NGLS Roundup, May 1997 30TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT INTRODUCTION The 30th session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD), held at UN headquarters in New York from 24-28 February 1997, met to discuss international migration. Discussions focused on the linkages between migration and development, including the evolution of international migration policies, documented and undocumented migrants, labour migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, and gender issues and the family. Reports under consideration by the commission indicated that due to widening disparities in growth and development between countries and regions, and sweeping changes in global political and economic systems, migration pressures have intensified in the latter half of the 1980s and the early 1990s. As a result, new areas of concern have emerged, including: the possible negative impact of short-term migration on working conditions in host countries; protection of migrant women and children from abuse by their sponsors; the right of receiving countries to regulate access to their territory; adverse consequences of forced migration; the situation of persons whose asylum claims have been rejected; and trafficking of women and children, prostitution and coercive adoption. Notable trends include the rise of the worldwide refugee population, from under 2 million in 1965 to some 13.2 million today; migration pressures due to climatic change; the sudden and massive arrival of refugees in need of international protection; and the feminization of labour migration. Reports before the commission shed light on initiatives taken by states, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to address these issues and identify future challenges. One-hundred and five NGOs working specifically in the field of international migration were asked to identify what they consider to be the four most important objectives in Chapter X on migration in the programme of action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The NGOs overwhelmingly accorded highest priority to the root causes of migration, especially those related to poverty. Protection is the next greatest concern; numerous organizations identified the need to ensure protection against racism, ethnocentrism and xenophobia and to eliminate discriminatory practices against documented migrants, especially women, children and the elderly. The third most important objective is promoting the welfare of migrants, and the fourth in order of importance was the need to address the root causes of undocumented migration. ISSUES DISCUSSED AT THE SESSION During its 30th session, the commission stressed the need for more reliable data on migration, the direction of migrant flows and characteristics of migrants. In an effort to address the root causes of migration, commission members said they required better data from research at the micro-level on migration flows within and between countries and regions, as well as on specific topics, such as employment and income, women and migration, links between rural-urban and international migration, and the function of financial remittances. Discussion on policy options included protection of the rights of documented migrants and increased development aid to countries of origin. Several countries called for more support for the memorandum of understanding signed by the United Nations and the International Organization on Migration (IOM), as well as the UN Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and the Members of Their Families. The negative economic circumstances that cause skilled workers to leave some countries was also addressed; some governments stated that priority should be given to strengthening the economic and social bases of regions through steady development in order to prevent population movements. A discussion ensued on the need to regulate migration to protect the interests of all concerned parties, including migrants, local people, and sending and receiving countries. Some speakers noted that a consensus was required on whether migration enhanced or retarded economic development in sending and receiving states, while other governments preferred to consider migration on a case-by-case basis to take into account social and technical changes. Some said that migration, if properly directed, could enhance economic development for both countries of origin and recipient countries. A number of governments called for a distinction between refugees and migrants in the commission s reports and between those who choose to become refugees and those who are displaced. With regard to gender concerns, it was noted that women make up nearly half of the international migration population, and the effects of female migration need to be considered in the context of economic and social change. The IOM said that through its work in campaigns to provide accurate information to potential migrants, it had become aware of the rapid growth in organized trafficking. For this reason IOM has decided to focus attention on trafficking as a gender issue and an abuse of basic human rights. A number of NGOs working in the human rights area sought to expand the UN s definition of trafficking. They noted that trafficking not only takes place across borders but within borders and argued that it is a separate issue from migration. The NGOs also said trafficking is not limited to prostitution or sexual exploitation, and persons coerced into the traffic are entitled to legal protection whether or not they were aware of the purposes for which they were being coerced. No consensus was reached on this issue; NGOs will continue to debate it in other fora, such as the Commission on the Status of Women and the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). During the CPD session, NGOs organized a discussion on Migration and Vulnerable Populations; participants stressed the need to address sexual violence faced by female migrant workers and refugees, as well as their reproductive health requirements. During discussions participants took into account the effect of migration on families left behind, and they stressed that family reunification is not only in the best interest of each family but also of the society where it resides. NGOs, noting that family members left behind in places of origin are usually older generations, stressed the need to include older persons in local development planning, and to ensure they have equal access to credit, education, and technical assistance. A number of countries took up the issue of low fertility and its implications for the ageing of the total population; it was noted that the ageing of labour forces will have implications for economic competitiveness in the international arena. Participants also discussed financial resources in population assistance. They highlighted the recent US$31 million agreement between the European Union (EU) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which involves population programmes in several Asian countries, as a significant development in post-ICPD resource mobilization. Other actions of donors include the policy decision of The Netherlands to dedicate 4% of its official development assistance (ODA) to population, and large increases in population assistance from Denmark channeled through UNFPA. Substantial increase in donor assistance, both in terms of total ODA and assistance to population projects as a percentage of ODA, were noted. However, preliminary indications show that the 1993-1995 upward trend in international assistance was not maintained in 1996. The report on financial resources was based on a classification of population activities reflecting an ICPD perspective. Data on allocations is needed in seven categories: basic reproductive health; family planning; maternal and child care; sexually-transmitted disease prevention, including HIV/AIDS; population data; research and policy analysis; and population. ACTION TAKEN The commission concluded its 30th session by adopting two resolutions and one decision, and by recommending one resolution for adoption by the Economic and Social Council of the UN (ECOSOC) at its summer session. The commission, recognizing the need for further analysis of international migration trends and the linkages among the social, economic, political and cultural factors related to international migration and