(1) This framework for action in the field of population education on the eve of the twenty-first century develops - mainly as regards the various levels of education - the basic principles outlined in the Istanbul Declaration on Population Education and Development submitted to the International Congress on Population Education and Development. Based on experience acquired through the implementation of very diverse activities and national programmes over the last two decades, and on the proposals, guidelines. and recommendations of the five regional meetings held in preparation for the International Congress, this action framework is intended as a reference and a guide for governments, international organizations, bilateral aid agencies and non-governmental organizations in formulating their plans of action to implement the Istanbul Declaration.

(2) The action framework comprises four sections:

1.

Policies, programming and institutional co-ordination;

2.

Conceptualization and content at different levels of education;

3.

Strategies for the development of educational action; and

4.

Logistic support activities;

i)

direct action within individual countries; and

ii)

regional co-operation and multilateral and bilateral co-operation within the world community.

(4) Population education contributes to the acquisition of knowledge and the development of skills and values which enable individuals to gain a critical understanding of population issues and to base their judgements, decisions and behaviour on as rational as possible an analysis of relevant facts and factors. Population education therefore aims at promoting changes in outlook, attitudes and behaviour in individuals and groups towards population issues1/ with a view to contributing to the improvement of the quality of life. It is a lifelong process of leaming, training and action.

(5) The content of population education cannot be defined without due consideration of economic and social realities, and of the diversity of cultural and religious values of each society. In one way or another, this content reflects a common concern central to all population programmes which is the improvement of the quality of life.

1. Policies, programming and institutional coordination

(6) Population education cannot stand alone. In each country, socioeconomic and population policies set the framework and provide the general orientations for the development of population education. Policy-makers, planners and educational authorities must be made aware of the role of population education and its contribution towards implementing national development plans and population policies. There can be no expansion of population education without a clear commitment on the part of legislative and executive authorities.

(7) Political commitment, at both national and community level, should lead to the allocation of resources or the redeployment of existing resources and to the taking of appropriate administrative and pedagogical measures required to ensure progressive expansion of population education at the different levels of the education system. It will also lead national authorities to encourage and support relevant initiatives of the civil society.

(8) To ensure the harmonious development of education in this domain it would seem essential to strengthen co-ordination through appropriate central, regional and local mechanisms, on the one hand, between educational authorities and those responsible for population issues and other sectors of socioeconomic development and, on the other, within the education system itself between the formal and the non-fformalsectors. Effective coordination should also be foreseen with the media which can play a vital role in ensuring the acceptance of population education by the general public and the extension of its activities.

(9) Educational authorities should ensure complementarity among all educational activities which focus on the improvement of the quality of life and especially between population education, environmental education and education for international understanding and human rights, which constitute both integrated and integrating. components of the curriculum.

(10) Regional and local authorities, religious organizations, unions, private associations youth associations and women's associations should be associated with population education activities. Support for the creation and development of networks of NGOs working in population should also be envisaged.

(11) It is also incumbent upon national authorities to ensure a coordinated approach to the action of external funding and technical assistance agencies on the basis of relationships founded on trust and mutual respect.

2. Conceptualization and contents at various levels of education

(12) Population issues must be seen from an interdisciplinary perspective, calling upon demography and other scientific disciplines. No other perspective permits due consideration of the complexity of problems and the multiplicity of factors which could account for them. They can benefit from a comparative, historic, geographic, ecological, socio-psychological and sociological approach, stimulating reflection on the development of socio-demographic processes in time and in space.

(13) The pedagogical and social relevance of the content of population education is determined by its capacity to provide a response to the needs of individuals and to the demands of the socioeconomic environment. Content should, thus, be defined on the basis of sociocultural studies of the genuine preoccupations of each urban, rural, ethnic or other group within the community. For many countries this implies diversification of content according to local realities and, consequently, at least to some extent, its decentralized elaboration. Programmes should also be formulated in a way which recognizes and respects the sensibilities of different ethnic, religious and cultural groups, as well as the fundamental rights of all inhabitants.

(14) Traditionally, topics relating to sex and family life education have been two important components of population education as have the element of demographic growth. If the challenges of the coming decades are to be met, then it is necessary to widen the scope of population education content to include emerging population-related issues. In most regions population education already comprises themes linked to the prevention of AIDS and adolescent pregnancies, migratory phenomena, intergeneration relationships and ageing, urbanization, interaction between population, environment and resources, as well as the status of women. These efforts are to be encouraged and further developed.

