22 March 1996
30 April - 3 May 1996
6-8 May 1996
E/ECA/CM.22/7/Add.1
Distr.: GENERAL

UNITED NATIONS
Original: ENGLISH

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

PROGRESS REPORT ON PREPARATIONS FOR AND FOLLOW-UP OF

INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL CONFERENCES AND PROGRAMMES

E/ECA/CM.22/7/Add.1

I. DAKAR/NGOR DECLARATION ON POPULATION, FAMILY AND

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON

POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OF ACTION

1. The ECA Conference of Ministers, at its 1993 meeting, endorsed the Dakar/Ngor Declaration on Population, Family and Sustainable Development adopted in 1992 by the third African Population Con-ference in Dakar, Senegal, as the common position for the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo, Egypt, in September 1994. The Declaration was later endorsed by African Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in June 1994.

2. In adopting the Declaration, African Governments placed high priority on its implementation, which is a reafirmation of the validity of the Kilimanjaro Programme of Action for Population and Self-reliant Development (KPA) adopted in 1984. Member States and concerned institutions were urged to establish appropriate joint follow-up and evaluation mechanisms for its implementation. They recommended that the ECA Multidisciplinary Regional Advisory Group (MRAG) be reinforced to play its role in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the Declaration. A Follow-up Committee was established in 1993. The report of its first meeting, held in March 1994, was submitted to the ECA Conference of Ministers the same year.

3. At the thirtieth session of the Commission/twenty-first meeting of the Conference of Ministers responsible for economic and social development and planning in May 1995, the secretariat reported on the outcome of the ICPD. It was noted that the concerns and content of the Declaration were reflected in the ICPD Programme of Action. Both instruments constitute development frameworks guiding population and development programmes. The Beijing Platform for Action, adopted by the fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in September 1995, affirms also the importance of population and development issues addressed in the Declaration and the ICPD Programme of Action.

4. The Follow-up Committee requested the holding of an expert/non-governmental organization (NGO) workshop which was convened by ECA, OAU and the African Development Bank (ADB) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire on the implementation of the Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action. The outcome of this workshop was reported on to the Conference of Ministers for sustainable development in March 1996 and to the ninth session of the Joint Conference of African Planners, Statisticians, Population and Information Specialists in March 1996.

5. This progress report highlights the major issues, including the constraints, in the implementation of the Declaration and the ICPD Programme of Action in Africa, in selected areas.

II. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECLARATION AND THE ICPD PROGRAMME OF ACTION

6. The recommendations in the two development frameworks are addressed to governments, the private sector and NGOs, subregional and regional groupings, ECA, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Bank and other relevant organizations of the United Nations system as well as regional organiza-tions such as OAU and ADB and the international community.

A. Implementation by African countries

7. Recommendations addressed to governments covered the following areas: population, sustainable economic growth and sustainable development; family; fertility, family planning and reproductive health; mortality, morbidity and AIDS; urbanization, migration and physical planning; refugees and displaced persons; women in development; children and youth; data collection and analysis, information dissemination, training and research; information, education and communication.

(a) Population, sustainable economic growth and sustainable development

8. The formulation and implementation of comprehensive population policies, according to the prin-ciples and objectives of the Declaration, should be accelerated simultaneously with sustained economic growth to ensure the achievement of long-term objectives of food security and sustainable development. Concern on the environmental degradation is also expressed.

9. The Declaration recommended policies and programmes focusing on: reducing the regional popula-tion growth rate to 2.5 per cent by the year 2000 and to 2 per cent by the year 2010; measures to deal with issues related to environment degradation and poverty. In 1993, 33 African countries had indicated that they were intervening to moderate their fertility so as to reduce population growth. Apart from the regional targets on population growth rates, many member States have set their own targets. In 62 per cent of African countries, it was reported that population issues related to natural resources, environment and land use were reflected in their national development plans and policies as of 1994.

