. In the area of technical cooperation, the success of the 1990 World Population and
Housing Census Programme had largely been due to technical cooperation activities
undertaken by the Statistical Division, the regional commissions and others, with the
financial support of UNFPA. The Statistical Division had executed more than 100 country
projects each year during the period 1991-1993.
1. Analysis of demographic variables at the world level
80. The Commission was informed that a study on differentials in child survival by sex
had been initiated and was expected to be completed during the biennium 1994-1995. The
need for reliable sex-specific estimates of infant and under-five mortality was stressed
as was the policy relevance of a better understanding of the processes leading to higher
female than male mortality in childhood in certain contexts.
81. With respect to international migration, the Commission endorsed the preparation of
a report on levels and trends of international migration that would draw on the data
contained in the international migration data bank, whose updating and computerization
would continue.
82. The Commission noted that for the biennium 1994-1995, work had begun on a study of
the family-building process. The study would examine changes in the timing of marriage,
parity progression ratios and birth intervals in selected developing countries. It would
consider the role of family planning as a factor influencing not only fertility levels but
also the timing of births - particularly the occurrence of closely spaced births. In
addition, a detailed study on the determinants of contraceptive use and an analysis of
fertility in high-fertility countries would be undertaken. The Commission suggested that
greater attention should be paid to consensual and temporary marital unions as a topic of
study and as a factor influencing other demographic and social phenomena, including
contraceptive practice.
2. World population projections
83. Recognizing the great demand for recurrent updating of the global estimates and
projections of populations, the Population Commission recommended that the preparation of
estimates and projections of population by country, urban and rural populations, and urban
agglomerations continue.
84. The Commission noted with satisfaction that the 1994 revision of the global
population estimates and projections was currently in preparation, that the projection
horizon had been extended to the year 2050, and that the 1994 revision would provide age
and sex distributions and demographic indicators for countries with 150,000 or more
inhabitants, and for the numerous newly independent States.
85. The Commission noted with satisfaction that in the 1994 revision, the projection
horizon would be the year 2015 for urban agglomerations and the year 2025 for urban and
rural populations.
86. The Commission noted that the next session of the ACC Subcommittee on Demographic
Estimates and Projections would be held in June 1994 in New York and reiterated its
support for the coordination activities of the Population Division, the regional
commissions and the specialized agencies in the area of population and sectoral estimates
and projections.
3. Population policy and socio-economic development
87. The Commission noted with satisfaction that a major activity in the area of
population policy would be a new and expanded three-volume edition of World Population
Policies. It would contain an in-depth analysis of population policies, particularly in
terms of sustainable development, and greater emphasis on a number of new and emerging
areas of population policy, such as women's reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, refugees and
asylum-seekers, environmental issues, and urban management.
88. The Commission was informed that a major activity during the 1994-1995 biennium
would be a project on international migration policies. It would entail preparing an
analytical survey report on emerging policy issues at the forefront of governmental
concern and systematically collecting information on governmental policies concerning the
flow of immigrants, emigrants, migrant workers, dependants of migrant workers, refugees,
asylum-seekers, and undocumented migrants. International migration policies would be
summarized and presented in a wall chart.
89. The Commission was pleased to note that the population policy database Global
Population Policy Database, 1995 and of Global Policy Diskette Documentation, 1995, both
fifth editions, were scheduled to be finalized by the end of the biennium.
90. The Commission noted with satisfaction that intermediate activities in the biennium
would include two additional case-studies in the Population Growth and Policies in
Mega-Cities series, as well as a study on AIDS policies. 91. The Commission noted with
satisfaction that work on the relationships among population, resources, the environment
and development had been given high priority. A report on a project funded by UNFPA aimed
at investigating the current state of knowledge regarding the relationships between
population and the environment in developing countries would be presented to the
International Conference on Population and Development and the Commission on Sustainable
Development. The Commission recommended that the report be widely circulated among policy
makers, scientists and the public.
4. Monitoring, review and appraisal, coordination and dissemination of population
information
92. The monitoring of world population trends and policies and the review and appraisal
of progress made towards the implementation of the World Population Plan of Action are
discussed in chapter II.
93. With respect to activities in the area of dissemination of population information,
the Population Commission was informed that the Population Division would continue to
issue all its recurrent and non-recurrent publications, continue to increase output in
computer-readable form and continue its efforts to disseminate more widely and effectively
the results of its research activities.
