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DEMOGRAPHIC DYNAMICS AND SUSTAINABILITY

Joke Waller Hunter reported that in preparing for the report on demographic dynamics (Chapter 5) for the next meeting of the CSD, the Secretariat is making full use of the outcome of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). David Payton from the ICPD Secretariat reported that there has been significant progress on these issues since Rio. UNCED had a positive impact on the ICPD process by helping to broaden the ICPD"s consideration of both population and development. The ICPD also adopted the national reporting process from UNCED. The Secretariat received 170 national reports, which have become a major source of information. The Programme of Action is now available as document A/CONF.171/13 and Add.1. During the UNCED PrepCom"s negotiation of Chapter 5 on demographics, there was a real concern that population was one of those issues that was a little too sensitive to be addressed. In fact, the PrepCom could not even use the "P" word ("population") and had to resort to a less controversial word, "demographics." Essentially, the international community was not ready to address the realities of population within the broader framework of development. On the other hand, the ICPD had little trouble talking about the "P" word, although the "A" word proved to be more problematic. There was a reluctance to discuss what had already been agreed to in Agenda 21 with regard to environment and development. The ICPD has succeeded in broadening the concept of population and placing it firmly within the midst of the development debate.