133. The Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development emphasized the importance of translating the Conference's recommendations into actions at all levels. This will involve decisive actions by Governments and increased support from the international community. The effective implementation of the Programme of Action will require an increased commitment of financial resources, both domestically and externally. The developed countries have committed themselves to complementing the national efforts of developing countries on population and development. The Programme of Action includes commitments to increase substantially the availability of international financial assistance to the developing countries in the field of population and development in order to ensure that population and development objectives and goals are met.
134. In this connection, Governments should commit themselves at the highest political level to achieving the goals and objectives contained in the Programme of Action and should take a lead role in coordinating the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of follow-up actions. The Programme of Action endorsed the crucial role of NGOs, reflected in an effective partnership between government and NGOs in all aspects of population and development-related programmes and policies. The capacity of NGOs for entering into such a partnership needs to be enhanced.
135. The Programme of Action and Agenda 21, among others, affirm that demographic trends cannot be considered in isolation from development. Therefore, population programmes are not simply about numbers and demographic targets, but rather about the human beings who are at the centre of population and development activities. Consequently, the Programme of Action is grounded in a development and human rights framework and underscores the need to reconcile the aspirations and requirements of individual women and men with long-term development objectives.
136. Countries have learned much about the relationships between population growth and sustainable development. There is general agreement that persistent widespread poverty as well as serious social and gender inequalities have significant influences on, and are in turn influenced by, such demographic parameters as population growth, structure and distribution. Gender equality, including full and equal access to education by women, and universal access to basic health care services, including those relating to reproductive health services, are essential to achieving population and development objectives. Furthermore, integrating population into economic and development strategies will both speed up the pace of sustainable development and poverty eradication and contribute to the achievement of population objectives and an improved quality of life of the population.
137. Successful reproductive health care, including family planning programmes, must be based on the principle of free and responsible choice of family size and child-spacing, which includes the ability of men and women to make informed decisions on the number and spacing of their children. Such choice calls for access to the widest possible range of health care programmes and services and for greater support for reproductive health services and appropriate educational programmes.
138. Concomitant support is needed for stronger, better coordinated global actions against major diseases that take a heavy toll of human lives, such as malaria, tuberculosis, cholera, typhoid and HIV/AIDS. In this context, the Joint and Co-sponsored United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS should be brought into full operation as quickly as possible and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council on malaria should be implemented.
139. The international community also has a vital role to play in attaining the objectives of the Programme of Action regarding international migration and development, which reflects the special importance attached to the impact of international migration on both countries of origin and receiving States. The flow of people between countries, and indeed within countries, affects and is affected by the development process. As underlined in the Programme of Action, international economic imbalances, poverty and environmental degradation, combined with the absence of peace and security, violations of human rights and the varying degrees of development of judicial and democratic institutions are all factors in the movement of people.
140. There is a need to formulate or strengthen measures at the national level to ensure respect for and protection of the human rights of migrants, migrant workers and their families, to eliminate the increasing acts of racism and xenophobia in sectors of many societies, and to promote greater harmony and tolerance in all societies. Ultimately, the long-term manageability of international migration hinges on making the option to remain in one's country a viable one for all people. The possibility of convening an international conference on migration and development could be considered.