(15) Population education programmes should be revised as appropriate to match changing national conditions and situations so as to respond correctly to present and future needs, and to the expectations of citizens.

(16) The nature of the content of population education requires an active and participatory pedagogy, oriented towards the solution of both individual problems and those pertaining to society as a whole.

(17) The importance of introducing -education on population issues and the quality of life as ofthe first years at school cannot be too strongly stressed, for those are the years during which values, attitudes and future behaviorare shaped, and when school attendance is the highest. This educational effort, begun at the earliest age, should continue through the different levels of schooling and non-formal education. However, practical considerations, and especially the need to plan phased introduction, can determine the choice of level or grade at which to begin, as well as contents and methods which must respond to the interests and motivations of different age groups and be adapted to teaching practice and conditions prevalent at each level of education.

At the level of basic education

(18) At the level of primary and basic education, health, nutriti . )nmental and population education focused on satisfying basic educational needs, as outlined in the World Declaration on Education for All, can give rise to a synergic regrouping of efforts and mutual support.

(19) Integration is easier at the primary level. The content of population education can be presented in the form of interdisciplinary study units based on topics linked to daily life and local events. Such an approach, which lies quite easily within the scope of established teaching practice in many countries and which does not require new resources, can also bridge the gap between the school and its environment.

At the level of general secondary, technical and vocational education

(20) At present, it is often necessary to lighten frequently overloaded curricula. Far from being added to existing curricula as new disciplines or as separate subjects of study, educational activities in the areas of population, health, the environment, human rights and international understanding constitute a global, transverse dimension concentrating on the improvement of the quality of life which can serve as an integrating force for the renewal of education. Their introduction could result from a progressive reorientation of various disciplines towards a more effective articulation of existing experiences and activities.

(21) If integration should be the rule during the first ten years of schooling, then a more in-depth study of the concepts and socio-demographic processes, which will retain some of their specificity, is certainly desirable for students, adolescents or young adults undergoing higher secondary education or attending technical or vocational schools. At this level, in most countries, instruction is subject to a very strict timetable in terms of hours and disciplines with teachers specialized in their field. The inclusion of a population dimension and especially familiarization with applied demography could be seen in different ways: either within the framework of sequences established in liaison with existing disciplines such as biology, geography, economics, literature, history and social studies, etc., which can provide anchor points (or where possible as a separate subject) and also within the more flexible framework of parallel or extracurricular activities (school clubs, inquiry classes, workshops), or even in the form of pupils' individual or group projects. Adopting one approach does not moreover, preclude adoption of the other.

At the level of post-secondary, university and professional training

(22) The study of some socio-demographic processes as currently pursued in various branches of higher education comprises mainly demographic components of, for example, social science, geography, history, economics and political science courses. This needs to be broadened to include issues beyond demographic components. In these different branches, such issues can be approached during the first or second and third cycles of university education, either as a separate subject or as content integrated within a wider spectrum.

(23) Post-secondary studies should, according to appropriate modalities, offer all students an introduction to the regional, national and universal aspects of socio-demographic processes as an element of basic scientific and social culture. In most spheres of activity - industry, the service sector, administration - professionals are, or will be, faced with problems created by population dynamics.

(24) The introduction of a population dimension in general university education will also contribute to changing public opinion about the image and status of population education and to facilitating its dissemination to other levels of education. The development at the university level of new branches of studies in the field of population should generate a deeper study of the theoretical bases and didactic research in this domain, and stimulate the emergence of a body of specialists in the population sciences.

(25) In the short term priority could, however, be given to preparing teachers and trainers in applied demography linked to economics, sociology, ecology, the behavioural sciences and development. Universities have a particularly important role in the advancement of population education, given their potential for contributing to improved approaches to teacher training, research into the psychology of learning and related topics of direct relevance to population education. The application of these skills and research findings to population education should be encouraged.

Out-of-school and non-formal education

(26) As reiterated during the World Conference on Education for All (Jomtien, 1990), adolescents and young adults, in particular young girls and women who have never attended school, or have dropped out of school early constitute a priority target group for basic education and for whom an awareness of reproduction and family life issues as well as family planning and other population related issues, responds to urgent needs. Those concerned are usually people already of an age to procreate, seeking information and ways and means which will enable them to regulate their fertility and to take other decisions related to the quality of their life, especially prevention of matemal and infant mortality, and prevention of HIV/AIDS, and managing migrations.

