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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This newsletter is being made available by the Population Information
Network (POPIN) of the United Nations Population Division (DESIPA), in
collaboration with Population Communication International. For further
information please contact Patrice_Newman@together.org
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INTERNATIONAL DATELINE
A Population and Development News and Information Service
MARCH WORLD POPULATION UPDATE:
5,760,100,000 (Population
Reference Bureau)
MARCH 1996
Report on the final Preparatory Committee Meeting for HABITAT II:
The United Nations Conference on Human Settlements
THE HABITAT II CONFERENCE, SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE IN ISTANBUL,
TURKEY FROM 3-14 JUNE 1996, is the last in the series of United
Nations-sponsored international conference of the 1990s. The series
began with the 1990 World Summit for Children and included the 1992
Earth Summit in Rio, the 1994 Conference on Population and
Development in Cairo, and the 1995 Women's Conference in Beijing,
among others. From Monday, February 5 to Friday, February 16, 1996,
delegates from 185 countries and representatives of non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) and other institutions met at United Nations
Headquarters in New York for the final preparatory committee meeting
(PrepCom) for the Habitat II Conference. PrepCom delegates debated
issues surrounding human settlements as they are outlined in Habitat
II's draft document, which includes the Statement of Principles and
Commitments and the Global Plan of Action, trying to reach a
consensus on as much of the text as possible before the Istanbul
conference in June.
UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI OPENED
THE NEW YORK PREPARATORY MEETING FOR HABITAT II, noting that the
Istanbul conference "provides an opportunity for national
governments, NGOs, community-based organizations (CBOs), and members
of the public and private sector to provide creative solutions to the
problems of adequate shelter and sustainable human settlements."
Boutros-Ghali emphasized the need for all governments participating
in the process to engage in greater collaboration and cooperation
with each other, in order to increase momentum towards sustainable
human development. Boutros-Ghali also highlighted a ground-breaking
rule change regarding the participation of local partners in Habitat
II, which could set a new pattern for how the international community
carries out its business.
HABITAT II WILL EXAMINE "ALL ISSUES OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS--RURAL
AND URBAN," said Dr. Wally N'Dow, Secretary General of the
conference. Addressing the PrepCom, N'Dow also said that Habitat II
will "advance and integrate the views of previous UN Conferences, in
order to provide a strong continuum." N'Dow said that issues to be
addressed by Habitat II are jobs, housing, security, services and
quality of life in all forms of settlement. He spoke of the
formation of the "Best Practices Program" which collects and shares
information on successful solutions for economic, political, social
and environmental problems, based on what has worked in communities
around the world. The "Best Practices Program" collects models that
cities and towns can use to replicate successful programs. N'Dow
said that the program will include the development of a global
database to document the successful initiatives of communities,
nations and regions around the world.
N'DOW HIGHLIGHTED THE "PARTNERSHIP CONCEPT," THE OTHER NEW
PROGRAM INTEGRATED INTO THE HABITAT II PROCESS. According to N'Dow,
the conference secretariat is "seeking direct input and support from
a broad array of players..." on human settlement issues. The
secretariat hopes to hold a series of forums for "proposed allies,
such as the private sector, local government leaders, trade unions,
NGOs, scientists, academics, and urban planners." In addition, N'Dow
said that Habitat II seeks to "view urbanization through gender-
sensitive eyes in order to reflect the accomplishments of past UN
Conferences, specifically the gains made in Cairo, Copenhagen and
Beijing."
IN HER STATEMENT, DR. NAFIS SADIK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND, underlined the linkages between
population growth, development and urbanization--calling on Habitat
II delegations to strive for recognition of women's legal, property
and inheritance rights. And Mr. Rafeeuddin Ahmed, Associate
Administrator of the United Nations Development Program, noted that
his agency advocates sustainable human development that creates and
improves jobs, helps poor people, promotes the status of women and
upgrades conditions for people in general. Ahmed said that one of
Habitat II's primary objectives should be incorporating the relevant
dimensions of the documents agreed on by governments attending the
1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, the March 1995 Social Summit
held in Copenhagen, and the September 1995 Fourth World Conference
Women in Beijing.