94. Concerning global POPIN, the Commission was pleased to learn that the POPIN Gopher
would be expanded to include additional population resources. The global POPIN
Coordinating Unit would also, in collaboration with UNFPA, set up an electronic library at
Cairo for the International Conference on Population and Development. During the biennium
1994-1995 POPIN would establish closer working relationships with the regional POPIN
programmes.
5. Technical cooperation in population
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95. The Commission was informed that during the biennium 1994-1995, the number of
country projects entirely executed by the Population Division would decrease as a result
of decentralization.
However, the five population specialists to be provided to the Population Division by
UNFPA would provide substantive support to the eight country support teams. The Commission
was informed that the new arrangements for technical support services would continue to
emphasize the importance of population training.
C. Activities of the regional commissions
1. Economic Commission for Africa
96. The Commission noted with satisfaction that the convening of the Third African
Population Conference in 1992 represented a major development in Africa. The Dakar/Ngor
Declaration on Population, Family and Sustainable Development (E/CONF.84/PC/13, annex,
annex II), adopted by the Conference, was considered to be the most advanced collective
position of the African Governments on population issues. For the first time, quantitative
objectives had been set that constituted landmarks for the individual and collective
efforts of African countries to implement population policies. The Commission was informed
that the Dakar/Ngor Declaration made provisions for the establishment of a follow-up
Committee of member States to ensure its proper implementation.
97. The Commission noted that although the collection and analysis of demographic data
remained a primary concern, the population subprogramme of the Economic Commission for
Africa (ECA) was giving higher priority to the consideration of issues relating population
to development, including poverty alleviation, human settlements, environment, and the
empowerment of women. In addition, ECA planned to establish a unit charged with monitoring
and documenting the interrelationships among population, development and health, including
the impact of AIDS.
2. Economic Commission for Europe
98. The Commission was informed that the population programme of the Economic
Commission for Europe (ECE) for the period 1992-1995 included four major projects: (a)
East-West international migration; (b) economic and social conditions of elderly
populations; (c) fertility and family surveys and studies; and (d) population-related
policies.
99. The project on international migration comprised the publication of a "rapid
information system" designed to provide timely information on flows of refugees,
asylum-seekers and regular migrants; a study of international migration policies in ECE
member States; and country studies on the determinants and consequences of emigration from
Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine.
100. With respect to elderly populations, ECE was gathering a set of comparable census
samples from the 1990 round of censuses that would be used to prepare country monographs
and cross-country comparative studies on the social and economic conditions of the
elderly.
101. The project on fertility and family surveys and studies represented a
collaborative effort to compile comparable sample survey information for 20 countries and
to carry out studies on trends in union formation and dissolution, reproduction, work, and
education and their interactions. Eight countries had completed fieldwork, and another
eight would carry out surveys during the period 1994-1995, while the rest, mostly in
eastern Europe, were still seeking funding.
102. The project on population policies had involved the gathering of detailed
information on policies relating to fertility and the family, international migration and
foreigners, and population ageing and the status of the elderly for about 25 ECE
countries. That information would allow the preparation of two volumes of essays analysing
policies, providing funding could be secured.
3. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
103. The Commission noted that the Latin American Demographic Centre (Centro
Latinoamericano de Demograf¡a (CELADE)), the specialized population unit of the Economic
Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), had carried out activities in all
the priority areas identified by the Economic and Social Council. The activities of CELADE
were coordinated with those of other units and organizations of the United Nations system.
In particular, CELADE had carried out an analysis of the 1990 round of censuses that had
permitted the updating of population estimates and projections for the region; CELADE had
collaborated with the Inter-American Development Bank in a project to take account of
population variables in designing investment programmes in the region; the Redatam
computer package permitting the analysis of geographically disaggregated data had been
extended to cover more than 30 countries in the region; and courses on population and
development had been offered under the Global Programme of Training in Population and
Development funded by UNFPA.
104. The Commission was pleased to note that CELADE had carried out various activities
in preparation for the International Conference on Population and Development, including
the preparation of a report entitled Population, Equity and Changing Productive Patterns
that was discussed at the Latin American and Caribbean Regional Conference on Population
and Development held in Mexico City in April and May 1993. Aside from adopting a set of
recommendations that fed into the preparatory process for the International Conference on
Population and Development, the Latin American and Caribbean Regional Conference had
requested that a draft Regional Plan of Action be drafted by ECLAC in collaboration with
UNFPA. The draft had been discussed during four subregional meetings held in 1993 and
transmitted to ECLAC at its twenty-fifth session by a High-Level Meeting of Governmental
Experts of the Latin American and Caribbean countries held in March 1994. The Commission
was informed that after formal adoption by ECLAC, the draft Regional Plan of Action would
be revised in light of the results of the International Conference on Population and
Development and would become operational in 1995.
4. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
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105. The Commission was informed that the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and
the Pacific (ESCAP) had organized the Fourth Asian and Pacific Population Conference in
Denpasar, Indonesia, from 19 to 27 August 1992, and had adopted the Bali Declaration on
Population and Sustainable Development (see document E/CONF.84/PC/14, annex). For this
purpose, three pre-Conference seminars had been organized on: (a) population, environment
and sustainable development (May 1991); (b) migration and urbanization in Asia and the
Pacific (January 1992); and (c) planning and implementation of effective family
planning/family health and welfare programmes (March 1992).
106. During the period under review, ESCAP had continued to conduct collaborative
research on such topics as population and environment dynamics; rural-urban migration and
urbanization; the role and status of women in relation to development; and the
consequences of population change in Asia. In the area of technical assistance, ESCAP had
tried various approaches to improving the technical skills and knowledge of Government
officials and other professionals working in the field of population. Because of the
importance of population information, ESCAP continued to promote new and better techniques
for handling, sharing and disseminating population information, especially through the
Asia-Pacific Population Information Network (ASIA-PACIFIC POPIN). Other means of
disseminating population information included the publication of Asia-Pacific Population
Journal, Population Headliners, and the Asian Population Studies Series, and the
organization of various meetings and workshops.
5. Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
107. The representative of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
informed the Commission that the population activities of ESCWA encompassed three major
activities: (a) preparation of population estimates and projections; (b) analysis of the
social, economic and political aspects of international migration flows in the region; and
(c) analysis and promotion of population-related policies, including integrating
population variables into development planning. International migration was of major
importance for the region, involving all types of migrants and having various implications
for development. However, funds to conduct in-depth research in that area had not been
forthcoming.
Work programme in the field of population
108. At the 456th meeting, on 30 March, the Commission had before it a draft resolution
(E/CN.9/1994/L.4) entitled "Work programme in the field of population" sponsored
by Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United
States of America. The draft resolution read as follows:
Work programme in the field of population
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling General Assembly resolutions 3344 (XXIX) and 3345 (XXIX) of 17 December 1974,
concerning the recommendations of the United Nations World Population Conference, and
39/228 of 18 December 1984 on the International Conference on Population,
Recalling also General Assembly resolution S-18/3 of 1 May 1990, containing the
Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of
Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, as well as Assembly
resolution 45/199 of 21 December 1990 on the International Development Strategy for the
Fourth United Nations Development Decade,
Recalling further its resolutions 1981/28 of 6 May 1981 on the strengthening of actions
concerned with the fulfilment of the World Population Plan of Action, 1985/4 on the
implications of the recommendations of the International Conference on Population and
1985/6 on the status and role of women and population, both of 28 May 1985, 1986/7 of 21
May 1986 on population questions, 1989/89 on the population situation in the least
developed countries, 1989/90 on incorporating population factors in the International
Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade, 1989/92 on
strengthening actions concerned with the fulfilment of the World Population Plan of Action
and 1989/94 on United Nations support for African countries in the field of population,
all of 26 July 1989, and 1991/92 of 26 July 1991 on the work programme in the field of
population,
Stressing the relationship between population and development as stated in General
Assembly resolution 45/216 of 21 December 1990, namely the supportive role of the work
programmes of the United Nations system in the field of population in the attainment of
the goals and objectives set out in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation,
in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing
Countries, and in the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations
Development Decade, and taking into consideration the specific needs of developing
countries, as well as the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations
Development Decade and the pursuit of goals of economic cooperation,
Recalling the report of the International Conference on Population, in which it was
reaffirmed that the principles and objectives of the World Population Plan of Action
remained fully valid,
Reaffirming the important role of the Population Commission as the advisory body of the
Economic and Social Council on population matters,
Bearing in mind recommendations that may emanate from the International Conference on
Population and Development,
Taking note of the report of the Population Commission on its twenty-seventh session
and the views expressed therein on the progress of work in the field of population and the
proposed work programme,
1. Notes with satisfaction the progress made in implementing the work programme for the
period 1991-1993 and the medium-term plan for the period 1992-1997;
2. Requests the Secretary-General:
(a) To continue to give high priority to the monitoring of world population trends and
policies;
(b) To continue work on the following:
(i) Biennial revisions of estimates and projections of national, urban, rural and city
populations, including demographic indicators and age structure;
(ii) Studies on the interrelationships between population and development;
(iii) Studies on the interrelationship between the status and role of women and
population;
(iv) Comparative analysis of population policies;
