POPULATION BREAKTHROUGHS IN DEVELOPING WORLD MAY BE IMPERILED BY FLAGGING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, COMMITTEE HEARS

Press Release
GA/EF/2878

POPULATION BREAKTHROUGHS IN DEVELOPING WORLD MAY BE IMPERILED BY FLAGGING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, COMMITTEE HEARS

United States 'Hopeful' of Restoring Contribution to Population Fund

Socio-cultural factors still precluded gender equality and the full participation of women in the development process, Nafis Sadik, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) this morning, as it began its consideration of the implementation of the Programme of Action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in Cairo.

The feminization of poverty still persisted and recent domestic dislocations had disproportionately affected women, in some cases increasing gender-based violence and trafficking in women, she continued. The need to ensure the reproductive rights of individuals, especially women and girls, was as pressing today as it was in 1994.

She added that the most serious constraint to the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action was the shortfall in funding. The target amount of $17 billion, to be reached by 2000, was roughly what the world spent each week on armaments. That was a small amount, considering the benefit it could bring to humanity.

The representative of the United States said that the resources needed to address the challenges of the Cairo Programme of Action were still acutely needed, and had not been forthcoming. The United States had not done all that it was capable of doing to meet the commitments of Cairo. Political pressures had made it difficult to mobilize all the resources needed to fully implement the Programme. Nevertheless, the American administration continued to seek ways to increase funding for Cairo priorities and was quite hopeful that it would restore its contribution to the UNFPA.

It would be unfortunate if the breakthroughs on population issues made by the developing countries were allowed to reverse due to lack of international cooperation, Pakistan’s representative noted. The consequences for developing countries, based on population growth projections, were alarming. The ever-growing population of developing countries would have a global impact. The developed countries could

Second Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/EF/2878 22nd Meeting (AM) 26 October 1999

not ignore that issue simply because they had been able to manage their own population growth. They must take effective measures to support the efforts of the developing countries for the realization of the ICPD goals.

Population was influencing every area of development, said the representative of Finland, speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States. Governments should continue to examine the economic and social implications of demographic change, including ageing of the population, and how they related to development planning and the needs of individuals. There was a strong interlinkage and interdependence between population, sustainable development, empowerment of women and poverty eradication. When working towards the goal of poverty eradication and overall development, it had to be realized that the poor constituted a growing proportion of the world’s population.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Guyana (on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China), Mexico, Norway, Bangladesh and India. The representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also spoke.

Also this morning, the Committee concluded its consideration of environment and sustainable development, with statements made by the representatives of Poland, Nigeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Libya, Armenia, Namibia, Jamaica, United Republic of Tanzania, Maldives and the Comoros. The Executive Secretary of the Convention to Combat Desertification also spoke, and a draft resolution on the item was introduced by the representative of Guyana (on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China).

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. to conclude its consideration of the implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action and begin its consideration of globalization and interdependence.

Committee Work Programme

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met this morning to conclude its consideration of environment and sustainable development, and to begin consideration of the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) (Cairo, 1994).

The Committee had before it the report of the Secretary-General on the twenty-first special session of the General Assembly for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (document A/54/442). The special session took place at Headquarters from 30 June to 2 July. The report lists some aspects and events of the review process and focuses on the key actions contained in the final document. It also highlights some of the findings regarding progress and constraints in the implementation to date of the Programme of Action.

According to the report, the review and appraisal concentrated primarily on policy changes and operational experiences at the country level to identify facilitating factors and obstacles encountered during the initial five-year period since the Conference. Those concrete experiences provided a basis for delineating further actions needed to accelerate and fine-tune the Programme’s implementation. One of the primary obstacles to full implementation remained a serious lack of financial resources. Donor funding for population activities has stagnated and was far below the required $17 billion by the year 2000, as agreed to in Cairo. In addition, despite some progress, socio-cultural factors continue to hinder the full achievement of gender equality and equity. Furthermore, the private sector continues to remain under-involved in population and development activities.