THE HABITAT II CONFERENCE DOCUMENT CONSISTS OF A Draft Statement
of Principles and Commitments and a Draft Global Plan of Action. Both
sections are intended to guide national and international efforts
related to human settlements through the first two decades of the
next century. The Preamble of the document states that Habitat II's
purpose is to address "two themes of global importance: adequate
shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development in an
urbanizing world." According to statistics compiled for the
Conference, 50 percent of all people on the globe will live and work
in urban areas by the year 2000. And by the year 2005, almost two-
thirds of the world's population will be urban dwellers. As outlined
in the preamble of the draft Plan of Action, the most serious
problems confronting cities worldwide include: 1) lack of employment
opportunities; 2) increasing homelessness and expansion of squatter
settlements; 3) increased poverty and a widening gap between rich and
poor; 4) growing insecurity; 5) deterioration of building stock,
services and infrastructure; 6) improper land use; 7) rising traffic
congestion and pollution; 8) lack of green spaces, and 9) rapid rates
of migration to and population growth in the world's mega-cities.
The draft plan of action notes that urbanization and migration will
pose particularly significant challenges for sustainable development,
urban planning and management over the next few decades.
MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE NEARLY TWO BILLION MORE PEOPLE EXPECTED
IN THE COMING TWO DECADES and managing human settlements towards
sustainability will be a daunting task, according to the draft Global
Plan of Action. The document also takes note of the fact that over
the last twenty years, world population has increased from about 4.2
billion to about 5.7 billion. On the issue of mega-cities, the draft
document states that, "large sections of the world's urban population
live in inadequate conditions and are confronted with unsurpassed
environmental problems that require increased managerial capacities,
investments, resource mobilization and appropriate allocation." The
document also notes that rapid urbanization and the growth of mega-
cities--particularly in development countries--represent "new
opportunities and challenging difficulties." The preamble says that
increases in rural-to-urban migration combined with increases in the
number of refugees and internally displaced persons are aggravating
the shelter crisis.
BESIDES HABITAT II'S GOALS OF "ADEQUATE SHELTER FOR ALL AND
SUSTAINABLE HUMAN SETTLEMENTS DEVELOPMENT in an urbanizing world, the
document's principles focus on: equality, eradication of poverty,
sustainable development, livability, family, civic engagement and
government responsibility, partnerships, solidarity and international
cooperation and coordination. The draft Global Plan of Action
outlines each of these principles in detail:
Equality, in terms of human settlements, advocates that all
people "have equal access to basic housing and infrastructure, health
care, green and open spaces and other services." The draft document
advocates equal opportunity for education and for a productive and
freely-chosen livelihood. Equal rights and obligations with regard
to the conservation, the use of natural and cultural resources and
the opportunity to participate in public decision-making are also
discussed in the document.
Eradication of poverty is called "essential for sustainable
human settlements and for preserving peace." The principle of
poverty eradication is based on the objective of meeting the basic
needs of low-income groups within human settlements and the goal of
full, productive and freely-chosen employment and work.
Sustainable development is an important principle of the
document, and is defined as "mutually supportive and interdependent
human settlements." Sustainable human settlements ensure economic
development, employment opportunities and social progress with "the
least possible detrimental impact on the environment." In keeping
with sustainable development practices, the document says,
production, consumption and transportation should be managed in ways
that replenish the stock of resources and maintain biological and
cultural diversity.
Livability, defined as quality of life, depends on "social and
economic factors, physical conditions, city planning, land-use
patterns, population, building densities and ease of access to
adequate public amenities." The draft document states that people's
needs and aspirations for more livable settlements "should guide the
design, management, and maintenance of human settlements so public
health is protected, safety/security conditions are provided, social
integration, respect for diversity and cultural identities are
promoted and spiritual, historic and culturally-significant buildings
are preserved."
The section on the principle of family is in brackets and is
considered contentious. Family is defined as "a basic unit of
society, which is entitled to receive comprehensive protection and
support." The need for adequate shelter with access to basic
services and a decent livelihood is an important aspect of
sustainable human settlements.
