UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs,
with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
|
| UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) |
|
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The electronic version of this document is being made available by the
Population Information Network (POPIN) of the United Nations Population
Division (DESIPA), in collaboration with the Economic Commission for
Africa Population Division and the Pan African Development Information
System (PADIS). For further information, please contact the Director of
the UNECA Population Division via email at: bahri.uneca@un.org
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E/ECA/PSPI.9/8
(Agenda Item 11)
Ninth Session of the Conference of
African Planners, Statisticians, and
Population and Information Specialists
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
11-16 March 1996
POPULATION ACTIVITIES IN 1994-1995, EXAMINATION OF THE APPROVED
PROGRAMME OF WORK FOR 1996-1997 AND CONSIDERATION OF THE DRAFT WORK
PROGRAMME FOR 1998-1999
I. INTRODUCTION
1. During the period under review, the secretariat implemented
the 1994-1995 work programme and submitted to the legislative
organs a proposed programme for 1996-1997, which was considered by
the nineteeth session of the ECA Conference of Ministers and
adopted by the Fiftieth session of the General Assembly of the
United Nations. It is worth recalling that the 1996-1997 draft work
programme had been submitted to the eighth session of this
Conference in March 1994 and that some discussion had taken place
on the opportunity given to reflect the needs of the member States
in the 1996-1997 programme.
2. The Medium Term Plan (MTP) 1992-1997 was approved by the Forty
Fifth Session of the General Assembly in 1990. Subsequently, the
Conference of Ministers adopted the proposed work programme and
priorities for the 1996-1997 biennium, as third and last package
within the Medium-Term Plan, after it had been prepared by the
secretariat according to the new instructions received from the
Secretary General with the view to show clarity, as requested by
member States.
4. The consolidation of related activities in more comprehensive
and fewer subprogrammes constitutes one important feature in the
new United Nations budgeting system. Thus, Population was then
subsumed under a new Subprogramme called Poverty Alleviation
through Sustainable Development, that covers also Environment,
Human Settlements, Agriculture and Rural Development. The linkages
and relationships between food and agriculture, population,
environment and human settlements are critical to Africa's
development. Hence the objectives of the Subprogramme included
increased awareness and efforts to design appropriate policies in
food production and distribution, rural development and
transformation, population growth and distribution, urbanisation
and population movements, environment management, etc.
4. This report outlines the implementation of activities of the
Secretariat in the field of population during the 1994-1995
biennium. It presents the approved work programme for 1996-1997 and
the 1998-1999 draft outline for review, in the framework of overall
orientation given to it by the legislative organs, with reference,
in particular, to the Kilimanjaro Programme of Action (KPA), the
Dakar/Ngor Declaration on Population, the Family and sustainable
development, the Plan of Action of the International conference on
Population and Development (Cairo 1994).
The attention of this Session is drawn to the responsibility
of the Joint conference of African Planners, Statisticians,
Demographers and Information Scientists, as a subsidiary organ of
the Commission to debate other needs and priorities, as they may
reflect the views of Member States.
During the 1994-1995 period, the member States continued the
implementation of the structural adjustment programmes. The
concerns regarding the restructuring of the economies and the
setting of new organisational rules regarding the decision making
process left almost no room for considering long term issues, but
witnessed a higher involvement of governments in population
questions, which gained more interest among policy makers, as a
result, in particular, of growing awareness of population issues
and their interrelationships with development. This coincided with
the intensification of the preparatory work and the holding of the
International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD,
Cairo, September 1994).
7. These developments were accompanied by shifts in the
perception of population problems among african governments from
'laisser faire' to involvement. Hence the services these may expect
from technical assistance institutions assistance had to adjust to
new requirements.
II. Implementation of the 1994-1995 work programme
8. The 1994-1995 work programme continued to address population
issues, in line with the needs of Member states, as expressed in
the Kilimanjaro Programme of Action for African Population and
Self-Reliant Development, the fourth United Nations Strategy for
Development, the Dakar/Ngor Declaration and the Plan of Action of
ICPD. The areas covered by the programme of work included problems
of population redistribution, population policies and planning,
regional training. In addition, research on population dynamics,
the integration of population factors into national development
planning and policies, population information and dissemination
activities continued to form an important component of the work
programme.