10. By the end of 1992, about 20 countries had specific population policies. Since the adoption of the Declaration in 1992, comprehensive policies have been adopted in Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi and Uganda. In Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe, arrangements are under way on the preparation of clear and comprehensive population policies. In countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Zambia, national population policies were reviewed after ICPD to take into account some of the issues in the ICPD Programme of Action. In addition, action plans for implementa-tion were prepared. In Morocco, a Ministry of Population was established in March 1995.

(b) Fertility, family planning and reproductive health

11. The Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action have attached great importance to policies on fertility, family planning and reproductive health. The Declaration calls for:

(a) The setting of fertility and family planning targets for all people of reproductive age;

(b) Implementing legal measures to improve the status of women and their reproductive health;

(c) Addressing unmet family planning needs of adolescents and others.

Furthermore, the Declaration has set the contraceptive targets of 20 per cent by the year 2000 and 40 per cent by the year 2010 for Africa as a whole.

12. Many countries, as indicated earlier, have adopted their own targets of fertility to be achieved between now and the year 2000 and beyond. These include Burundi, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Countries which have adopted contraceptive prevalence targets between now and the year 2000 and beyond include Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Congo, Comoros, Egypt, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, the Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo and Zimbabwe. Contraceptive prevalence rates (CPR) are high (ranging from 33 to 75 per cent) in Algeria, Botswana, Egypt, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa, Tunisia and Zimbabwe. The high CPRs are associated with lower and declining fertility rates. In most countries, CPRs are below 20 per cent.

13. Many countries have had programmes intended to improve reproductive health and family planning. These include Burkina Faso, Kenya and Uganda. Since the ICPD in 1994, Uganda has taken initiative to implement a programme that deals with adolescent reproductive health, women's empowerment and repro-ductive rights. The programme on adolescent reproductive health aims at promoting appropriate counselling and services. In June 1995, Uganda hosted an Eastern African Workshop on reproductive health and on HIV/AIDS and in December, an internatonal conference on HIV/AIDS. Burkina Faso hosted a conference on family planning and reproductive health in March 1995 to strengthen national and regional constituencies to promote change in national policies, programmes and procedures and improve family planning and repro-ductive health, quality of and access to services. The meeting was attended by representatives of 10 French-speaking countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, the Niger, Senegal and Togo.

14. Integrated projects on family planning, nutrition and parasite control are being implemented in Ethiopia, the Gambia, Ghana, the Tanzania and Zambia with assistance from UNFPA and the Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICPF). Intergrated pro-jects have contributed to improved attitudes towards, and increased acceptance of, family planning and prac-tice; male involvement in family planning; and improved sanitation and environmental conditions as well as parasite control.

15. Data from demographic and health surveys (DHS) show that there is considerable unmet needs for family planning for spacing and limiting of births in most of the countries, due in part to lack of accessibility to information and services. Even where these are availabe, the quality, in many cases, is not satisfactory. Provision of family planning and reproductive health services to adolescents is quite sensitive in some coun-tries where they are denied such services. This is at variance with the recommendations of the Declaration and the ICPD Programme of Action which urged governments to address the unmet family planning and reproductive health needs of adolescents. Provision of such services to adolescents needs to be viewed in the context of the detrimental impact of unwanted pregnancies on the social, economic, psychological health of adolescents.

(c) Mortality, morbidity and AIDS

16. The Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action call for giving priority to reduce infant, child and maternal mortality and programmes to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. The Declaration set targets for life expectancy, infant and childhood mortality as well as for maternal mortality. Member States were urged to implement health programmes, such as the African Health Development Framework. Some countries like Burkina Faso, Burundi, Comoros, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Namibia, the Niger, Sao Tome and Principe and Tunisia have adopted specific infant mortality reduction targets to be achieved by the years 2000 and 2015. Some countries also have targets to reduce child and maternal mortality and some have made significant progress in reducing them, like Algeria, Botswana, Cape Verde, Egypt, Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa, Tunisia and Zimbabwe. In other countries, although trends in infant and child mortality had been declining, recent indications show an increase due to the deep economic crisis that has seriously affected the health delivery systems. The situation is worse in countries with civil conflicts where infant and child mortality are high. Progress in the implementation of programmes to reduce maternal mortality is rather difficult to follow due to lack of data. Available data indicate that maternal mortality rates ranging from 400 to 900 per 100,000 live births are common in many countries.