At the final meeting on 2 July, 177 Member States adopted by consensus “Key actions for the further implementation of the Programme of Action of the ICPD”. This comprehensive document affirmed the Programme of Action and made a number of noteworthy advances. For example, it called attention to population and development concerns, noting the linkages between population, economic growth and environment. It recognized the implications of changing age structure and the ageing of the population, and underscored the urgent need for policies and programmes to deal with the causes of international migration, internal migration and urbanization, and the resultant dislocations.

The special session, the report continues, called on Governments to ensure that the human rights of women and girls -- particularly freedom from coercion, discrimination and violence, including harmful practices and sexual exploitation -- were respected, protected and promoted through the development, implementation and effective enforcement of gender-sensitive policies and legislation. Further, it called for intensified action in the following areas: reproductive and sexual health; maternal mortality; the reproductive health needs of adolescents; reducing abortion and addressing the health consequences of unsafe abortion; prevention of HIV/AIDS; gender issues and education. In several key areas, it recommended new benchmarks. For example, the 1990 illiteracy rate for women and girls should be halved by 2005; and by 2010, the net primary school enrolment for children of both sexes should be at least 90 per cent.

Recognizing that financial resources are critical, the special session urged developed countries to redouble their efforts to mobilize funds in accordance with the levels agreed to at Cairo, states the report. It called on developing countries and countries with economies in transition to strengthen their commitment to attaining the Conference goals and to continue mobilizing domestic resources. The special session reiterated that the international community should provide the necessary financial and technical assistance to support developing countries and countries with economies in transition to implement the Programme. It urged particular attention to African countries and countries dealing with the consequences of emergency situations and financial crises. The report concludes by stating that formidable challenges remained. Resource mobilization for population activities must be placed high on the global development agenda if the international community is fully to implement the Conference goals and objectives.

With regard to the Committee’s consideration of environment and sustainable development, it had before it a draft resolution, introduced by Guyana on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China, on implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa. By the terms of the text, the General Assembly would decide to finance from the regular programme budget of the United Nations for the biennium 2000-2001 the conference-servicing costs arising from sessions of the Conference of Parties (CoP) and its subsidiary bodies, including the fourth and fifth sessions of the Conference and meetings of its subsidiary bodies, in the calendar of conferences and meetings for 2000-2001.

The Assembly would call on all States and other actors to contribute effectively to the successful outcome of the third session. It would also call on all remaining countries that were not yet parties to the Convention to ratify or accede to the Convention as soon as possible. Further, it would call on Governments, multilateral financial institutions, regional development banks, regional economic integration organizations and all other interested organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector, to contribute generously to the General Fund, the Supplementary Fund and the Special Fund, in accordance with the relevant paragraphs of the financial rules of the Conference of Parties.

In addition, the Assembly would call on the international community, particularly the developed countries and the United Nations system, and invite the multilateral financial institutions, the private sector and all other interested actors, to support the efforts of affected developing countries in the processes of elaborating and implementing action programmes to combat desertification, including, as appropriate, interregional programmes and platforms of cooperation, by providing them with financial resources and other forms of assistance.

For further background on environment and sustainable development, see Press Release GA/EF/2876 issued on Monday, 25 October.

Introduction of Draft Resolution

DONNETTE CRITCHLOW (Guyana), speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China, introduced the draft resolution on implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification. Through the draft, she said the Group sought to obtain adequate financing for the implementation of that Convention. It looked forward to engaging in further discussions on the draft and hoped to have maximum support from other delegations.

Statements

ARTUR KLOPOTOWSKI (Poland) said that global climate change was undoubtedly one of the most crucial challenges resulting from the destructive effect of human activity on the environment. The policy of economic transformation pursued by his Government served well the purpose of technological modernization and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as an increased capacity to neutralize them. That effort had resulted in a nearly 30 per cent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in relation to the base year. Nevertheless, Poland’s simple reductive reserves were beginning to meet the targets for greenhouse gas reduction under the Kyoto Protocol. Thus, Poland would have to take additional special measures focused on reducing such emissions. Mindful of the fact that success in implementing the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol depended on its swift entry into force, Poland, as President of the Fifth, would work to speed up the negotiating process. He was well aware that that might prove to be an extremely difficult task, since the number and weight of the remaining problems was enormous, and it would certainly not be easy to arrive at an agreement.