9. Specifically, it dealt with issues aiming at facilitating the
integration of population factors into socio-economic development
planning in the region; assisting in formulating and implementing
relevant family planning and population programmes and policies; in
establishing or strengthening national population information
systems; in analyzing and utilizing demographic data, as well as in
training of related personnel. Moreover, research studies were
undertaken on family planning and birth spacing programmes,
fertility, mortality, population distribution and urbanization.
10. The implementation of the programme resulted in some
interesting findings as highlighted below.
A. Parliamentary Services
10. a) Six reports were presented to the Eighth Session of the
Joint Conference of African Planners, Statisticians and
Demographers, which was held in Addis Ababa in March 1994.
These are:
i) implementation of the Kilimanjaro Programme of Action
and prospects for sustainable development in ECA member
States;*
ii) comparative study on family planning and birth
spacing programmes in ECA member States;*
iii) demographic and social ageing in ECA member States;*
iv) socio economic and demographic consequences of
HIV/AIDS and other pandemic in ECA member States;
v) Population activities in 1992-1993, examination of the
approved programme of work for 1994-1995 and
consideration of the draft work programme for 1996-1997;
vi) preparations for the 1994 International conference on
Population and Development: the African Common Position
(1994);
b) report to the Conference of Ministers responsible for
Economic and social Development, on follow up activities for
the International conference on Population and Development
(1994)
b) . Published Materials
The Population Division published the following materials:
1. Recurrent Publications:
i) African Population Newsletter
No. 65 (Jan.-June 1994) -preparatory activities for ICPD 1994.
No. 66 (July.- Dec.1994)
No. 67 (Jan. June 1995)
No 68 ( July.- Dec.1995)
Publishes articles and other news information on population
issues, and serves as a status report on population-related
activities in Africa. It is published twice a year in both
English and French. During the period under review, the
following issues were published:
ii) African Population Studies Series number 12 was
published in 1994.
The Series present results of research carried out by the
Secretariat of ECA, or on its behalf by consultants. It is
published in English and is addressed to a specialized
audience of researchers and academics. The present issue
dealt exclusively on the integration of population factors in
human resources development, with particular reference to
educational sector planning.
2. Non-recurrent publications:
The following were finalized:
i). Implications of population age structure on resource
utilization and social security in relation to poverty
alleviation in ECA member States[ECA/POP/TP/94/3(b)/1]
The study reviewed attitudes and perceptions of African
Governments relating to certain demographic factors as they pertain
to socio-economic development programmes within the context of
scarce resources; assessed the status of social security schemes in
relation to population age structure and demographic dynamics
alongside the implications of population age structure on
employment opportunities and food resources.
ii) an evaluation of existing infrastructural arrangements for
integrating population variables in development planning of
ECA member States [ECA/POP/TP/95/3(b)/2]
A compendium of information on institutional arrangements
provides a useful data base for the process of integrating
population factors in development plans. It also provides an
enabling environment for a member state, through periodic
adjustments (based on other experiences), to evolve a self-
sustaining structure for managing its national population
programme. The Report evaluates existing institutional
arrangements that have been established to foster the
development of National Population Programmes (NPP) within ECA
member states.
The information was compiled by the ECA through (i) direct
correspondence with the member states; (ii) available
Programme Review and Strategy Development (PRSD) Reports by
UNFPA; (iii) National Reports prepared for the International
Conference on Population and Development (ICPD); and, (iv)
mission reports undertaken (by ECA) to selected member states
to hold discussions and exchange ideasaswell as documentation,
on this aspect of the IPDP process. The analysis of the
information reveals that the institutional structures fall
into the three broad groups of those for formulating a
population policy; those for implementing the policy measures;
and those for decentralizing the latter process from the
national to the sub-national levels.