(v) Analysis of mortality, with special attention to adult mortality;
(vi) Studies on reproductive behaviour and on family planning and its demographic
impact;
(vii) Studies to measure and understand changes in population distribution, especially
internal migration and urbanization;
(viii) Studies on levels, trends and policies in international migration;
(ix) Dissemination of population information and further strengthening of the
Population Information Network at the regional and global levels;
(x) Provision of technical cooperation support as requested and as resources permit;
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(c) To continue coordination of the substantive preparatory work for the International
Conference on Population and Development;
(d) To continue to review and appraise the actions resulting from the United Nations
international population conferences of 1974, 1984 and 1994;
(e) To continue to work closely with Member States, organizations of the United Nations
system, other intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, as
appropriate, in the implementation of programmes;
(f) To further improve communication and coordination among the Population Division of
the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis of the Secretariat,
the regional commissions and Governments, particularly in order to prepare the most
accurate population estimates and projections possible, an activity in which the
Population Division should continue to play a leading role;
(g) To give high priority to strengthening multilateral technical cooperation
programmes in the field of population, including the utilization of technical cooperation
in and among developing countries, as necessary;
3. Re-emphasizes the importance of maintaining the scope, effectiveness and efficiency
of the global population programme and of continuing to strengthen coordination and
collaboration among the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis
of the Secretariat, the regional commissions, the United Nations Population Fund, the
World Bank, and other organizations and bodies of the United Nations system in the
planning and execution of their population programmes, as well as the need for
organizations of the United Nations system to strengthen coordination and collaboration
with Member States, other intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental and
national organizations, as appropriate.
109. At the 458th meeting, on 31 March, the Secretary of the Commission informed the
Commission that the draft resolution contained no programme budget implications.
110. At the same meeting, the Vice-Chairman of the Commission (Jamaica) read out the
following revisions to the draft resolution, which had been agreed to during informal
consultations:
(a) In preambular paragraph 2, after the words "Developing Countries", the
paragraph should read as follows: "and 45/199 of 21 December 1990 on the
International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade, as
well as 48/181 of 21 December 1993 on the integration of the economies in transition into
the world economy";
(b) In preambular paragraph 4, after the words "field of population", the
paragraph should read as follows: "taking into consideration the specific needs of
developing countries, and in the attainment of the goals and objectives set out in the
Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of
Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, as well as the International
Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade";
(c) A new preambular paragraph, 5 bis, should be inserted, to read as follows:
"Recalling also the recommendations of the five regional population conferences that
were convened as part of the preparations for the International Conference on Population
and Development";
(d) Preambular paragraph 6, which began with "Reaffirming" should be placed
after preambular paragraph 7, which began with "Bearing in mind";
(e) In operative paragraph 2 (b) (v), the words "with special attention to adult
mortality" should be deleted;
(f) Operative paragraph 2 (b) (vi) should read "Studies on family formation,
reproductive behaviour and family planning and also on their demographic impact";
(g) Operative paragraph 2 (b) (vii), after the word "distribution", should
read "including internal migration, urbanization and displaced persons";
(h) Operative paragraph 2 (b) (viii) should read "Studies on levels, trends,
policies, determinants and consequences of international migration, including
refugee-related issues";
(i) In operative paragraph 2 (b) (ix), the word "national" should be inserted
after the words "at the";
(j) Operative paragraph 2 (b) (x), after the words "cooperation support",
should read "in response to requests from developing countries and economies in
transition";
(k) In operative paragraph 2, subparagraphs (c) and (d) should be deleted and
subparagraphs (e), (f) and (g) should become subparagraphs (c), (d) and (e), respectively;
(l) A new operative paragraph 3 should be added, to read as follows: "Requests the
Secretary-General of the International Conference on Population and Development to
continue to make full use of the existing resources of all units of the United Nations
system concerned, in particular the Department for Economic and Social Information and
Policy Analysis of the Secretariat and the United Nations Population Fund".

Chapter IV. Follow-up to the recommendations of the
International Conference on Population, 1984
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111. The Population Commission considered item 5 of its agenda at its 456th and 457th
meetings, on 30 March 1994. It had before it the following documents:
(a) Concise report of the Secretary-General on the monitoring of world population
trends and policies, with special emphasis on refugees (E/CN.9/1994/2);
(b) Report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the United Nations system in
the field of population (E/CN.9/1994/5);
(c) Report of the Secretary-General on the monitoring of multilateral population
assistance (E/CN.9/1994/6);
(d) Report of the Secretary-General on the work of intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations in the implementation of the World Population Plan of
Action (E/CN.9/1994/7);
(e) Report of the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund on the
activities of the Fund (E/CN.9/1994/8).
