United Nations Day 1999 sees our global constituency reach six billion -- something, as Mr. Kofi Annan says, "to celebrate and something to think about" (3). President Alberto Fujimori of Peru says realism in population policies goes hand in hand with stability and the struggle against poverty (5). Joakim Lie listens to the voices of ICPD+5 (6), with Sonia Eun Joo Yeo covering the Cairo Conference on Population and Development (11).

The UN Economic Survey for 1999 is released (12). Ambassador Asadi of Iran finds common cause between two General Assembly committees (13). Zubaida Rasul examines women's empowerment in Djibouti (14). Barbara Becker argues that an "enormous global effort" is still needed to address Cairo goals (16). In Perspective, actor John Amos' portrayal of "edutainment" (18). Act together against drugs, says Mohammad Fallah in Drugwatch (19). NGOs find a forum on globalization at the UN, reports Marcus Balser (20). In Globalization's Shadow, Carmen Chan takes a look back at the Asian financial crisis and the UN response (21), with Sukanya Mohan Das of IFAD on how credit has helped the needy (30). In kindred articles, Shahra Razavi and Cecile Jackson/Richard-PalmerJones, and Ruhi Saith/Barbara Harris-White look at gender in work, poverty and analysis (35). In Passing By, Joakim Lie and Eleanore Kopera map the currents at population meetings (38). In The Chronicle Essay, Lahe'ena'e Gay reasons that indigenous people's ethics can be a guide for the future (39). Is combating poverty a human rights challenge? asks Minister Hilde Johnson of Norway (42).