Among other things, it is recommended that in order to foster
effective integration, the institutions established should be based
on clear criteria, specified terms of reference per component of
the structure as well as the mode and mechanism of collaboration
between the various components.
iii) an assessment of achievements in mortality reduction
targets of Health for All by the year 2000 in selected ECA
member States [ECA/POP/TP/95/3(b)4]
The purpose of the study was to assess capacity of countries
to achieve global targets of health for all by the year 2000
among ECA member States. The study focused on countries in
west Africa. The demographic estimates suggested that desired
mortality levels will not attain the set targets of Health For
All and not even targets recommended by the Dakar/Ngor
Declaration in most of these countries. There are many factors
contributing to slowing down of efforts to improve health
conditions and thereby reduce mortality levels. Widespread
poverty, fragile African economies, coupled with inadequate
health policy formulation and implementation,
misinterpretation of concept of the Primary Health Care
strategy adapted for achieving global targets for Health for
All by the year 2000, resurgence of preventable diseases with
resistance to drugs and finally, emerging new diseases such as
the human immunodeficiency virus that causes acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) with no cure in the
immediate future, are some of the factors impeding progress in
achieving goals of health for all by the year 2000.
iv) Patterns, causes and consequences for development planning
of female migration in selected ECA member States
[ECA/POP/TP/94/3(b0/2];
The study analyzed patterns, causes and consequences of
female migration by presenting a global analysis and case
studies of Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Recent
information from population censuses and household
surveys show increasing participation of females in
internal and international migrations as well as their
dominance in certain types of movements. It was found
that sample surveys that enquired about the motivations
of migrants ranked economic reasons high for the
movements of male but marital reasons (to accompany or
join husbands) for female migrants.
v) population and sustainable development with particular
reference to linkages among environment, urbanization and
migration in ECA member States [..]
The reports makes a review of the implementation of the
Dakar/Ngor Declaration in the context of problem areas
identified in the African Strategies for Agenda 21 relating to
demographic change and population pressure. It first
underlines the interrelations between population, environment
and development in Africa and then gives a brief account of
the population-development related activities undertaken by
various African governments in response to challenges faced by
the countries. The development of human resources and the
reduction of the rate of population growth have been
identified in the report as key factors of sustainable
development of African countries. The constraints in the
implementation of the Dakar/Ngor Declaration are also
highlighted in the report and various recommendations have
been made to African governments and international community
to speed up the implementation of the Declaration.
vi) Teenage pregnancy, its socio-economic and health
consequences, and measures to reduce the magnitude of the
problem with special emphasis on female drop-outs from school
in member States [ECA/POP/TP/94/3(b)/3];
This comparative study on teenage pregnancy covers 23 African
countries using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys.
It analyses the levels, trends and determinants of adolescent
fertility as well as its socio-economic and health
consequences. The study reveals high prevalence of pregnancies
to teenagers aged 15 to 19 in countries covered associated
with early sexual exposure and low level of contraceptive use.
Among the socio-economic consequences of teenage pregnancy
documented in the study are the following: teenage drop-outs
from school, health consequences (delivery complications,
induced abortions, higher level of maternal mortality among
pregnant adolescents, higher level of infant mortality among
births to adolescents.) The study concludes with various
recommendations to African Governments, NGOs an Donors aimed
at reducing the magnitude of the problem.
vii) statistical compendium on contraceptive prevalence and
practice in ECA member States [ECA/POP/TP/95/3(b)/1];
This is an update of the 1990 version of the compendium. Among
the highlights of the statistics include the following: there
seem to be wide knowledge of contraceptive methods among women
and men and yet actual use is very low in most countries;
where data is available for two points in time or more, there
is generally an increase in the trend on contraceptive use;
most women use contraception after the attainment of wanted
total fertility, which is generally above 5 children in most
countries; there is limited communication among wives and
husbands on family planning issues; existence of unmet need
for family planing for both spacing and limiting of births;
the majority of women not using contraception stated they did
not intend to use contraception in the future; the most
commonly stated reason for not intending to use contraception
in the future was desire for more children. Some specific
recommendations emanating from the statistics presented are
given in the context of the implementation of the Dakar /Ngor
Declaration.
viii) family planning programme targets in relation to
fertility reduction and reproductive health care in ECA member
States [ ECA/POP/TP/94/3(b0)/4].