112. The representative of the United Nations Population Fund introduced the report of
the Executive Director of UNFPA on the Fund's activities (E/CN.9/1994/8). The programme
review and strategy development (PRSD) exercise had developed significantly, in both
quantity and quality, since its introduction in 1989. In the past four years, 68 missions
had been undertaken: 29 to Africa; 12 to Arab States and Europe; 15 to Asia and the
Pacific; and 12 to Latin America and the Caribbean. Recognizing that systematic, timely
and efficient monitoring and evaluation were indispensable to ensure that population
programmes had produced effective results, UNFPA continued evaluation exercises during the
period 1991-1993. Several major thematic evaluations were conducted of activities such as
information, education and communication (IEC) in support of family planning service
delivery; income-generating projects to empower women and change reproductive behaviour;
improving the quality of family planning services; and local production of contraceptives.
113. The Commission was informed that the Fund had made major advances in successor
support-cost arrangements, as approved by the Governing Council in its decision of June
1991 related to the provision of high-quality technical assistance. The Fund's principal
mechanism to provide technical assistance at the country level was the country support
team (CST). Eight were in operation:
three in sub-Saharan Africa; three in Asia and the Pacific; and one in the Arab States
and Europe, and one in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Fund had also continued to
promote coordination and collaboration in population planning and programmes. As Chair of
the Joint Consultative Group on Policy (JCGP) during 1992, UNFPA had advanced several
coordination activities through various working groups. The global initiative on
contraceptive requirements and logistics, spearheaded by UNFPA, had involved bilateral and
multilateral collaboration for in-depth studies in seven countries and others were in the
pipeline.
114. The financial position of UNFPA had improved in 1992, with income increasing by
6.3 per cent over 1991 to $238 million. Total expenditures in 1992 had been $193.6
million. As of January 1994, the total number of authorized budget posts was 837,
comprising 180 Professional and 657 General Service staff. UNFPA had increased the
proportion of women staff members in the Professional category to 44 per cent, one of the
highest percentages among United Nations agencies and organizations.
115. The Commission noted that during the period 1991-1993, UNFPA had supported
numerous activities to strengthen and expand family planning services, especially in rural
and remote areas. In sub-Saharan Africa, 29 out of 41 countries had reported significant
progress in expanding their family planning networks. The Fund had been promoting a wider
reproductive health perspective, emphasizing the reduction of the number of abortions and
adolescent pregnancies; increasing contraceptive prevalence and effective counselling; and
widening the choice of contraceptive methods. The Fund had supported many IEC activities
that were instrumental in generating political and public support for population
activities and in increasing acceptance of family planning services. IEC activities had
included development of national population IEC strategies; incorporating population and
family life education into school curricula and out-of-school programmes; and peer
education and youth-to-youth counselling on adolescent reproductive health.
116. Delegates commended the work and programmes of UNFPA, mentioning in particular the
emphasis on improving programme effectiveness and on gender concerns. It was noted that
there was a need for effective follow-up to programme evaluations, a continuing need to
strengthen institutional capacity within developing countries to implement programmes and,
despite recent progress, still a great need to meet the basic demand for family planning
and reproductive health services. In order to prevent gaps as well as overlap in
programmes, there was a need for coordination among the agencies and other groups
supporting population activities, and note was taken of UNFPA's leading role in that
regard. UNFPA was urged to continue to stress the use of national experts in executing
programmes in developing countries. The number of such experts was increasing, even though
there remained a pressing need to train more population specialists.
117. The Commission was informed that the report on the monitoring of multilateral
population assistance (E/CN.9/1994/6) had been prepared in response to a recommendation of
the International Conference on Population held at Mexico City in 1984, in which the
Secretary-General was requested to undertake the monitoring of multilateral population
programmes of the United Nations system. The report covered substantive and operational
aspects of multilateral population assistance within the United Nations system. 118. The
United Nations system had continued to strengthen the substantive content of its
programmes and had increased the volume of financial assistance directed to developing
countries. For the United Nations system as a whole, assistance to population programmes
had increased from $181 million in 1987 to $253 million in 1992. UNFPA funds had accounted
for 81 per cent of those resources.
