Demographics: Decisions of the GA and CSD

CSD-4 |  CSD-3

United Nations General Assembly, 19th Special Session
New York, 23-27 June 1997

Resolution Adopted By The General Assembly for the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21

Population

30. The impact of the relationship among economic growth, poverty, employment, environment and sustainable development has become a major concern. There is a need to recognize the critical linkages between demographic trends and factors and sustainable development. The current decline in population growth rates must be further promoted through national and international policies that promote economic development, social development, environmental protection, and poverty eradication, particularly the further expansion of basic education, with full and equal access for girls and women, and health care, including reproductive health care, including both family planning and sexual health, consistent with the report of the International Conference on Population and Development. 

Commission on Sustainable Development, 4th Session
New York, 18 April-3 May 1996

Report of the Commission on Sustainable Development on the Fourth Session (18 April-3 May 1996)

Decision 4/3. Demographic dynamics and sustainability

1. The Commission on Sustainable Development takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on demographic dynamics and sustainability (E/CN.17/1996/10 and Corr.1 and Add.1), which includes information on a broad range of factors that have been shown to have a significant impact on demographic variables and on population and sustainable development policies in general, taking into account the outcome of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). 8/ The Commission acknowledges the importance of actions taken by Governments in support of the formulation and implementation of national population policies and programmes. The Commission notes with satisfaction that greater importance is being attached to population questions and to the need to integrate population factors into environment and development planning, according to information obtained from field offices by the Task Force on ICPD Implementation of the United Nations Population Fund. The Commission also welcomes the activities and measures undertaken by non-governmental organizations and organizations of the United Nations system as a follow-up to chapter 5 of Agenda 21 and chapter III of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development. 9/

2. In view of the continuing relevance of the proposals made at its third session, the Commission reaffirmed the decisions made at that session on the further implementation of chapter 5 of Agenda 21 and chapter III of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development.

3. The Commission encourages Governments, regional and international organizations and non-governmental organizations to continue to develop, conduct or support research studies on gender-sensitive analysis and the linkages between population, poverty, consumption and production, environment and natural resources, education and health as a guide to effective sustainable development.

4. In order to give greater visibility to the critical linkages between population issues and developmental and environmental issues, and to increase people's understanding of such linkages, the Commission encourages Governments and non-governmental organizations, and the relevant organizations of the United Nations system, to formulate and implement effective information, education and communication strategies that take into account such linkages, thereby creating the necessary conditions for the rapid achievement of the goals of Agenda 21 and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development.

5.    The Commission stresses the importance of the full and equal participation of women in all aspects of sustainable development planning and programmes, as called for in the Beijing Platform for Action, 7/ and emphasizes the need for Governments to integrate women, on an equal basis with men, in decision-making regarding sustainable resource management and the development of policies and programmes for population and sustainable development. The Commission urges Governments, United Nations system organizations and non-governmental organizations to mainstream a gender perspective, including gender-sensitive analysis, inter alia, as an essential step in the development and monitoring of sustainable development policies.

6.    The Commission suggests to the Economic and Social Council that it examine the division of labour between the Commission on Population and Development and the Commission on Sustainable Development in the future consideration of the issue of population and sustainable development, taking into account the link between chapter 5 of Agenda 21 and chapter III of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development.

Commission on Sustainable Development, 3rd Session
New York, 11-28 April 1995

Report of the Commission on Sustainable Development on the Third Session (11-28 April 1995)

7. Demographic dynamics and sustainability

83. The Commission on Sustainable Development takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on demographic dynamics and sustainability (E/CN.17/1995/15), including the proposals for action contained therein. Within this context, the Commission urges Governments to implement fully the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development 17/ and emphasizes as well the importance of the follow-up mechanism defined in General Assembly resolution 49/128 to monitor implementation at the national, regional and international levels.

84. The Commission fully acknowledges that population, poverty, health, education, technology, patterns of production and consumption and the environment are closely interconnected. There is therefore a need to achieve a sustainable relationship among population, resources and development. The Commission stresses the full and equal participation of women in all aspects of sustainable development planning and programmes. The Commission furthermore recognizes that chapter 5 of Agenda 21 and chapter III of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development reinforce one another, and together form a comprehensive and compelling up-to-date account as to what needs to be done about the interface among population, environment and sustainable development.

85.    The Commission thus welcomes chapter III of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development which calls on Governments, with the support of the international community and regional and subregional organizations, to formulate and implement population-related policies and programmes to support the objectives and actions agreed in Agenda 21 and other conferences and other international agreements, taking into account the common but differentiated responsibilities reflected in those agreements.

86.    The Commission acknowledges that many of the linkages among population, environment and development need further study. The national reports of the developing countries contain useful information on these linkages.

87.    The Commission recommends that Governments, international organizations and other relevant bodies undertake research on the linkages among population, poverty, consumption and production, environment and natural resources, education and human health as a guide to effective sustainable development policies.

88. Although the Commission notes that the integration of population concerns into national planning poses some challenges, it commends the accomplishments of the last two decades in the formation of central government institutions charged with the implementation of comprehensive population-related policies and programmes. The Commission on Sustainable Development welcomes the fact that more recently steps have been taken to integrate population issues into other levels of development planning.

89. The Commission recommends to Governments that they reinforce their efforts at institution-building in the field of population, environment and development-related policies with a view to achieving prompt integration of population concerns into sustainable development planning and policies.

90. The Commission urges regional intergovernmental organizations, United Nations system organizations, funds and programmes, and non-governmental organizations to make further progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development.

91. The Commission notes with concern that, due to cumulative effects of global and local environmental degradation, populations are at risk in some areas. The Commission therefore invites the Commission on Population and Development, with the assistance of UNDP, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UNEP and other relevant institutions, to prepare at reasonable intervals a report on populations at risk because of environmental degradation and their needs for additional assistance, including from the international community.

92. The Commission notes the growing awareness of the linkages among development, environmental protection and the empowerment of women. In accordance with decisions taken at relevant United Nations conferences, it calls upon Governments, organizations of the United Nations system and major groups to give particular attention to the need to involve women in decision-making at all levels of population- and sustainable development- related strategies, policies, projects and programmes. The Commission also calls for the further promotion of measures directed at empowerment of women, ensuring their full access to literacy, education and training, and health, and at the removal of all obstacles to their access to credit and other productive resources and to their ability to buy, hold and sell property and land equally with men. Such empowerment is an important factor in influencing demographic trends and sustainability.

93. The Commission recognizes the important role that non-governmental organizations have played in Rio de Janeiro and in Cairo and play locally, and encourages them to increase their communications, cooperation and coordination at the local, regional and international levels with a view to enhancing their contribution to the mutual understanding of issues related to population and development and facilitating their active participation in the implementation of chapter 5 of Agenda 21 and chapter III of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development.

94. The Commission calls upon all countries to consider making contributions to the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, taking into account the provisions of chapters XIII and XIV of the Programme of Action, and the economic constraints faced by developing countries, and urges the international community to promote a supportive international economic environment.

95. The Commission also recognizes that the effective implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development will require an increased commitment of financial resources, both domestically and externally, and within this context calls upon the developed countries to complement the national financial efforts of developing countries on population and development and to intensify their efforts to transfer new and additional resources to the developing countries, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, in order to ensure that population and development objectives and goals are met.

96. The Commission recommends that the Economic and Social Council, when considering a common framework for the implementation of the outcome of United Nations conferences in the economic and social field, examine how to ensure synergy and cooperation between the Commission on Sustainable Development and the Commission on Population and Development.