UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs,
with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
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| UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) |
|
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This document is made available by the Population Information Network
(POPIN) of the United Nations Population Division/DESIPA and the Pan
African Development Information System (PADIS) of th United Nations
Economic Commission for Africa. For further information please contact
Ms. Nancy Hafkin, Officer-in-Charge, PADIS at: hafkin.uneca@un.org
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THE NINTH SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF AFRICAN PLANNERS,
STATISTICIANS, AND POPULATION AND INFORMATION SPECIALISTS
MEETS IN ADDIS ABABA
The Ninth Session of the Conference of African Planners,
Statisticians, and Population and Information Specialists was
held at ECA headquarters, Addis Ababa from 11-16 March 1996.
The conference was opened by Ms. Nancy Hafkin, Officer-in-
charge of the Pan African Development Information System
(PADIS), on behalf of Mr. K. Y. Amoako, the Executive
Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa. Attending
the conference were representatives and observers from member
states of the commission, from United Nations bodies and
member states, the OAU, ECOWAS and UDEAC.
Mr. Amoako introduced the major issues that the Conference
was to address including energy development, the analytical
framework for policy reform, addressing unabated population
growth, implementation of regional and global population
action programmes and challenges of the urban environment.
Dakar/Ngor Declaration (DND) and the Cairo Programme of
Action. The secretariat presented a progress report on the
implementation of the Dakar/Ngor Declaration and the Cairo
Program of Action, explaining that the periodic reviews of
the various Declarations on population and development
planning call the attention of policy makers and programme
implementers to the current status, trends, achievements,
strategies and weaknesses in existing population programmes
as well as the need to continue policy support to the
programmes and to commit more resources to the efforts.
Given the limited time frame following the adoption of both
development frameworks, the conference noted that, among
other factors, the indicated attempts by member States at
implementing the recommendations have been fostered by the
challenge posed by high fertility together with increased
commitment and positive perceptions of and attitudes towards
population issues. However, such attempts have been hampered
by the prevailing social and economic crisis and the
associated declining budgetary provisions caused by
structural adjustment programs and the continuing prevalence
of socio-cultural attitudes and practices which impede
effective implementation of population programs.
Population Committee: A Study on Family Planning
The paper entitled Perceptions on Family Planning in the
Context of Socio-Economic and Cultural Values in Member
States was discussed by the committee. It reviewed various
factors that contributed to the general resistance to the
acceptance of modern family planning in the 1960s and 1970s
and the subsequent changing attitudes. It then discussed some
of the obstacles to the implementation of family planning
programmes and how these obstacles could be overcome.
Assessment of Urban Environmental Problems and Policies in
Selected ECA Member States
The secretariat referred to the document entitled "An
Assessment of Urban Environmental Problems and Policies in
Selected ECA Member States . The representative of the
secretariat stated that the growth of urbanisation in African
countries had profound consequences on the economies of
African countries and the lives of city dwellers. He noted
that the environmental problems at home, in the work place
and neighbourhood included contaminated and inadequate
quantities of water; inadequate provision for sanitary
management and disposal of solid and liquid wastes and
inadequate or prohibitive costs of health, educational and
other social facilities. Among the policies the secretariat
discussed were those on institutions, management and
demography.
Population Activities
The representative of the secretariat gave a brief account
of the performance of ECA in population activities, the
constraints faced and the prospects for the future. He
announced the planned meeting of the Dakar/Ngor Follow-up
Committee in co-ordination with the African Population
Commission and explained the process of change taking place
at ECA with the importance of Population stressed by the fact
that its growth is seen to be driving a nexus that embodies
also Environment, Food Security and Human Settlements.
Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS)
Since its inception RIPS has operated within a University
system, with regard to graduate studies, the character and
standard of the syllabus, the standard of examination papers
and other matters related to the awarding of degrees.
Research has always played an important role in the training
activities of RIPS: both staff and students undertake
research activities. Students have to satisfy all the M.A.
degree requirements including submitting a dissertation of
20,000 words, while staff have carried out various researches
in line with their own interests and expertise. Future
activities of RIPS include the training of statisticians,
demographers and population and development specialists to
reorient their professional competence to the changing needs
of member countries, the training at M.A. level of candidates
from the new nations' such as Eritrea, Namibia and South
Africa, and the continuation of collaboration between RIPS
and the national training programmes.
IFORD
The director of IFORD reported on activities of the
Institute. He indicated that its restructuring was completed
in October 1994. Regarding training, IFORD has designed a
new syllabus that went into implementation in October 1995,
as a continuation of earlier changes, taking into account DND
and ICPD.PA. It covers the MaŚtrise, the Dipl“me d'Etudes
Specialis‚es, Dipl“me d'Etudes Approfondies and Doctorat.
Most fellowships are now funded from national population
programmes. The last two batches of students comprised 23 and
29 students coming from 15 and 11 countries respectively.
The secretariat, on behalf of the chairman of the Council,
paid tribute to the former Directors of RIPS, Dr Patrick
O.Ohadike and of IFORD, Dr Daniel M. Sala-Diakanda,
respectively, for their management in leading the two
institutes and for the scientific prestige gained by RIPS and
IFORD.