Regarding the principle of civic engagement and government
responsibility, the draft Global Plan of Action states that:
"Sustainable human settlements are those that generate a sense of
citizenship and identity, a spirit of volunteerism and civic
engagement, where all people are encouraged and have equal
opportunity to participate in decision making and development." This
section concludes with the statement that "governments at all levels
have a responsibility to protect their citizens' health, safety and
general welfare."
Partnerships "between and among all actors from the public,
private and community organizations and individuals are essential to
the development of sustainable human settlements and the provision
of adequate shelter and basic services." Partnerships have the
ability to integrate and support "objectives of broad-based
participation through forming alliances; pooling resources; sharing
knowledge; contributing skills; and capitalizing on comparative
advantages of collective actions."
Solidarity, defined as "tolerance, sensitivity, and cooperation
among all social groups" is put forth as a foundation for social
cohesion in Habitat II's draft principles. The document calls for
the international community, states and other relevant actors to
respond to the challenges of urbanization, to promote sound and
effective international, national and local policies, and strengthen
cooperation among states, regions, local authorities and NGOs.
The section on international cooperation and coordination is also
in brackets and will be further debated at the conference in June.
As written, the draft paragraph states that: "The implementation of
the Global Plan of Action will require an increased flow of new and
additional financial resources to developing countries in order to
cover the incremental costs of the actions they have to undertake to
deal with human settlements problems and to accelerate sustainable
development." At a time of serious financial hardship, the
conference secretariat acknowledges that agreement and commitment for
additional resources from U.N. member states is unlikely.
THE THIRD SECTION OF HABITAT II's DRAFT GLOBAL PLAN OF ACTION FOCUSES
ON COMMITMENTS by the Member States for successful implementation of
the goals of the conference. The list of commitments includes:
A) Adequate shelter for all - To work towards the goal of
improving living and working conditions on an equitable and
sustainable basis, so that everyone will have "adequate shelter,
including basic services, facilities and amenities which are healthy,
safe, secure, accessible and affordable."
B) Sustainable human settlements - To commit to the goal of
human settlements in an urbanizing world by developing economies that
will make "efficient use of resources with the carrying capacity of
ecosystems and by providing all people with equal opportunities for
a healthy, safe and productive life in harmony with nature and
cultural heritage and spiritual and cultural values."
C) Enablement - To formulate a strategy of enabling all key
actors, in the public, private and community sectors, to play an
effective role at the national, state, and local levels, for human
settlements and shelter development."
D) Financing shelter and human settlements - To commit to
strengthening existing financial mechanisms and "where appropriate,
developing new mechanisms for financing the implementation of the
HABITAT Agenda, which will mobilize increased sources of finance at
international, national and local levels, and promote efficient,
effective and accountable resource allocation and management."
E) International cooperation - To enhance international
cooperation and partnerships which will assist in the implementation
of the national and global plans of action and the HABITAT Agenda by
"contributing to and participating in multilateral, regional and
bilateral cooperation programs; by the exchange of appropriate
technology; by the collection, analysis and dissemination of
information about shelter and human settlements and by international
networking."
F) Assessing progress - To commit to monitor and evaluate within
each country, efforts to implement national plans of action,
"striving to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in meeting the goals
of adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements."
THE FINAL SECTION OF HABITAT II'S DRAFT DOCUMENT FOCUSES ON
"STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION" of the Global Plan of Action. In
approximately 35 pages, background information and specific actions
are listed for the two major goals of the conference--"Adequate
Shelter for All" and "Sustainable Human Settlements Development in
an Urbanizing World"--as well as for the three additional categories
of: "Capacity Building and Institutional Development;" International
Cooperation and Coordination," and "Implementation and Follow-Up."