17. In the absence of a cure, HIV/AIDS is increasingly a serious social, economic and health problem. Among the most affected countries in Africa are the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, the Tanzania, Zaire, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Some efforts at educating the population on preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases are being attempted through educational programmes. Unfortunately, they are not meeting much success to change the attitudes towards AIDS in some countries. Poverty seems to impede attempts towards AIDS prevention. More effective educational programmes need to be pursued by governments.

(d) Women in development

18. Both the Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action have called on member States to:

(a) Adopt policies aimed at improving the role and status of women as a means of incorporating women's programmes into all aspects of development;

(b) Take necessary measures to eliminate discrimination against women;

(c) Institute and strengthen programmes for reforming the education system and vocational train-ing with a view to providing basic education to all school-age population with particular emphasis on the education of girls; and

(d) Pass legislation to enhance the legal status of women.

19. The fifth African Regional Conference on Women in Dakar in November 1994 revealed that, although women account for more than 50 per cent of the population, their participation in decision-making in parliament, local government and in issues affecting their lives is limited. Despite efforts made to improve the education of girls, the proportion of their enrolment compared to boys is still small in many countries. Better opportunities for women's advancement will depend on improving the education of the girl child.

20. Many countries have established national machineries for the advancement of women. However, most of these are ineffective due to, inter alia, lack of or inadequate resources. Some countries have put in place legislation to facilitate the advancement of women and eliminate discrimination against them. However, the implementation of such legislation is rather slow. Attempts are being made to improve women's access to productive resources and access to credit in their own right. Here again, progress seems to be slow. Women continue to endure most of the effects of poverty and the burden of day-to-day life. Frequent births has a negative impact on their health and that of their children.

(e) Problems encountered by African countries in the implementation of the Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action

21. In June 1995, ECA convened a workshop of experts and NGOs on the implementation of the Dakar/Ngor Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action. The meeting discussed problems encountered in the implementation of the two development frameworks. These problems included the following.

(a) The impact of structural adjustment programmes (SAPs) and the associated debt burden;

(b) The socio-economic crisis affecting African countries;

(c) Inadequate awareness and involvement at the grass-roots level in the formulation and imple-mentation of population and development programmes and policies;

(d) Weak institutional mechanism and inadequately qualified human resources;

(e) Socio-cultural attitudes which favour high fertility, especially at the grass-roots level.

The Workshop made relevant suggestions and recommendations on implementation of the two development frameworks.

B. Implementation of the Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action

by the private sector and NGOs

22. The Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action attached great importance to the role of the private sector and NGOs in the implementation of population and development programmes and policies. In some countries, like Kenya, the private sector is involved in the implementation of population-related activities. Both local and international NGOs are involved in assisting African countries in the implementation of the Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action at country level. Included among these NGOs are national family planning associations and other local NGOs, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the Population Council, Family Health International, the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA) and JOICFP. It will be recalled that NGOs played an important contributory role in the process that led to the ICPD Programme of Action. Partnership based on mutual trust among the private sector, NGOs and governments needs to be continued and strengthened.

C. Implementation of the Declaration and

ICPD Programme of Action by ECA

23. ECA's activities towards the implementation of the Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action since the report to the Conference of Ministers in 1995 have included:

(a) Preparing studies related to the implementation of the two development frameworks;

(b) Convening the Experts and NGOs Workshop on the Dakar/Ngor Declaration and ICPD Pro-gramme of Action in June 1995 (with involvement of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the African Development Bank (ADB) and IPPF and funding from the Governments of France and the Netherlands, UNFPA and IPPF);

(c) Participating in the joint ECA/OAU/ADB missions of the African Population Commission to Senegal, South Africa and Zimbabwe in the context of the implementation of the Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action;

(d) Convening a Senior Policy Seminar on the Social Impact of HIV/AIDS in Households and Family in Africa, held in Addis Ababa from 2 to 4 October 1995.