119. Family planning integrated with reproductive health and carried out through the
primary health-care system continued to absorb most of the multilateral resources for
population. IEC efforts in support of family planning had also received considerable
assistance. In the past two years, the allocations for basic data collection and analysis
had decreased.
120. There had been a continued emphasis on support for programmes and projects
designed to improve the status and living conditions of women. Women's concerns had
increasingly been mainstreamed into all substantive areas of population assistance. At the
same time, projects to improve the status of women, such as education for girls,
leadership training, literacy programmes and projects designed to increase the income of
women and their families, were being supported by multilateral agencies.
121. The past two years had seen continued support for population programmes in Africa,
where reproductive health and family planning needs were a major concern and where
population growth rates were currently the highest in the world. About one third of UNFPA
resources for Africa were devoted to maternal and child health and family planning
(MCH/FP) programmes. Trends in multilateral assistance in Africa had shown that the
earlier emphasis on basic data collection and policy formulation was giving way to
operational population-programme activities, particularly in MCH/FP.
122. The 1990s were considered to be critical: Actions in population taken in that
decade would play a large part in determining individual welfare and even survival as well
as the size and composition of populations well into the twenty-first century. It had
become increasingly apparent that current multilateral resources for population and
development were inadequate to meet the challenges of the decade.
123. In response to a query from delegates, the UNFPA representative clarified the fact
that a decline in UNFPA-funded projects executed by the specialized agencies had been due
to the recommendation contained in General Assembly resolutions 44/211 and 47/199 that
every effort should be made to promote the national execution of population projects. The
Commission's attention was drawn to the pressing population problems and need for
technical assistance in parts of Europe, particularly in the countries in transition. The
representative of UNFPA noted that UNFPA did support both country and regional projects in
Europe, even though the region contained no countries currently designated for priority
assistance.
124. The report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the United Nations system
in the field of population (E/CN.9/1994/5) presented an overview of the activities of the
units and organizations of the United Nations system that had carried out population
activities during the early 1990s. That report presented information on recent changes in
policies, mandates, objectives, organizational structure and planning, and programming and
budgeting procedures, as well as on resources, coordinating mechanisms and the proportion
of resources devoted to population activities during the period 1992-1993.
1. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
125. The representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) informed the Commission that his organization, having been mandated to
provide refugees with international protection and assistance, considered the collection
and maintenance of refugee statistics to be an important element of its work. The
Commission noted with satisfaction that UNHCR had recently established a statistical
entity within the Office and had published The State of the World's Refugees: The
Challenge of Protection, which included detailed statistics on refugees and
asylum-seekers.
126. The representative of UNHCR underscored the difficulties involved in the
collection and measurement of refugee statistics. Differences in national policies, which
were subject to constant changes, also affected these data, making it extremely difficult
to make international comparisons. The Commission was informed that UNHCR had taken the
initiative to improve the quality of data by developing guidelines that set out practical
and technical procedures for the registration of refugees in the field.
2. International Labour Organization
127. The International Labour Organization (ILO) prepared a written statement, which
was made available to the Population Commission.
3. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
128. The representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO) reported that the Organization's programme was undergoing a period of transition,
moving away from a focus on project execution towards one of technical support to the
UNFPA country support teams (CSTs) in the framework of the technical support services
(TSS) system. The changes were also taking place in the substantive area, since there was
an increasing effort at diversification in the direction of FAO's main areas of concern
(agricultural production and food security within a sustainable development framework).
129. There were two major forces at work in the transition process. The first was the
implementation of the TSS system. The second was driven by the renewal process that FAO
was going through and its current restructuring. This had resulted in a greater commitment
to the field of population and its interrelationships with agriculture and rural
development, as witnessed by the decision to establish a new Population Programme Service.
130. The objective of this new Service was to ensure that population issues were taken
into account in FAO's activities in order to achieve more effectively its objectives. This
implied identifying and analysing the implications of the population factors relevant to
agricultural, fisheries and forestry issues.
4. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
131. The representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) informed the Commission that in the field of population a major area
of concern for UNESCO had been population information, education and communication
programmes. Population education was a rapidly expanding field and in recent years close
to a 100 countries had developed population education programmes in the formal and
non-formal education system.
132. UNESCO and UNFPA had jointly organized the First International Congress on
Population Education and Development (ICPED), held in Istanbul, in April 1993, which had
adopted the Istanbul Declaration on the role of population education in human development
and had also approved an Action Framework for Population Education.