His country was not a party to the Convention to Combat Desertification because the text and its annexes did not address specific concerns related to long- lasting droughts and dryland degradation in Central Europe, he added. Poland welcomed the launching of the process of elaborating an additional regional implementation annex to the Convention, covering specific problems arising from water shortages and drought. He hoped that the activities undertaken by the Secretariat would lead to finalizing and adopting an additional regional annex for Central and Eastern Europe in the near future.

M.K. IBRAHIM (Nigeria) welcomed the establishment of the panel of experts on genetic resources as well as the sustained efforts to finalize a protocol on biosafety that would establish procedures in the field of safe transfer, handling and use of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs). There was a need to establish standards and guidelines to control introduction of new technologies and products resulting from genetic engineering, until their impact and any adverse effects on biological diversity were well understood. He was concerned that not enough had been done to reverse further damage to the atmosphere and global climate. Despite the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the level of emission and concentration of greenhouse gases had continued to rise.

The Convention to Combat Desertification was important to his country because of its geographical location, he continued. However, only limited progress had been made in addressing the problems, which affected 70 per cent of the total area of the world’s drylands, most of which were situated in Africa. The impact of lack of adequate action made itself felt in high poverty levels, decline in soil fertility, high population density for limited land area, and inadequate infrastructure for agriculture. The issue of inadequate resources hampering implementation of the convention needed to be addressed. The establishment of the framework for a separate identity for the Global Mechanism should galvanize the international community to live up to its responsibilities.

AMANY FAHMY (Egypt) said that the problems with the Biosafety Protocol must be swiftly solved, because commercial interests were taking precedence over the protection of international biodiversity and health. Food security must not be achieved at the expense of the health of either developing or developed countries. Attempts to legitimize the increase in greenhouse gases by establishing trading rights in those emissions were also a matter of great concern. The Convention on Combating Desertification was one of the most important agreements to come out of the Rio Conference, she said. Egypt therefore looked forward to the coming meeting in Brazil. There was, however, great concern about the continued depletion of United Nations financial resources, which could aversely affect implementation of the Convention. African parties to the Convention had sent in national reports, despite the fact that they had not received any financial support. That trend could very well lead to the indefinite postponement of the Convention and went against the spirit of the Convention and its mandate. The mutually agreed financial and moral obligations embodied in the Convention could not be neglected.

TAREQ AL-BANAI (Kuwait) said his country had participated in the major United Nations conferences on the environment and sustainable development, beginning with the Rio Summit. Efforts to devise new mechanisms to combat desertification and climate change and to preserve biodiversity demonstrated the Organization's commitment to environmental protection. Kuwait considered environment a priority in socio-economic development. Its Environmental Protection Council was an advisory body for the State on environmental policies. A regional organization for the protection of the marine environment had also been established. The leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) attached importance to all aspects of the environment. The safety of the environment was now a basic element in issuing licenses for public and private projects in Kuwait.

Iraq's aggression against Kuwait had caused much damage to the country's marine environment as well as to the Gulf, he said. The specialized agencies had described the Gulf as one of the most polluted areas, due to the torching of oil wells by Iraq. To this day, Iraq had not apologized or taken responsibility for the aggression or the environmental damage done to Kuwait and the surrounding areas. He expressed his gratitude to the United Nations agencies which had attempted to determine the impact of that aggression on the local environment. It was high time that the Committee determined Iraq's responsibility for that damage as well as compensation for those claims. Since independence, Kuwait had done everything in its power to protect the environment. He called on countries to comply with the letter and spirit of all international conventions on the environment.