ONE CONTENTIOUS ISSUE AT HABITAT II'S THIRD AND FINAL PREPCOM
was a declaration regarding the universal right to housing. The main
opposition to the language came from the United States, based on the
document's emphasis on a government-oriented approach to the
provision of housing. According to a spokesperson for the U.S.
mission to the United Nations, "The United States is opposed to
portions of the draft document that stress a government approach to
housing. Instead, the U.S. supports sustainable, long-term solutions
that emphasize private sector/market-oriented solutions." The issue
was considered by a specially assembled "informal group" which
negotiated some compromises on the problem paragraph but could not
settle on a mutually satisfactory replacement for the phrase "right
to housing"--which is being sent to Istanbul in brackets.
(Report by Megan McCarthy, Population Communications
International, February 1996; Earth Negotiations Bulletin,
February 1996, International Institute for Sustainable
Development; Draft Statement of Principles and Commitments and
Global Plan of Action, October 1995, United Nations)
* * * * *
A STUDY BY A THREE-MEMBER RESEARCH TEAM SAYS IT HAS FOUND FLAWS
in Bangladesh's "reproductive revolution" which was based on a family
planning program that concentrates almost exclusively on women--both
as recipients and providers. Published by the New York-based Alan
Guttmacher Institute for reproductive health research, the study
asserts that it "was not necessarily a mistake" that the Bangladesh
family planning program provides services by women to women.
However, it adds, the gender focus tends to reinforce sex
discrimination in a society that is already heavily male-dominated.
The study says the women can become further isolated in a kind of
unofficial purdah through the practice of drawing family planning
workers only from the recipients' village environment and providing
contraceptive services and prenatal, delivery and postnatal care only
in the home. The study points out that women thus have little or no
opportunity to consult doctors, nurses or trained midwives about
reproductive health and fertility control. Furthermore, the study
says, relying on village-based workers and bringing them into the
home restricts--even in an emergency--access to available quality
technical services.
ANOTHER SHORTCOMING OF THE BANGLADESH PROGRAM IS ITS FAILURE TO
PROMOTE MEN'S INVOLVEMENT, say the authors of Bangladesh's Family
Planning Success Story: A Gender Perspective. One result, they say,
is that even when a husband does not directly oppose contraception,
he may not take responsibility for any side-effects. One woman
reported that her husband told her to do as she pleased but warned
that if the contraceptive resulted in illness, he would not pay any
medical bills. Tradition does not condone a wife making a direct
suggestion or request to her husband. So a woman comes to rely on
the village worker almost exclusively for family planning support and
assistance, even though there is a limited amount of authoritative
information available to a worker with no more than the required 10
years of schooling. The writers also note that promoting family
planning practices is made more difficult because of traditions,
misinformation and ignorance. For instance, among the most prevalent
misconceptions about the Pill is that it causes sterility or, in men,
impotence. Similarly, it is widely believed that expensive foods
beyond the means of the poor are necessary to make the pill
effective. The social structure of Bangladesh is a further barrier
to effective family planning, say the three authors. Women who use
contraceptives without their husband's permission face domestic abuse
or even divorce or desertion. The prevailing attitude was put simply
by one wife, who demanded: "How can I disobey my husband? I'm a
woman."
THE BANGLADESH STUDY CONCEDES THAT CONTRACEPTION ALONE CANNOT
SOLVE THE LARGER PROBLEM of the tradition of male supremacy, which
the authors say should be addressed more directly. They say that
programs to provide economic opportunities and resources for women
to reduce their dependence on men and draw them into the broader
society would be more effective in elevating the status of women.
Credit projects for small enterprises have been successful, the
authors say, notably those of the Grameen Bank and the Bangladesh
Rural Advancement Committee. Direct employment projects--road
maintenance or irrigation schemes or market-based employment--have
had similar beneficial effects. At the same time, they say, emphasis
should be given to drawing women out of their homes and into a wider
world. Also, men must be influenced to bear responsibility for the
costs of fertility control, both through the greater use of
contraception and by helping rather than hindering their wives in
obtaining reproductive health information and care.