133. The Commission was informed that a new UNESCO interdisciplinary and inter-agency
cooperation project, entitled "Environment and population education and information
for human development", sought a new approach to education, training and information
activities designed to deal with the interwoven issues of population, environment and
sustainable development in a manner that was both integrated and based on sound scientific
knowledge.
134. Research and training activities were carried out in selected countries from all
major regions on sociocultural factors affecting fertility change; changes in family and
household patterns and gender roles; sociocultural aspects of international migration; and
the role of women as agents of social change. 135. The long-term effect of population
programmes depended on whether steps were taken to improve the status of women. UNESCO
continued to expand its activities concerning various aspects of women's empowerment
including women's and girls' education at all levels, training for economic self-reliance
and the protection and enhancement of women's legal, social and human rights.
5. World Health Organization
136. The representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) informed the Commission
that the "Health for all" strategy had led to a worldwide recognition of the
role of health in development. The Commission was informed that the visible aspect of
WHO's activities was their impact on the reduction of morbidity and mortality. In spite of
the increase in many "poverty diseases", overall mortality and infant and child
mortality continued to decrease globally.
137. The Commission was informed that WHO had continued its efforts to strengthen
national health infrastructures to deal more effectively with resurging public health
problems, such as malaria, AIDS and drug abuse.
138. Countries were encouraged to include in their health strategies specific equity
targets to improve the health of disadvantaged groups with disproportionately high rates
of mortality, such as women, the rural poor and the inhabitants of urban slums.
139. Through the "Health for all" strategy, and the development of district
health systems, WHO had been an early advocate for decentralization, community
involvement, and integration of health in the process of development. Following the
principle of equity, WHO had been voicing the needs of women, children and adolescents to
prepare for a better future and had helped in building international support for such
vulnerable groups.
140. The results of the fourth survey of activities carried out by intergovernmental
and non-governmental organizations in the field of population were presented in the report
of the Secretary-General on the work of intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations in the implementation of the World Population Plan of Action
(E/CN.9/1994/7). The survey focused on activities carried out during the biennium
1990-1991, with some preliminary information on resources for 1992, based on the replies
received from 8 intergovernmental and 104 non-governmental organizations. The report
provided information on various characteristics of the organizations, including the
location of their headquarters, the nature of their activities, their links with the
United Nations system, and their human and financial resources, as well as their
involvement in the implementation of the recommendations relative to each of the various
sectors and functions covered in the World Population Plan of Action.
141. The Population Commission noted the importance of the fourth survey of population
activities. However, several delegates mentioned that their organizations suffered from
survey fatigue as a reaction to increased demands made upon them to respond to
questionnaires. It was suggested that ways should be investigated to reduce such
paperwork.
142. The representative of the International Union for the Scientific Study of
Population (IUSSP), a global association of 2,000 individual population scientists,
reported that over the last 50 years the organization had contributed significantly to a
growing body of knowledge on the interrelationships between demographic behaviour and
development processes. IUSSP, through its general conferences held at different locations
every four years, its regional conferences, its scientific meetings, its newsletter, its
books and the journals that it partially supported, had played a major role in
establishing the determinants and consequences of changing population growth and
structure, as a field of study.
143. In this work, IUSSP had relied on a solid body of material in the area of
information-gathering and analysis carried out at the international level by the
Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat. It was important to IUSSP's mission
that such information be collected and presented according to the highest standards
possible. IUSSP joined others in its praise of the work of the Population Division and
suggested that its role be widened to allow more internationally comparative work. It was
declared that it was in everyone's interest to extend and deepen the technical capacity of
the Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat.
144. IUSSP expressed its commitment to continuing its scientific programme through its
scientific committees. The next General Conference would be held in 1997. The continuing
strong support of UNFPA was essential to the mission of IUSSP.
145. The representative of the Population Council reported that the Council planned to
emphasize three main policy routes to reduce population growth rates: (a) high-quality
family planning services to help satisfy the unmet need for fertility regulation and
reduce unplanned and unwanted pregnancies; (b) affirmative social and economic measures to
improve girls' and women's educational and economic opportunities; and (c) promotion of
later age at marriage and longer spacing between births to reduce pressures on women for
early marriage and motherhood. Additional Council priorities included: (d) commitment to
incorporation of relevant reproductive health services as constituting part of improving
the quality of care of family planning services, including detection and treatment of
sexually transmitted diseases and prevention of unsafe abortion; (e) expansion of
contraceptive choices and access to family planning services; (f) development of new
contraceptive methods for people with special unmet needs, such as adolescents,
breast-feeding mothers, unmarried women, women at risk for sexually transmitted diseases,
older women, and men; (g) research efforts on gender and the family; (h) research on the
relationships among population, environment, and development from the perspective of
resource disparities; and (i) expansion of the Council's public information outreach
efforts to bring the results of its research to the attention of policy makers and
programme managers, as well as influential journalists and media around the world.