(27) Education will contribute towards promoting behaviour which could immediately satisfy these needs: delay the age of marriage, space out births, reduce infant mortality, etc. Many literacy programmes already comprise elements such as these, and an introduction to population questions should be systematically introduced in all out-of-school and non-formal literacy, adult education and community development activities, whether they be dispensed by national or local public institutions, or associations, especially youth movements and women's organizations, unions, religious communities or local bodies.

3. Strategies for the development of educational action

(28) The development of population education at different levels of instruction is dependent upon two main actions: (i) the development of curricula and teaching-leaming materials; and, (ii) appropriate teacher training.

Curricula and teaching-learning materials

(29) Curriculum development institutes, at national, regional and loca . I level, have a predominant role to play in the development of population education. Indeed, it is their responsibility to set general and specific objectives for population education, taking into account regional and local specificities, and within the overall framework of educational activities aimed at improving the quality of life.

(30) Furthermore, because of the sensitive nature of some population questions and to better ensure continuity of educational action, all social partners, and especially representatives of parents associations, should be involved through a process of consultation in the orientation of population education programmes.

(31) Besides students and teachers, other members of the educational connnunity administrative authorities, parents and teachers, and others - are also directly concerned with population education. Specific activities should be devised to ensure their active participation and understanding of the issues involved, and to profit from their views and experiences.

(32) Periodic revisions of curricula and textbooks offer excellent opportunities to update content of instruction and to introduce a new dimension related to the quality of life.

(33) The development of curricula and teaching-learning materials should be entrusted to interdisciplinary teams comprising, inter alia, subject specialists and educationists.

(34) It is important to ensure universal access to teaching-learning materials, and care should therefore be taken to limit costs and, so far as possible, to integrate new content into existing materials. Priority should be given to the production and distribution, on the one hand, of materials for teachers and trainers and, on the other, to printed or audiovisual materials for collective use. So far as school books are concerned, new topics could, after testing, be progressively integrated into existing textbooks for various disciplines, beginning with readers for basic education. Problems of population and quality of life could be presented in appropriate form (such as illustrative stories) in supplementary reading materials for pupils and neo-literates.

Training

(35) Appropriate preparation of all educational personnel concerned is a prerequisite to the development of population education and must, therefore, be incorporated in training programmes of pre-service training institutes and bodies responsible for in-service training, care being taken to ensure a balance between knowledge and pedagogical skills. On the one hand, all teachers, including those in non-formal education, should be offered a theoretical introduction to socio-demographic processes and other population issues, oriented towards the acquisition of knowledge and its practical application to improve the quality of life. On the other hand, professional training in pedagogics should be strengthened, chiefly through familiarization with active and participatory methods, group dynamics and communication techniques. These two dimensions should be taken into account during assessment of studies and teacher certification.

(36) A further dimension of training concerns the specialists of the various disciplines such as biology, geography, economics, literature, history, social sciences and mathematics who should be offered, within the framework of an interdisciplinary perspective, specific training concerning population issues related to their respective disciplines.

(37) Universities have a significant advisory role to play in this process, and especially as regards research, design of programmes for teacher trainers and in the preparation of materials. Linking research and training in this way is unquestionably of great significance.

(38) The importance of associating social partners in the development of population education is now generally recognized. Leaders of youth movements, women's groups unions and conununity organizations, etc. should, therefore, be closely involved in awareness raising and training activities.

(39) Distance training is a proven strategy with a good cost-effectiveness ratio which allows the maximum number of people to be reached in the minimum amount of.time. Difficulties encountered in the rapid development of extensive in-service training invite recourse on the one hand to training through distance education and self-instruction techniques using mass media and, on the other, to a multiplier strategy which would make use of headmasters of schools or colleges, or health and development officers.

4. Logistic support activities

Research and evaluation

(40) A.continuous research effort is a precondition to enhanced and sustained development of the objectives, content, methods and impact of population education. In particular, it is important to strengthen research concerning demographic data and socio-demographic aspects as well as innovative methodologies for population education.

(41) Regular evaluation of teaching-learning materials and strategies is vital if population education is to better respond to expectations and needs, and to systematically follow up programmes and assess their achievements. An evaluation component should always be included when planning programmes and during use of teaching-learning materials. The necessary personnel should be trained in the most efficient and appropriate evaluation techniques. In-depth studies, especially on the cost-effectiveness of various strategies and on the global impact of programmes on behavioral change, should be launched to guide future action and assist in decision-making. These studies could be carried out as joint co-operative efforts by several countries.