AL-AUJALI (Libya) said that African countries had had to face the related problems of desertification and drought for many years now. Those problems had seriously challenged their development. Desertification had many causes, but the most important one was occupation of the land beyond its natural capacity. Too often the result was armed conflict waged to gain control of scarce agriculture lands. Drought and desertification, and their harmful effects on society, were therefore a formidable obstacle to sustainable development.

One of the most serious results of drought and desertification was the phenomenon of displaced persons, especially in Africa, he said. During the 1980s, many people had to leave their land and go into towns -- a negative development with harmful ramifications for the country's social fabric. It caused psychological problems as well as employment problems. It also had an effect on infrastructures, on food safety and health, on the drinking water supply, sanitation and education. The fact that those displaced persons often had to accept underpaid work frequently led to violence and crime. The displacement and movement of refugees in Africa, mainly due to drought but also to armed conflicts, could be resolved only by creating an adequate environment. That, in turn, could only be achieved by active participation by all levels of society. The international community should intensify its financial and technical assistance.

PARUYR HOVHANNISYAN (Armenia) said his country faced intensive land degradation, caused by salination of soil, wind and water, deforestation and poor irrigation. Currently, more than half its territory was severely affected. Despite several success stories, lack of financial resources impeded realization of unique scientific projects, some of which could be effective and advantageous not only for Armenia but also for other countries experiencing drought. The Government had completed a National Action Programme, and had signed an agreement on financial and technical assistance with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The aim of the Programme was to elaborate the necessary legislative basis for and implementation of the following practical steps: realization of urgent measures; prevention of further land degradation; and ultimately, restoration of degradated land. Since Armenia was located at a higher elevation than its neighbours, desertification in the country had a negative impact on the whole region. Regional and subregional cooperation in combating desertification was therefore crucial.

Armenia supported the establishment of an additional regional instrument to the UNCCD, which would cover the specific problems of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and facilitate their further involvement and cooperation within the Convention’s framework. As a result of consultations with the countries concerned, a draft additional regional implementation annex, duly reflecting the interests of those countries, had been prepared during the first half of this year. Armenia, as a party to the Convention, had submitted the draft to the forthcoming Conference of the Parties at its third session, to be held in Recife from 15 to 26 November.

MARTIN ANDJABA (Namibia) said that in order to implement the UNCCD in a sustainable manner, the best and most practical approach was to synchronize it with the implementation process of the other development Conventions. Measures to combat and reverse the processes of desertification and land degradation were necessarily complex. Nevertheless, the international community possessed the financial resources and scientific and technical know-how needed to facilitate the implementation of the UNCCD. The catalytic function of the Global Mechanism would be essential in partnership with national governments, NGOs, donor countries and multilateral financial institutions in harnessing the resources for implementation of the Convention in developing countries, particularly in Africa.

To maintain harmony and coherence in the implementation of its environmental programme, Namibia had instituted specific rural development programmes, he said, such as the Rural Development Support Programme in the northern communal area of Namibia, and the Research Extension Management Programme. It was his Government’s intention to continue to work diligently with the global community to preserve the biodiversity of the drylands, improve techniques for food production and security, reduce carbon dioxide emissions and strengthen international cooperation in the fight against desertification and land degradation in affected countries.

DIANE QUARLESS (Jamaica) said the recent review of the Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA) revealed that much still needed to be done, and that much could be achieved if the international community were fully committed to the survival of small island developing States (SIDS). What SIDS sought was a fair opportunity to secure the welfare of their people, and to protect their fragile environments. That could not be achieved without the support of the international community. In mapping a strategy for the further implementation of the Programme of Action, there were a few important initiatives that Jamaica considered would move the process forward. The first was early conclusion of work on a vulnerability index. The characteristics that defined SIDS rendered them particularly vulnerable to external influences of both an environmental and an economic nature. The inherent weaknesses of SIDS economies was well known: narrow economic base; low levels of diversification; heavy dependence on trade for growth and development; limited indigenous capacity for scientific and technological development; and severe shortage of skilled human resources, perpetuated by the constant migration of highly skilled manpower.