D. Implementation of the Declaration and

ICPD Programme of Action by UNFPA

24. The United Nations Population Fund continues to be the major contributor to support population-related activities at country level and through the three multidisciplinary country support teams based in Addis Ababa, Dakar and Harare. It also provides support to regional projects and programmes. A new orientation in its programmes puts emphasis on reproductive health, including family planning; population and development strategies; and advocacy. Within each of these three areas, support is provided in training, research, awareness creation and information dissemination. In addition, UNFPA emphasizes gender equality and equity in the three core areas of funding.

E. Implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action

at the global United Nations level

25. At the global level of the United Nations, the Commission on Population and Development is respon-sible for reviewing progress in the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action. The Commission reports to the General Assembly through the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). At its meeting from 26 February to 1 March 1996, it reviewed the implementation of ICPD Programme of Action with regard to reproductive rights and reproductive health, including population information, education and communica-tion. Meeting once a year since last year, the Commission discusses one main topic of the ICPD Programme of Action. In 1997, it will consider international migration, with special emphasis on the linkages between migration and development, and on gender issues and family.

26. Within the United Nations system, an Inter-Agency Task Force promotes collaboration and coordina-tion on monitoring of the ICPD Programme of Action. The Task Force met in December 1994 and July 1995. To promote cooperation, five working groups have been formed, each with a lead agency:

(a) Working group on the development of a common data system at national level in the field of health, notably infant, child and maternal mortality [United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)];

(b) Working group on basic education, with special attention to gender disparities [United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)];

(c) Working group on women's empowerment [United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)];

(d) Working group on reproductive health [World Health Organization (WHO)]; and

(e) Working group on policy-reltated issues, including the drafting of a common advocacy state-ment on social issues (UNFPA).

These groups have prepared guidelines in their respective areas.

III. SOME ISSUES THAT REQUIRE ATTENTION BY AFRICAN COUNTRIES

27. Primary responsibility for implementing the two development frameworks at national level rests with the African countries themselves. However, the assistance of donor agencies, governments, the United Nations system and the international community is crucial and essential.

28. African countries need to intensify their efforts and commitment to the implementation of the Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action. In this context, they need to pay particular attention to issues and recommendations emanating from the 1994 Experts and NGOs Workshop, annexed to this report. Some specific issues to which member States need to give special attention and priority are given below.

A. Creation of awareness at grass-roots level

29. Perceptions on the need for formulation and implementation of population-related policies and pro-grammes are favourable at the level of governments. These have not filtered to the population at the grass-roots level. Thus, information, education and communication (IEC) activities need to be mounted and/or intensified at the grass-roots level. Members of parliament, whenever possible, should address population issues in parliament and in their constituencies in mass rallies. Similarly, population and family life educa-tion programmes should be introduced in formal and non-formal education where they do not exist. Such issues have been found to be sensitive in some countries. IEC programmes should be addressed to both men and women.

B. Providing an enabling environment for the formulation and

implementation of population and development policies

30. Population policies and development programmes cannot be formulated or implemented in a hostile environment of internal conflict and national socio-economic crisis. To foster an enabling environment, member States need to strive harder to improve socio-economic conditions and stop internal conflicts.

C. Involvement of population at all levels

31. For population and development policies to be successful, the population at all levels should partici-pate and be involved in their formulation, implementation and evaluation.

