Population and socio economic development
There is a clear recognition of the difficulty experienced in establishing causative links between population growth, or certain demographic variables, and economic development. It is equally difficult to establish causative links between fertility and poverty. While it is argued by some that a decrease in fertility results in a decrease in poverty, the complexity of this relationship is illustrated by the experience of Latin America in the last decade, which shows precisely how an important decrease in fertility coincided with a significant decrease in the income per capita of the inhabitants and an increase in the external debt, among other factors.
Population and the environment
We affirm that human resources are the most valuable resources on which we can rely. The role manifests itself in the ecological realm, a view which is well addressed in the consensus document from the Regional Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean, which accurately affirms that demographic growth is not the principal factor of environmental deterioration. Very educated countries take good care of their forests and resources, while [less inhabited] countries, but with low levels of education, plunder their ecosystems. Increasing poverty, over-consumption of resources in the North and disparities that exist within the South, lack of education, low status of women, inappropriate economic policies and development models, rapid population growth, and unsustainable use of natural resources are all interconnected.
The role and status of women
The role of women must be enhanced to its full potential, for the benefit of women as human beings as well as for the greater benefit of society. To achieve the fullest meaningful role of women, specific steps must be taken through social and fiscal policy reform to overcome the administrative, judicial and societal barriers that obstruct access of women to work opportunities. In this context, society must provide on an equal footing the rights, benefits and opportunities to women who by choice or circumstances dedicate themselves to homebound work or family responsibilities.
Population growth and structure
Society should encourage commitment of both men and women to the family unit and foster consolidation of couples and the integration of the family unit. As the basic unit of society it should enjoy the support of wide-ranging social policy in order that it may offer the stability which it brings to society. The Cairo Conference should endorse the affirmation of the World Declaration on Nutrition (1992) which affirms: “We fully recognize the importance of the family unit in providing adequate food, nutrition and a proper caring environment for meeting the physical, mental, emotional and social needs of children and other vulnerable groups, including the elderly” (Statement at the Preparatory Committee for the International Conference on Population and Development, second session, 10–21 May 1993).
