previous policies and efforts

For over forty years the United Nations has been working on bringing the growth of the human population under control. In 1974, the U.N. sponsered its first intergovernmental conference on population. The United States advocated measures to reduce population growth through family planning programs in developing countries. Many developing countries, however, argued that they needed enonomic development instead of family planning. Conversely,in the 1980's many developing countries recognized the need for family planning programs, while the United States advocated economic development.

In 1994 the U.N. held an International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo. At this conference 179 nations endorsed a new approach to stabilizing the population and improving the quality of life. This new approach is called the "Programme of Action." This program does more than simply focuse on controlling population growth, it tries to deal with the numerous interrelated problems that contribute to population growth. The goal of this program is to stabilize human population at 7.8 billion by the year 2050.

The "Programme of Action" has five main components: 1. Recognize that economic development is necessary for environmental protection and  stabilized population growth. Promote free trade, private investment, and development assistance. 2. Provide universal access to family-planning and reproductive health programs. 3. Make education more accessible. The goal is universal primary education by 2015. 4. Increase women's health, education, and employment by making women equal participants in society. 5. Ensure that men take responsibility for healthy pregnancies, child care, and the prevention of unwanted pregnancies.

Two succeeding conferences adopted similar measures. Both the 1995 World Summit on Social Development in Copenhagen and the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing stressed raising the status of women as a factor in solving the population problem. There have also been other follow up conferences.

In 1979, China began its one-child-per-couple policy. Couples which comply, as well as their children, are rewarded. A second child is allowed only by governmental approval. Those who do not comply are punished, both financialy and socially. It is common for women to be forced to have abortions or sterilizations. For this China has received much criticism. Although the people of China are having less children per couple, China's population continues to increase since there are more couples to begin with. In the long run, however, the policy can be said to be effective.