D. Mechanism for the monitoring and evaluation of population and development policies

32. Once policies and programmes have been adopted and the strategies for their implementation have been worked out, there is need to monitor continually and evaluate periodically progress in the course of their implementation. Thus, institutional arrangements need to be put in place for that purpose and personnel required should also be trained. Special importance should be given to continuous data collection and analysis to facilitate evaluation. This calls for a management information system (MIS) to be developed.

E. Allocation and use of resources

33. National governments should allocate resources to implement the Declaration and the ICPD Pro-gramme of Action. In addition, limited resources should be used properly. This would encourage donor governments, organizations and the international community to assist African countries.

F. Improvement of the status and role of women

34. Government policies and programmes should pay special attention to issues on improving the status and role of women by translating policies and programmes to concrete implementable activities which should include:

(a) Improving education for girls;

(b) Providing quality reproductive and health services to adolescents and women who need such services;

(c) Integrating women into all socio-economic development activities, including in decision- and policy-making in the affairs of the countries.

E/ECA/CM.22/7/Add.1

Annex

Annex

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EXPERTS AND NGOs WORKSHOP ON THE

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DAKAR/NGOR DECLARATION AND

THE ICPD PROGRAMME OF ACTION

A. Preamble

1. The Workshop of Experts and Nongovernmental Organizations on the Implementation of the Dakar/Ngor Declaration on Population, Family and Sustainable Development and of the International Con-ference on Population and Development Programme of Action, held in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, from 6 to 9 June 1995, was organized by the joint secretariat in liaison with IPPF and UNFPA. It was funded by the Governments of France and the Netherlands, UNFPA and IPPF.

2. Recalling that the first African Population Conference had called on African countries to intensify their efforts in the collection of data related to population and development, simultaneously with the analysis of such data and its utilization in the formulation of relevant population policies and programmes, the Work-shop noted that:

(a) By adopting the Kilimanjaro Programme of Action for African Population and Self-reliant Development (KPA) at the second African Population Conference, African Governments had resolved to accelerate self-reliant, social and economic development;

(b) The implementation of the KPA was affected by serious economic crisis, characterized by severe and unprecedented socio-economic hardships, mounting external indebtedness and an absolute increase in the number of people living in poverty; and

(c) As the gravity of the economic situation in African countries continued unabated, particularly against the background of structural adjustment programmes (SAPs), several other development policy state-ments were elaborated which purported to pave the way for alleviating the effects of the economic crisis. They included Africa's Priority Programme for Economic Recovery, 1986-1990 (APPER); the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development, 1986-1990 (UN-PAAERD); the African Alternative Framework to Structural Adjustment Programmes (AAF-SAP), 1989; and the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa (UN-NADAF), 1993.

3. The Workshop noted further that:

(a) Subsequently, the third African Population Conference reiterated the continued viability of the KPA as a framework for the development of Africa and accordingly adopted the Dakar/Ngor Declara-tion, calling on ECA member States to accelerate the rate of implementation of the KPA recommendations;

(b) The importance accorded by African leaders to population and development was further reflected in the endorsement of the Declaration by the thirtieth Assembly of Heads of State and Government of OAU, meeting in Tunis, from 13 to 15 June 1994;

(c) The Declaration was subsequently presented as the African Common Position on population and sustainable development to the ICPD in Cairo in September 1994, which adopted its Programme of Action; and

(d) The OAU Council of Ministers, at its seventeenth extraordinary session, held in Cairo from 25 to 28 March 1995, also stressed the importance of population issues in the socio-economic development of Africa.

4. Accordingly, to assist further the implementation of the two frameworks on population and develop-ment, the Workshop adopted the following recommendations addressed to African Governments, subregional, regional and international organizations and NGOs:

B. Recommendations to African Governments

1. General

5. Countries should, wherever necessary, promote an enabling environment for improving socio-economic conditions, so as to achieve the goals, objectives and targets of the Declaration and ICPD Pro-gramme of Action. They should reactivate the tradition of long-term perspective development planning, including strategic planning, and establish appropriate mechanisms for the formulation as well as the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of national population programmes.