Most African countries have expressed great concern on the
effects of high fertility, population growth and mortality on
socio-economic development and on the well-being of their
people. The study focuses on family planning programmes
targeting in the context of reducing fertility and improving
reproductive health care. An increasing number of African
countries are currently implementing family planning
programmes to complement socio-economic development in order
to moderate their demographic trends and improve the socio-
economic conditions of their populations. According to
feedback from the end users, based on the information on the
receipt of reports, studies and publications, the end users
have indicated that the study is useful and relevant to their
activities.
C. Technical Material:
The Division designed, set up and is maintaining a database
for population policy, mortality and morbidity, fertility,
population distribution/urbanization and family planning,
using Paradox Software. However the delay in recruitment made
it very difficult to update the data base.
D. Operational activities:
The Division provided advisory services to member States in
population data collection, analysis and training through its
advisors attached to the UNFPA Country Support Teams located
in Harare (Zimbabwe), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), and Dakar
(Senegal). Among the countries which benefitted from these
services for the period under review were: Guinea Bissau which
received technical and the analytical assistance on a training
workshop on demographic analysis on the 1991 Population and
Housing Census (15-28 October 1994); Namibia to which a
regional advisor provided a backstopping mission on the mid-
term review data collection and analysis on the 1991
Population and Housing Census (22 August to 9 September 1994);
Sierra Leone which was assisted on review of chapters of
analytical report of the 1985 Census (15 August to 7 September
1994); Ghana which was assisted in analysis of census and
survey data (31 October to 25 November 1994); and Swaziland
which received a data collection and analysis mission 18
October to 4 November 1994).
E. Coordination, harmonization and liaison:
The Division took part in two sessions of the ACC inter-agency
working group meeting reviewing demographic estimates and
projections; it also attended one meetings of the UNFPA
inter-agency consultative meetings and one session of the
Population Commission.
Cooperation with OAU and ADB on Population matters
- Regular consultation on technical issues of the African
Population Commission on population policy monitoring
- Consultation on follow-up and organization of the Workshop
held in Abidjan, re-implementation of the Dakar/Ngor
Declaration and the ICPD programme of action, 6-9 June 1995.
- Cooperation with IPPF and Pan Arab Project for Child
Development (PAPCHILD) on demographic data collection and
analysis (Beirut, Lebanon, 14-16 Feb. 1994).
- Coordination with UNFPA on the International Conference on
Population and Development:
- Participated in preparatory meetings for ICPD.94 and the
ICPD.94 in Cairo in Sept. 1994 that came out with a programme
of Action
- Assisted in the substantive servicing of a meeting on
national population Commission (May 1994)
- Participated in the meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force
on technical support services of UNFPA (New York, 12-16
December 1994)
- Cooperation with the Population Commission on ICPD 1994:
- Participated in the 27th session of the population
commission on preparatory activities for ICPD 1994 and
assisted African delegates in forming positions
- Cooperation of ECE regarding studies on international
migration between Europe and ECA member States
- Cooperation with UN Headquarters in relation to meeting of
the Population and Development Commission
- Cooperation with UNFPA concerning Population programme in
the region, in particular, regular contacts regarding
operations of RIPS and IFORD through participation in the
governing council meeting (Addis Ababa, 9-10 May 1995).
- Participation in meetings of the IATF, CSTs and CEPD
regarding policy and technical matters of population
programmes in the region (New York, 21Feb - 3 March 1995)
- Participation at the ACC Inter-agency subcommittee's work on
population projects on (July 1994)
F. Regional training
It is to be recalled that the role of ECA as executing agency
for UNFPA funding ceased with the change in the statutes of the two
regional Institutes. However the Executive Secretary continues to
chair the meeting of the Governing Councils and ECA is member of
the Advisory Board.
The Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) in
Accra, Ghana, continued with its training and research programme
made up of the twelve-month Master of Arts (MA) Degree in
Population Studies; the master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) and the
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) Degree in Population Studies, all being
academic degrees of the University of Ghana.
The training and research activities of the Institute de
Formation et de Recherche Dmographiques (IFORD) comprised formal
training courses in demographic studies given during a two-year
programme.
Separate papers by the two Institutes provide more information
on their activities and problems.
IV. Work programme 1996-1997
The 1996-1997 work programme will address population issues in
line with the needs of Member States, for example, as expressed in
the Dakar/Ngor Declaration, the Programme of Action of ICPD 1994,
UN-NADAF and Agenda 21.