It was those characteristics that made SIDS vulnerable, she continued. It was that vulnerability that thwarted their efforts at sustainable development and undermined their ability to compete effectively in the international arena. In the context of globalization and trade liberalization, the risk of economic marginalization was frighteningly real. Jamaica welcomed the ongoing work in the United Nations, particularly in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), on the development of a vulnerability index. She strongly advocated the early conclusion of work on the index, with a view to its application as a criterion for determining the eligibility of SIDS for concessional multilateral financing, and for addressing the question of special and differential treatment for SIDS in multilateral trade negotiations.

SEIF IDDI (Tanzania) said that Africa’s capacity to fight the problem of desertification was limited by inadequate resources and technology. The international community had demoted the desertification convention to a second- class international legal instrument. Desertification, however, was a global environmental problem. The Global Mechanism of that Convention deserved priority treatment. The international community must assist Africa in the area of capacity- building, particularly the acquisition of knowledge and skills needed to combat desertification. Financial resources were urgently needed for the fight.

Despite the considerable and strenuous efforts made by SIDS in implementing the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of SIDS, he said, those efforts had not been adequately matched by the international community. That was against the spirit and the commitments made in the outcome of the global conference to implement the Programme of Action. The international community must mobilize the financial resources and technical assistance to enable SIDS to address their socio-economic development constraints more effectively.

HUSSAIN SHIHAB (Maldives) said that almost 10 years since the Earth Summit and five years after the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of SIDS, a number of small island States like his own were still struggling with extremely vulnerable economies and the ever-present threat of environmental catastrophe. At the national level, the Maldives had taken several steps to encourage sustainable practices in economic activities, and to protect the country’s fragile natural habitat and resources from both natural and man-made threats. For example, environmental protection legislation was enacted in 1994, and stringent guidelines on waste management in the tourism industry, in place since the 1970s, were being further strengthened.

Yet there was a limit to what a small island state could do on its own, especially in protecting itself against the side-effects of environmental destruction at the global level, such as global warming and sea level rise. Thus, the degradation of the Maldives’ natural environment continued unabated. The country's efforts to protect its environment and promote sustainable development could not bear fruit without strong support from the international community. At the regional level, the Maldives, in cooperation with the rest of the members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), had included environment among the core areas for cooperation. He was awed by the fact that the essential financial support of development partners was presently being dismantled. The ODA to his country and other SIDS was declining, at a time when it was needed most to address the increasing environmental and economic challenges they faced. He called on the international community to honour its commitments under the Barbados Programme of Action.

MAHMOUD ABOUD (Comoros) said that since the 1970s the deterioration of the environment had been recognized as the threat it was. Climate change was a reality, as was evidenced by the many recent natural calamities, such as storms and drought. But the most alarming change was the rise in the sea level, which was of particular concern to his country. Already, on atolls in the Pacific Ocean, fresh water sources had been affected by sea water. Efforts by the international community to combat those problems were necessary.

Many SIDS had unique plants and animals, he continued. Those rare species, some as old as the dinosaurs, were threatened with extinction if no solutions were found. Because of the Comoros’ poverty, updated information was not available on its fragile environment, which was very diverse in landscape and biology. That absence of updated information militated against efforts to protect the environment. Despite the absence of that information, his country had prepared a preservation strategy for biological diversity. Another problem for his country was trade liberalization, which had affected many small farmers. The new negotiations of the World Trade Organization (WTO) should take into account the special needs of SIDS.

In concluding remarks, HAMA ARBA DIALLO, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, said that many references had been made during the debate to the costs of the Fourth and Fifth sessions of the CoP. Within the institutional arrangements between the United Nations and the CoP, it had been deemed appropriate to seek the support of the General Assembly in the coverage of the costs concerned. Further, in the absence of such support, other arrangements would have to be sought by the CoP. He had taken note of the proposals for synergies and cooperation. The Convention’s Secretariat had sought to enhance cooperation with other institutions and had concluded agreements with most of them. Just recently, it had concluded an agreement with the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

There was still much work to be done in the countries affected by desertification, he added. “We can use as many hands as we can mobilize.” Whatever was necessary would be done to ensure that institutions with the responsibility and operational roles for implementation were given the opportunity to show what they could do in implementation of the Convention. He also noted the need for synergies with the Convention on Climate Change (CCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It was in the interest of all concerned to come up with win-win situations and an effective strategy to combat land degradation and mitigate climate change.