(International Family Planning Perspectives, December 1995,
Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York)
* * * * *
A NATIONAL DEDICATION TO FAMILY PLANNING HAS CUT INDONESIA'S
FERTILITY RATE BY HALF in the past quarter-century. This according
to the Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS) conducted by
the national Central Bureau of Statistics in collaboration with
related organizations. The July-to-November survey in 1994 covered
over 33,700 households and more than 28,000 women in the 15-48 age
bracket who were or had been married. In the fertility survey, the
1994 level averaged 2.9 children per woman during reproductive years,
contrasting with the 5.6 children 25 years earlier. One factor was
the increase in age at which Indonesian women marry. The median age
at first marriage has increased from 17.2 years among women age 45-49
to 19.2 years for women 25-29. Urban women generally marry 2.6 years
later than rural women, and those with secondary education wed more
than five years later than women who have never gone to school.
THE DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEY ALSO FOUND THAT OVER HALF OF MARRIED
INDONESIAN WOMEN DO NOT WANT MORE CHILDREN THAN THEY HAVE. The
average desired family size is 2.9 children. A two-child family is
desired by 36 percent of women, and three children by 19 percent.
One in five women surveyed had no opinion on family size, often
explaining that it was "up to God." As for family planning,
knowledge of methods is almost universal among married women. The
most popular methods are the Pill, injection and the IUD--used by 17,
15 and 10 percent, respectively. Despite the success of Indonesia's
family planning programs, not all of the need for family planning
services has been satisfied. It is estimated that if all unmet needs
were met, contraceptive prevalence in Indonesia would increase to 66
percent of married women, instead of the survey's recorded 55
percent.
(Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey, October 1995,
Central Bureau of Statistics; State Ministry of
Population/National Family Planning Coordinating Board;
Ministry of Health: Institute for Health Research and
Development, Jakarta, Indonesia)
* * * * *
THIRD-WORLD SURINAM IS NEARLY AS PROSPEROUS AS THE UNITED
STATES, WHICH IS OUTSTRIPPED BY AUSTRIA AND CANADA, THE TWO RICHEST
COUNTRIES, according to a new yardstick devised by the World Bank for
measuring national wealth. On the same scale, Ethiopia ranks
poorest, preceded by Nepal and a string of sub-Saharan African
countries. By conventional reckoning Surinam is also extremely poor.
The tiny former Dutch colony on South America's northeastern shoulder
has a per-capita income scarcely a quarter that of the United States.
But the World Bank's new method does not compute national wealth on
income alone. In an 83-page report titled Monitoring Environmental
Progress, the Bank contends that all elements of a country's
resources--economic, social and environmental--must be taken into
account when defining its state of development. Surinam's riches
consist of forests, iron-ore deposits, factories and human resources.
The Bank argues that the concept has less to do with focusing on
perceived present and future "needs" than with ensuring that
tomorrow's generations have at least as much capital as today's for
creating jobs and income. Thus, what counts is not the level of
present income but what the income is invested in that will benefit
future populations. Japan and Switzerland, for example, rank high
because despite only limited natural resources, both invest heavily
in social benefits and what the Bank calls "produced assets,"
including factories and infrastructure. John O'Conner, the principal
author of the Bank's report, challenges the view of strict
environmentalists that natural resources must be preserved at all
cost. Says O'Conner: "The drawing down of some natural resources is
neither a positive or negative phenomenon. It depends on what the
money from the sale [of the resources] is used for--buying imported
luxury cars or educating girls."
(Christian Science Monitor, 18 September 1995, Boston,
Massachusetts, USA)
* * * * *
NGO SUPPLEMENT March 1996
For and About NGOs and their Work
THE ROLE OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOs) BECAME
CONTENTIOUS at the February 1996 Preparatory Committee meeting
(PrepCom) for the June 1996 United Nations Conference on Human
Settlements--also known as Habitat II [see related story on p. 1 of
Dateline]. Dr. Wally N'Dow, Secretary-General of Habitat II, is
promoting a new concept of partnership with NGOs and other local
institutions. But after NGOs voiced their concerns and submitted
written amendments to Habitat II's draft document, several delegates,
including Algeria, Iran and China, questioned the Secretariat's
intention to include NGO amendments and expressed concern about
setting new precedents. Some delegates, including Nigeria, Senegal
and the United States, spoke in favor of hearing NGO views, but the
consensus was against including NGO input. A discussion on the
following day brought the issue up again when NGO suggestions about
the Preamble to the draft document were circulated. Delegations were
on both sides of the issue and N'Dow reiterated that collaboration
with NGOs and local authorities is essential for the implementation
of Habitat II, calling for support for a new era of partnership. But
after the dispute rose in several other meetings, the question of how
NGOs contribute to and participate in the Prep Com was referred to
"the Bureau," which settles procedural issues for the conference.