Specifically, the following areas will be covered:
facilitating the integration of population factors into socio-
economic development planning; provision of assistance in
formulating and implementing relevant population programmes and
policies as well as in establishing or strengthening national
information systems and in analyzing and utilizing demographic data
as well as in training of related personnel. Moreover, studies,
research and/or training workshops and seminars will be undertaken
on the perceptions and evaluation of family planning and birth
spacing programmes, fertility, mortality, population distribution,
urbanization, the role and status of women and population and
environment, and the implementation of the Dakar/Ngor Declaration
and the Programme of Action of ICPD 1994
3. Activities
1. International Cooperation
e. Liaison with RIPS, IFORD and other subregional institutions
and NGOs in the development and implementation of programmes on
African population network.
2. Parliamentary Services
2(a) Parliamentary documentation
Reports to the ninth session of the Joint Conference of
African Planners, Statisticians, Population and Information
Specialists (first quarter, 1996).
i) Progress Report on the implementation of the
Dakar/Ngor Declaration and ICPD 1994's Programme of
Action in ECA member States.
ii) A study of perceptions on family planning in the
context of socio-economic and cultural values in
selected ECA Member States;
iii) An assessment of problems and policies associated
with the urban environment in ECA Member States;
iv) Population activities in 1994-1995, review of 1996-
1997 work programme and consideration of the draft
work programme for 1998/1999.
2(b) Report to ECA Council of Ministers
(i) Report on population issues in ECA Member States (1996)
2(c) Substantive services
i) Second meeting of the Follow-up Committee for the
implementation of the Dakar/Ngor Declaration (fourth quarter,
1996).
ii) Ad hoc expert group meeting to address measures pertaining to
urban environmental health problems in ECA Member States
(fourth quarter, 1997).
3. Published Material
a) Recurrent publications
i) Demographic Handbook for Africa, 1997 (fourth
quarter, 1996);
ii) African Population Newsletter (two issues, 1996,
two issues, 1997);
iii) African Population Studies Series (fourth quarter,
1996);
b) Non-recurrent publications
i) Implementation of the Dakar/Ngor Declaration and
the Programme of Action of ICPD 1994 (fourth
quarter, 1996);
ii) Comparative study on management of family planning
programmes in selected African countries (fourth
quarter, 1997);
iii) The urban environment and health in ECA Member
States (second quarter, 1997);
iv) Assessment of achievements in mortality reduction
targets of "Health For All" by the year 2000 with
reference to child and maternal mortality in ECA
Member States (fourth quarter, 1996);
v) Relationship between infant and child mortality,
socio-economic factors and fertility in ECA Member
States (fourth quarter, 1997).
vi) Population and Conflict in ECA Member States
(fourth quarter, 1997)
4. Operational Activities
a) Advisory services
Advisory missions to Member States on the implementation of
population policies.
b) Group training, including seminars, workshops and fellowships
i) Workshop on the integration of population factors in the
development process (1997);
ii) Seminar on the patterns, causes and consequences of female
migration in ECA member States (1997);
iii) Workshop on adolescent fertility in Africa: measurement,
causes, consequences and policy implications (1997).
5. Co-ordination, Harmonization and Liaison
i) Participation at ACC inter-agency working group
meeting reviewing demographic estimates and
projections - on-going activity;
ii) Attendance at meetings of the Governing Council,
UNFPA inter-agency consultative meetings, MULPOC
and the Population Commission and other agencies
and organizations;
V. Work Programme 1998-1999: Tentative Outline
The Committee may wish to suggest new priorities and
activities that may derive from the needs of member States in the
aftermath of the important past conferences that were held
recently, i.e the International conference on Environment (Rio,
1992?), the International Conference on Population and Development
(Cairo, 1994), the Social Summit (Copenhagen,1995) the Beijing
Conference on Women (1995) and the forthcoming Istanbul Conference
on Human Settlements (1996).
In suggesting priorities and activities, the Conference may
wish to take note of the progress so far achieved by member States
in the knowledge of their population issues, the availability of
data, but also of the challenging objectives and recommendations
set in the different instruments adopted in international fora,
particularly the Dakar/Ngor Declaration on Population, the Family
and sustainable Development.