Population Policy

Description

In preparation for the 1994 UN Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, this review focused on population policies and programs in developing countries, donor governments, and nongovernmental organizations. Future policy objectives must contend with supply and demand issues. Policies in general relate to reducing unmet need for family planning, promoting social and economic development, and addressing population momentum. Empirical research has established that quality family planning programs can have an impact on reducing unmet need and contribute to fertility decline. Programs need to be designed to meet women's needs with respect for religious and cultural beliefs and to offer a variety of methods of contraception, proper medical follow-up, and attention to reproductive health needs and family planning needs of underserved groups such as adolescents. Programs must be voluntary. Multifaceted and integrated programs are more likely to be successful.^ Access to safe abortion remains on the agenda. Quality must be improved and a range of methods provided. Population policies must also address underlying causes of high fertility. Such programs would be directed to socioeconomic change, improved child survival, increased female education, and increased opportunities for employment and income generation. A final component of population policies emphasizes delayed marriage and the age of childbearing and increased spacing between births. Population issues are primarily ethical issues about what kind of world people want to live in and the living conditions. Political will and the effectiveness of policy options will determine future actions. Donor agencies should agree to devote 4% of concessional aid to population activities, including HIV/AIDS prevention and reproductive health. Social development assistance should also be increased.^ Nongovernmental agencies have played and continue to play important roles at the grassroots level in development of skills and participation in population activities. Major development agencies such as OXFAM and Save the Children should expand considerably their efforts. France, Canada, Italy, and the United Kingdom also have contributed little in the past and should increase their aid. Japan will be shifting its program support to balance population activities with development efforts. There should be increased involvement with population support from multilateral donors. US policy has shifted, but ways need to be secured to protect international population programs from the fluctuations in political commitment.

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