Implementation of the Programme of Action of the ICPD

NAFIS SADIK, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said that the special session held on the fifth anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD+5) was successful in two ways. Firstly, it was a success for the United Nations process of building global consensus through open and transparent discussion. Secondly, it marked five successful years of progress in implementing the Cairo consensus on population as a development issue concerning all nations. Some of the noteworthy advances included in the key future actions document included the call to governments to make every effort to implement the Programme of Action goals in regard to adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Also, the special session recognized that the HIV/AIDS situation was worse than anticipated by the ICPD, and strongly expressed its commitment to take urgent action to address the problem. The session further agreed on new benchmarks in the area of reproductive and sexual health, and reiterated the four central and relevant components -– family planning, maternal health, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV/AIDS.

However, progress was far from uniform and much remained to be done, she continued. Socio-cultural factors still precluded gender equality and the full participation of women in the development process. The feminization of poverty still persisted and recent domestic dislocations had disproportionately affected women, in some cases increasing gender-based violence and trafficking in women. The need to ensure the reproductive rights of individuals, especially women and girls, was as pressing today as it was in 1994. Perhaps the most serious constraint to the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action was the shorfall in funding. The Cairo Conference had endorsed $17 billion from all sources, to be reached by 2000. That was a small amount considering the benefit it could bring to humanity. It was roughly what the world spent each week on armaments. While some donor countries had met their share, most, unfortunately, had not.

Partnerships were critical to the further implementation of the Programme of Action, she said. It was essential for the excellent United Nations collaboration that characterized the ICPD+5 effort to continue. To that end, she was convening an ad hoc meeting of the Task Force on Basic Social Services for All on Thursday, 28 October. That meeting would identify how the respective organizations could best work together with programme countries to meet ICPD goals and the benchmarks recommended by the special session. That group would also review the situation regarding indicators being used to monitor progress in reaching the goals, as well as those of other United Nations global conferences and summits. The United Nations Population Fund would continue its collaboration with civil society organizations as part of the follow-up to the special session. In particular, it would redouble its efforts to broaden the role of the private sector in ICPD implementation.

SHERIDAN AMEER (Guyana), speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China, said that while developing countries had achieved a degree of success in implementing policy changes crucial to population concerns and development strategies, there was a need for an even greater commitment of international financial resources towards the achievement of their development goals. The day of “six billion” people was celebrated on 12 October. By 2050, that number was projected to increase by another three billion persons. Target goals set by the ICPD would remain unfulfilled unless the scourge of poverty was eliminated. This generation, better educated and informed, could play a major role in addressing the problem.

She said that population and development policies, based on quality of life and people’s choices, should also incorporate issues such as poverty, food security, resource use and environmental impact. Development was inextricably linked to population. Population necessarily affected economic growth and the environment. The effects on overall development brought on by the ageing of the population, external and internal migration, HIV/AIDS, sex discrimination and violence (particularly against women and girls) could not be ignored. “Gender sensitive policy and overall education will propels development forward”, she said.

AIRA PAIVOKE (Finland), speaking on behalf of the European Union (EU), Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Iceland, said that it was crucial that Governments invest in integrated primary health-care programmes and services, which included sexual and reproductive health as well as maternal care. Maternal mortality was still alarmingly high in many countries, and represented one area in which increased efforts were needed to reduce the risks in pregnancy, to ensure safe delivery, and to provide affordable and accessible mother and child care. Those were some of the key actions identified in the five-year review. For some countries and regions, progress in the implementation of the Programme of Action had been limited, and in some case setbacks had occurred. In particular, women and girls continued to face discrimination in regard to services available to them. Also, adolescents needed special and urgent attention, and should be directly engaged in efforts concerning their sexual and reproductive health.

