World-wide population meeting to be called in 1994; consolidated recommendations sought.

• Position: Will assess the 1984 World Population Plan of Action

The United Nations is planning to convene a high-level international meeting in 1994 to assess the successes and failures of the 1984 World POpulation Plan of Action. The recommendation was made by the Population COmmission at an eight-day session in New York (21 February2 March) and is expected to be approved by the Economic and Social Council later this year.

The Secretary-General reported (E/CN.9/1989/3) that some of the new issues to be considered at a global meeting would be: regionalization of persistent high rates of population growth; human rights and the new bio-technologies; the changing role of Governments in regard to development; the possible demographic impact of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS); changing family and household structures; the aging of populations; and the "demographic collapse" of the Post-transitional societies.

Some of the unresolved or evolving issues are: the momentum of global population growth; population and sustainable development; population and the status of women; maternal and child health/family planning programme links; the persistence of differential mortality; continuing unmet family planning needs; urbanization; international and internal migration-I and population Policy implementation.

The 1994 meeting will also consolidate and update the recommendations formulated at the two UN population conferences, held in 1974 in Bucharest and 1984 in Mexico City.

the 27-member Commission also asked that the UN give priority to population needs and problems in Africa, in line with the UN Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development, 1986-1990. Women, a key factor

Echoing concerns expressed by many representatives, jeremiah Kramer of Canada stressed that the status Of women was a key factor in population. Increased female literacy had already influenced a reduction in fertility rates in many parts of the world. The education of women was one of the most effective means available to the international community in the area of population, he said.

The Commission recommended that Governments and international organizations...