6. Countries that have no comprehensive and clear population policies should be encouraged and assisted to formulate and implement such policies, taking into account the national social, economic and cultural specificities. Those which already have such policies should be encouraged to review them in the light of the Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action consistently with their development priorities.

7. A better understanding of the process of integrating population factors in development planning by the makers and planners of policy should be fostered. Policy-makers, planners and parliamentarians should have a working understanding of social, economic and demographic interrelationships, as well as a functional sensitivity about the need for an integrated approach to development planning. They should also understand the methodology, criteria and principles of developing a national population policy.

8. The promotion of inter-country and inter-organizational technical assistance should be encouraged and exchange of experience and knowledge should be promoted through publications, conferences, meetings, study tours and visits.

9. Countries need to show greater political will and commitment in the implementation of the Declara-tion and ICPD Programme of Action. Greater effort should be made to mobilize increased resources at both national and international levels for population and development programmes. Efficient use of resources and a strong will to implement such programmes are key factors in that regard.

2. Formulation and implementation of national population policies and programmes

10. All data sources on population and development - vital statistics, censuses and field surveys - should be promoted and institutionalized as an integral part of comprehensive follow-up, monitoring and evaluation system. Governments should put in place an integrated population and information system for that purpose.

11. Existing data should be fully analysed and utilized in the formulation and implementation of popula-tion and development programmes.

12. Realistic targets should be set at national and sub-national levels after a careful analysis of both demographic and socio-economic conditions.

13. Governments should define clearly each component of the implementation structure, the criteria for selecting incumbent of positions within the structure and the terms of reference, as well as the mode and mechanism of collaboration between elements of the structure. The scope and nature of the implementation structure should depend on the comprehensiveness of the population policy measures.

14. The trend towards decentralizing the implementation of national population policy strategies should be systematic and rational in terms of conceptualization, formulation and implementation.

3. Monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of national population policies

15. Countries should promote the culture of incorporating in-built monitoring and evaluation procedures when designing and implementing population programmes and projects. A management information system (MIS) should be developed at all levels of operation, which carefully monitors the stocks and flows of pro-gramme and project inputs, as well as serving as an essential ingredient in the understanding and explanation of impact indicators. A series of relevant policy and small-scale operational research should be undertaken to improve implementation and management of population programmes.

16. Member States should define their own priority sectors of intervention and state a clear set of national objectives per sector, including progress indicators aimed at facilitating the monitoring and evalua-tion of the implementation of the Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action.

17. The selection of output indicators should be based on the identification of the variables which are most responsive to change.

18. In all sectors, wherever necessary, indicators of behavioural change, aspects of economic and social progress should be included in the monitoring and evaluation mechanism.

19. Popular participation should be enhanced in the process of monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects.

20. In order to make an overall assessment of the progress made by countries in monitoring and evaluat-ing the implementation of the Declaration and ICPD Programme of Action, governments should ensure that they complete and return questionnaires sent out to them by the Joint ECA/OAU/ADB Secretariat.

4. Capacity-building for the formulation, monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of national population programmes

21. Governments should put in place and empower relevant institutions for the formulation, implementa-tion, monitoring and evaluation of population and development programmes and projects; and they should establish and/or strengthen appropriate structures.

22. Existing and ongoing training programmes in population and development planning should be reviewed and reoriented, consistently with the emerging new development paradigm. In that regard, govern-ments need to involve NGOs in such training schemes. Equally, provision should be made to update periodi-cally the skills and the basic knowledge of policy-makers and planners, in order to keep them abreast of the changing socio-economic environment.

23. Governments are urged to ensure the appropriate location of population programmes; security of tenure for competent staff; and a designation conferring high authority for the institution entrusted with the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of population and development programmes. They should also continue to support and cooperate with subregional and regional institutions, including the Centre d'études et de recherche sur la population pour le développement(CERPOD), the Institut de formation et de recherche démographiques (IFORD) and the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS).

C. Recommendations