Documentation and dissemination of information

(42) The creation or development of national mechanisms for documentation on population and population education should be encouraged. These mechanisms should be accessible to all those involved in the formal and non-fonnal educational sectors, research centres, documentation centres and pilot centres could be e interlink existing networks in the field of demography, social sci sciences in order to facilitate the pooling of experience and the dissemination of research findings. Training in modern documentation and management of population education information systems should be further promoted.

(43) The results of research on population and population education should be regularly summarized with a view to widespread circulation adapted to the needs of different users (decision-makers, trainers, journalists, heads of organizations and associations, etc.).

(44) National demographic newsletters are a practical method of rapidly and regularly circulating information and providing easy access to information on population issues. The publication of such newsletters should be encouraged and their distribution intensified, especially within the teaching profession.

(45) There should be support and assistance at the country level for the creation or strengthening of mechanisms by bringing together all those concerned in and interested in population information, education and communication.

Use of traditional and modern methods of communication

(46) Communications media can play a predominant role both in raising the awareness of the general public to population issues and to the need for educational action in this field and in transmitting and strengthening this same educational action. To ensure complementarity and efficiency, institutional co-operation should be established between communications professionals, population specialists and educationists.

(47) Traditional and modem channels of communication could be utilized to develop population education. Effective communications strategies could comprise, on the one hand, precisely targeted messages, using participatory techniques intended for well defined population groups and, on the other, systematic information campaigns for the general public calling upon the most appropriate media in each context. Evaluation of the impact of these actions should facilitate redefinition of the orientations to be given to the use of media.

(48) Given the growing importance attached to the development of population education, international and bilateral co-operation agencies should re-examine the further mobilization and distribution of resources they allocate to the different sectors of activity in the field of population so as to increase considerably the volume of funding for activities aimed at reinforcing population education and ensure the timely disbursement of funds.

(49) Technical assistance should be accorded in priority to strategic fields of intervention with a multiplier effect and to the developing countries. One important task for international co-operation is support for the launching of national population education activities, especially in the introductory phase before their institutionalization, and to foster their progressive extension to different levels and forms of education.

(50) Within the framework of the World Declaration on Education for All, international organizations should encourage the introduction of a population education component in education projects supported by them in both formal and non-formal education.

(51) Intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations at regional and international -levels which support activities in other sectors having a bearing on population questions health, management of the environment, urbanization, rural development, mother and child care, advancement of the status of women, etc.

(52) The organization of regional partnerships or partnerships between countries with similar population problems from the social or cultural points of view could result in the planning of joint activities under the auspices of international governmental and nongovernmental organizations. Such activities should be designed to take advantage of economies of scale and the experience of the participating countries, and further the development of national capacities.

(53) A priority mission incumbent upon international organizations is to facilitate the exchange of data, information and results of pilot progranunes in population education between countries and between regions. To this end, existing structures and mechanisms should be strengthened at the regional and international levels and their activities extended to new fields such as policies, programming, institutional co-ordination, programme management, evaluation, post-secondary population education.

(54) In particular, international co-operation should continue to encourage the constitution of data banks, and the design of methodological tools and prototype materials, especially for new themes, and participate in widely disseminating the lessons to be learned from the implementation of programmes, whether these have been successful or not.

(55) High priority should be given to infon-nation access. In this area, recourse to modern information and communication techniques should be strengthened to diversify ways and means of accessing information, and processing and circulating it according to the needs of the users.

(56) Greater use should be made of the facilities offered by regional and international press agencies and media organizations in order to enhance adequate regional and international coverage of population issues at the country level.

(57) International co-operation should support advanced training seminars at the regional level and foster co-operation between university departments and training institutes in different countries for conducting comparative studies and training specialists, as well as for the publication of reference documents and instructional materials.

(58) Assistance to research at the national, regional and international levels should be a priority objective for international organizations and could include thecreation of networks of regional and international research centres, the constitution of regional observatories responsible for facilitating and following through the development of population education, assistance to joint research projects carried out by several countries, the publication and regular circulation of bibliographies and abstracts, and the publication of articles in international specialized journals or of special issues on population education.

(59) Regional and international co-operation could also assist in the creation of regional and international associations of professionals concerned with the enhancement of population education.

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1/ Age of marriage, adolescent pregnancies, family size, gender roles, sexual health, intergeneration relations, internal and international migration, human settlements and population distribution, interaction between population, the environment and resources, etc.