While national governments had the main responsibility for creating a policy environment that supported population and development, the EU acknowledged that mobilization of international resources was needed to support and augment the efforts already undertaken by them. Political commitment was a prerequisite for progress. Also, the implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action and the key future initiatives identified in the five-year review needed to be focused at the country level. Adequate and universally applicable key indicators and benchmarks should be refined to enable measuring of achievements and identifying areas in need of stronger attention.

Finally, she said that population was influencing every area of development. Governments should continue to examine the economic and social implications of demographic change, including ageing of the population, and how they related to development planning and the needs of individuals. There was a strong interlinkage and interdependence between population, sustainable development, empowerment of women and poverty eradication. When working towards the goal of poverty eradication and overall development, it had to be realized that the poor constituted a growing proportion of the world’s population.

SIM FARAR (United States) said the fact that maternal and infant mortality rates around the world had declined was proof that “Cairo is working”. Education for girls and economic opportunities for women had increased, and individuals and couples had more and better choices about their reproductive lives. With over 33 million people living with HIV, and more than 8 million AIDS orphans, people, particularly youth, had to be educated about HIV/AIDS, and other services must be provided to prevent its spread. People living with AIDS must be treated fairly and with dignity.

Resources for addressing the challenges of the Cairo Programme of Action were still acutely needed, and had not been forthcoming, he said. He acknowledged that the United States had not done all it was capable of doing to meet the Cairo commitments. The ODA had continued its decline of the past few years, and political pressures had made it difficult to mobilize all the resources needed to fully implement the ICPD programme of Action. Nevertheless, the Clinton administration continued to seek ways to increase funding for Cairo priorities, and was quite hopeful that it would restore the United States contribution to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

MAURICIO ESCANERO (Mexico) said his country was committed to the principles and recommendations of the Cairo Conference, as well as the key actions for its further implementation. Mexico’s population policy was based on a long-term perspective, and its approach was a comprehensive and multisectoral one. In recent years, the number of children born to Mexican families had decreased from 7 to 2.5. Had it not achieved such successes, Mexico would now have a population over 142 million, as opposed to the current population of just over 98 million. The Government had given new impetus to health-oriented efforts, with particular regard to institutional reforms and increasing mobilization of resources. In addition, it had guaranteed universal access to a wide range of services, including family planning, prenatal care and women’s health. Those services respected the rights of individuals and couples, as well as the right to choose freely.

The holding of the ICPD+5 special session provided an opportunity to share experiences and lessons learned, and to identify a new set of key measures to strengthen the Programme of Action in the future. One message was clear. To comply with the Programme’s objectives, national efforts must be strengthened and the necessary resources mobilized to make progress in areas such as reproductive health for adolescents and education. He expressed Mexico’s gratitude to the UNFPA for its invaluable contribution over the last 30 years to population activities. Mexico would continue to cooperate closely with the Fund in all areas. He reiterated Mexico’s commitment to the Programme, and said it would continue to work to increase consensus and encourage broader cooperation in population activities.

OLE PETER KOLBY (Norway) said that adequate information and services on sexual and reproductive health for young people were of great importance. It was known that many young people did not feel welcomed by the health services, and often did not seek the information and services they needed. Teenage pregnancies not only resulted in girls dropping out of school, but also carried a higher risk of maternal mortality, often resulting from unsafe abortions. Youth-friendly confidential services and the provision of information by schools were needed. Young people should also be given a say in the planning and implementation of government programmes.

The goals set in Cairo were nowhere near fulfillment, he said, but there was ample evidence of progress in many areas. In most countries, policies were evolving in the direction of a more people-oriented agenda. Although the world population had passed 6 billion, there was less focus on actual numbers and more concern with human rights, with improving the quality of life for everyone, and with achieving sustainable development. “If we are to reach our goals, our ambitions must be matched by the necessary financial resources", he said. Norway had, therefore, contributed its share towards the targets set in the Programme of Action, and would continue to do so.