146. The representative of Population Communications-International informed the
Commission about its work with mass communications media in promoting social change, in
particular through improving knowledge about the links among population, environmental
degradation, poverty and gender issues. She also noted the long and rewarding
collaboration between non-governmental organizations and the United Nations in the field
of population and looked forward to her organization's future participation in the work of
the Population Commission.

Chapter V. Provisional agenda for the 28th session of the
Commission
[ Up ]
147. The Commission considered item 6 of its agenda at its 458th meeting, on 31 March
1994. It had before it a note by the Secretariat containing the draft provisional agenda
for the twenty-eighth session together with a list of requested documentation
(E/CN.9/1994/L.3/Rev.1).
148. At the same meeting a statement was made by the representative of Pakistan who
indicated that her delegation would go along with the proposed item 4 of the provisional
agenda on the understanding that it should not prejudge the outcome of the International
Conference on Population and Development.
149. At the same meeting, statements were also made by the representatives of Colombia
and the Russian Federation, as well as by the observers for Egypt and the Holy See.
150. At the same meeting, the Commission approved the draft provisional agenda for its
twenty-eighth session, as amended during the discussion (see chap. I, sect. B, draft
decision).

Chapter VI. Adoption of the report of the Commission on its
27th session
[ Up ]
151. At the 458th and 459th meetings, on 31 March 1994, the Commission adopted the
draft report on its twenty-seventh session (E/CN.9/1994/L.5 and Add.1 and 2 and the paper
containing an informal version of the draft report with the continuation of chaps. III and
IV), as revised during the discussion.

Chapter VII. Organization of the session
[ Up ]
A. Opening and duration of the session
152. The Population Commission held its twenty-seventh session at United Nations
Headquarters from 28 to 31 March 1994. The Commission held 8 meetings (452nd to 459th
meetings) and 1 informal meeting.
153. The session was opened by the Director of the Population Division.
154. Introductory statements were made by the Under-Secretary- General for Economic and
Social Information and Policy Analysis, the Executive Director of the United Nations
Population Fund and the Director of the Population Division.
B. Attendance
155. The session was attended by 24 States members of the Commission. Observers for
other States Members of the United Nations and for two non-member States also attended.
Representatives of specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations also attended.
A list of participants is given in annex I to the present report.
C. Election of officers
156. At the 452nd and 453rd meetings, on 28 March 1994, the Commission elected the
following officers by acclamation:
Chairman: Shigemi Kono (Japan)
Vice-Chairmen: Pauline Knight (Jamaica) Andr s Klinger (Hungary) Jenny Gierveld
(Netherlands) Ahmed Yousif Mohamed (Sudan)
Rapporteur: Jenny Gierveld (Netherlands)
D. Agenda
157. At the 452nd meeting, on 28 March 1994, the Commission adopted the provisional
agenda contained in document E/CN.9/1994/1. The agenda was as follows:
1. Election of officers.
2. Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters.
3. Action by the United Nations to implement the recommendations of the World
Population Conference, 1974:
(a) General debate on national experience in population matters;
(b) Monitoring of population trends and policies, with special emphasis on refugees;
(c) Review and appraisal of progress made towards the implementation of the World
Population Plan of Action.
4. Programme questions:
(a) Programme performance and implementation;
(b) Proposed programme of work for the biennium 1994-1995.
5. Follow-up to the recommendations of the International Conference on Population,
1984.
6. Provisional agenda for the twenty-eighth session of the Commission.
7. Adoption of the report of the Commission on its twenty-seventh session.
158. At the same meeting, the Commission approved the organization of the work for the
session (E/CN.9/1994/L.1).
E. Consultation with non-governmental organizations
159. In accordance with rule 76 of the rules of procedure of the functional commissions
of the Economic and Social Council, representatives of the following non-governmental
organizations in consultative status with the Council made statements in connection with
agenda item 5 (Follow-up to the recommendations of the International Conference on
Population, 1984):
Category II: International Union for the Scientific Study of Population
The Population Council
Roster: Population Communications-International
United Nations Document E/1994/28 E/CN.9/1994/9
The electronic version of this document is being made
available by the United Nations Population Information Network (POPIN) Gopher of the
Department of Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, Population Division.