The final decision held that NGOs can express their views in oral and
written form and work through national delegations, but they may not
negotiate directly with governments while the draft texts are under
review.
BOTH NGOs AND GOVERNMENT DELEGATES EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR MAKING
HABITAT II A "CONFERENCE OF COMMITMENTS." The proposal came from the
Australian delegation and resembles the Australian initiative in
Beijing that elicited specific commitments from governments attending
the Fourth World Conference on Women. NGOs pressed for the Habitat
II commitments to be appended to the final report of the conference
and welcomed an additional call for commitments by inter-governmental
organizations. Some NGOs are also calling for commitments by local
authorities.
THE NGO FORUM FOR THE HABITAT II CONFERENCE IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE
PLACE FROM MAY 30-JUNE 14, 1996. Forum '96 has created a Secretariat
in Istanbul, Turkey, which will be handling all NGO requests for
meeting spaces, workshops and presentations. The location of this
year's Forum will be in central Istanbul, in close proximity to the
meetings of the United Nations Conference.
The address and telephone/fax numbers of the NGO Forum Office
in Istanbul, Turkey are:
HABITAT II NGO Forum '96 Secretariat
Istanbul Teknik Universitesi
Mimarlik Fakultesi Taskisla, 80191
Taksim, Istanbul
TURKEY
Tel: 90 212 251-5170
Fax: 90 212 251-5179
(Earth Negotiations Bulletin, February 5-14, 1996, International
Institute for Sustainable Development; report by Megan McCarthy,
Population Communications International, New York)
* * * * *
WITH DONOR ASSISTANCE SHRINKING ALARMINGLY, NEW SOURCES OF
INCOME MUST BE TAPPED by NGOs to keep their family planning programs
going on a continuing basis. An assortment of options is set forth
by the Washington-based Options for Population Policy organization
in a paper titled: Sustainability of Family Planning Programs and
Organizations: Meeting Tomorrow's Challenges. The study points out
that public-sector resources alone cannot continue to meet the
growing demands for family planning services. Therefore, national
programs must look to other sources for financial support. Suggested
options include supplementary funding by family planning users,
private sector health care provers and host-country governments. As
examples, the policy paper cites three case studies, together with
the advantages and disadvantages of each:
* In Thailand, the National Family Planning Program is supported
completely by the government. But the study argues that while the
program is no longer dependent on outside donors, the resource base
probably should be broadened beyond the government.
* In Indonesia, as in Thailand, the family planning program
enjoys solid political commitment from the capital. The National
Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN), high in the government
power structure, commands sufficient resources for the program.
Nevertheless, the board is diversifying and expanding the role of the
private sector.
* In Colombia, the private voluntary organization PROFAMILIA has
been a success, though without the enthusiastic support of the
government. It not only survives but thrives through the innovative
efforts of a program managed by a dynamic leader and supported by
private donors. PROFAMILIA has also been successful in cost-recovery
activities, with half of its operating costs returned though fees
charged for services.
The policy paper emphasizes that, in addition to developing new
funding sources, donors, host-country governments and program
managers "must reassess their priorities and target their spending
to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people."
THE 38-PAGE STUDY IS PUBLISHED IN FRENCH AND SPANISH, AS WELL AS IN
ENGLISH. Copies in the requested language are available from Options
for Population Policy, 1050 17th Street NW , Suite 1000, Washington
DC 20036. Telephone: (202) 775-9680; Fax: (202) 775-9694.
* * * * *