ANWARUL KARIM CHOWDHURY (Bangladesh) said that through the document on key actions for the further implementation of ICPD, population and development concerns could be highlighted, particularly the linkages between population and sustainable development. Attention could be focused more on efforts for equality and empowerment of women. The document contained emphatic pronouncements in favour of women’s rights, and strong language had been recruited into the campaign to end discrimination against the girl child. The benefits of public/private partnerships and collaboration with civil society were clearly identified. Further, the commitment to resource mobilization was renewed. The purpose and principles laid down in Cairo were not only upheld, but were enhanced for their full and effective implementation.

One major constraint to achieving the goals and targets, he said, was visible everywhere –- the need for more resources. It was surprising to find that in the implementation of the Programme of Action, domestic resource mobilization had outpaced international support. But sadly, none had reached the level needed for timely achievement of the Cairo goals. In the last five years, the pace of implementation had faltered in many cases, due to a disparity between anticipated and actual resource flows. He hoped that the experience would not be repeated and that programmes would keep pace with commitments made at political levels.

ALFATIH HAMAD, representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said that UNESCO’s specific mandate in the area of population included research, information, education, and communication activities aimed at encouraging attitudes in the promotion of responsible behaviour in population and development, especially in areas such as gender, family and environment. During the last five years, UNESCO had promoted many concrete activities. One such initiative was a project entitled “Education for a Sustainable Future”, which aimed to promote innovative, interdisciplinary and intersectoral work within the Organization and to improve inter-agency cooperation in that area.

The UNESCO was fully aware that its actions could only complement efforts made by Member States, the United Nations system and NGOs in trying to solve, or at least reduce, the problems inherent in the interrelationship between population and development. It would continue to participate actively in the inter-agency mechanisms set up for the integrated follow-up to major United Nations conferences, particularly the Cairo Programme of Action, and to play a catalytic role in mobilizing the support of all the relevant organization of the United Nations system and NGOs in favour of educating for a sustainable future.

JAYANT MALHOUTRA (India) said that his country’s pattern of population growth clearly argued for focus on the needs of adolescents and the ageing population. To effectively meet the changing needs of India’s youth, a policy that concentrated on youth empowerment and gender justice had been developed. The objectives of that policy included increased access by young people to information and services, including reproductive health and drug-abuse programmes, while at the same time promoting opportunities for continuing education, skill development and employment. Due recognition was being accorded to the needs of the increasing proportion of aged people in the country. A policy for the aged had recently been developed, covering major areas like economic support, shelter, health and the role of the aged in development activities.

While reviewing the efforts made in the implementation of the Programme of Action and undertaking key future actions, the holistic approach agreed to in Cairo must be maintained, he said. It would be undesirable to parcel out policies for implementation to different international bodies. Furthermore, the provision of additional resources was essential to meeting goals and ensuring the strengthening of delivery systems. While India had largely met its resource commitments by enhancing current outlays, several countries had found it much more difficult to make such resources available. He urged all partners, especially donor countries and the United Nations agencies, to assist developing countries in need with their efforts to achieve the implementation of the Programme of Action.

ALAMGIR BABAR (Pakistan) said that the ICPD had shifted the emphasis from population numbers and had adopted a holistic approach in addressing the issues of population and development in the deeply interlinked areas of literacy and education, health, environment, economic growth, equity and equality. In Pakistan, the fertility rate had fallen and infant and maternal mortality rates had registered appreciable decline. Despite those gains, Pakistan’s current total population of over 134 million posed many of the challenges also shared by the world's developing countries.

The consequences for developing countries based on population growth projections were alarming, he said. It had been estimated that by 2025, two-third of the world’s population would live in waterless areas, a major reason for slow economic development. The ever-growing population of developing countries would have a global impact. The developed countries could not ignore that issue simply because they had been able to manage their population growth. They would have to take effective measures to support the efforts of developing countries for the realization of the ICPD goals. It would be unfortunate if the breakthroughs on population issues made by the developing countries were allowed to reverse due to lack of international cooperation.

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