development, noted with interest that the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) Task Force on Basic Social Services for All will be holding a technical symposium on international migration in 1998. The commission requested the chair of the task force to make every effort to raise the necessary extrabudgetary resources to prepare and convene the symposium to provide greater insight and information on inflows, outflows, returns and integration of migrants and ensure participation of high calibre technical experts from all regions. The decision also urged the task force s working group on international migration to develop an agenda for the symposium that builds on existing recommendations on definitions of international migration, focuses on the identification of measurable indicators, and analyzes the complex interrelationships between international migration and development, including policy experiences concerning management of international migration. Under the terms of a draft resolution on reporting requirements to the CPD, and in light of GA resolutions 50/206 and 51/211, the commission decided to streamline reporting to it and to eliminate the report on activities of inter-governmental organizations (IGOs) and NGOs at its next session. Instead, it requested the material be integrated into other commission documents on World Population Monitoring, and on Monitoring of Population Programmes. The commission welcomed the initiative to improve reporting on financial flows through collaboration with the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute, and it encouraged exploration of opportunities to improve coverage and quality of other reports through similar collaborative ventures, such as monitoring NGOs. In the context of the reform of the UN system, the commission stressed the need to continue the basic work of the Population Division in areas such as population estimates and projections; basic population trends and issues, including fertility, mortality, migration and patterns of rural and urban population change; the evolution of population policies; understanding the links between population and development; and the need to further enhance the division s efficiency, effectiveness and capacity. The commission also emphasized the importance of the division s preparations for the review and appraisal of implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action, to be conducted by the commission in 1999. It requested the division, in collaboration with other relevant actors, to build an improved assessment and analysis of international migration, as well as an improved understanding of international migration and development. The commission recalled GA resolution 50/123, in which the General Assembly decided to include international migration and development, including the convening of a UN conference on international migration and development in its provisional agenda for the 52nd session. It recommended that ECOSOC adopt a resolution calling for continued collaboration in the area of international migration between the Statistics Division and the Population Division of the UN secretariat, regional commissions, other relevant UN and intergovernmental agencies and governments that provide technical assistance in statistics. It also called for continued collaboration to disseminate the new set of recommendations on statistics of international migration, and for technical assistance for governments implementing those recommendations. The resolution calls upon the Working Group on International Migration of the ACC Task Force on Basic Social Services for All to compile a comprehensive list of issues related to international migration and development and identify the intergovernmental mechanisms available to address them. This is to ensure that international migration remains a major topic in the follow up to the ICPD. DOCUMENTATION Among documents the CPD considered were reports of the UN Secretary-General on: world population monitoring, focusing on international migration with special emphasis on linkages between migration and development, and gender issues and the family; monitoring of population programmes; activities of intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations related to the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action; the flow of financial resources for assisting in implementation of the programme of action; and the report of the ACC Task Force on Basic Social Services for All dealing with ICPD Programme of Action implementation. In addition, the commission considered a report on progress achieved in the field of population since its 29th session, notes by the Secretary-General on the proposed programme of work in population for the biennium 1998-1999, and a report on world demographic trends. The commission considered a note by the Secretary-General transmitting the agreed conclusions adopted by ECOSOC in 1996 on coordination of the UN system of activities for poverty eradication (E/CN.9/1997/10) that are addressed directly to the CPD or that have a direct impact on the commission s work. In its conclusions, ECOSOC agreed that: in 1999-2000 the relevant functional commissions should prepare inputs for the council s review of poverty eradication; the CPD should address issues related to poverty and population in the context of ICPD s outcome; the Commission for Social Development should examine the theme of Social Services for All in 1999, which should serve as an input into the 1999 ICPD review; and the Commission for Social Development should draw upon the CPD s work on access to health care, including reproductive health care. The council also recommended that the Commission on Sustainable Development rely on inputs from the CPD in order to enhance the implementation of Agenda 21 recommendations from chapter 3 on combating poverty that correspond to the core areas of the World Summit for Social Development, the Fourth World Conference on Women and the ICPD, respectively. BACKGROUND Primary responsibility for monitoring implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action rests with the CPD. After the ICPD, member states decided to strengthen the commission, which has been in existence since 1946. They enlarged it from 27 to 47 members, called for annual meetings and high-level government participation from representatives with a background in population and development and renamed it. The work programme of the commission was given new impetus by the ICPD in GA resolution 49/128 of 19 December 1994, with responsibilities for monitoring, reviewing and assessing implementation of the programme of action. In this connection, the commission adopted a multi-year programme of work based on the programme of action. The 29th session of the newly restructured commission met at the UN from 26 February-1 March 1996 to discuss the theme of reproductive rights and reproductive health. Bureau The 30th session of the commission was chaired by Jos Gomez de Leon (Mexico). Vice-Chairs were Andaras Klinger (Hungary), Akintobi Kadejo (Nigeria), Jenny Gierveld (Netherlands) and Raj Karim (Malaysia), who also served as the commission s rapporteur. The commission has agreed to authorize its bureau to hold intersessional meetings on a yearly basis. Secretariat The commission is serviced by the Population Division of the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis (DESIPA) of the UN secretariat. This division shared the responsibility of providing the secretariat for the ICPD conference with UNFPA, which has its own Executive Board, an intergovernmental body reporting to ECOSOC. UNFPA also reports to the Commission on Population and Development regarding follow up to ICPD. Rules Governing NGO Participation The CPD is a functional commission of ECOSOC, therefore rules for the participation of NGOs are governed by those of ECOSOC. In recognition of the much broader interest and contribution of NGOs in the ICPD, and the importance of NGOs in the follow up and work of the commission, ECOSOC requested the Secretary-General in resolution 1996/2 to make appropriate arrangements for liaison between non-governmental organizations and the commission, and to ensure that the existing channels of communication with non-governmental organizations are fully utilized in order to facilitate broad-based participation and dissemination of information. 31st Session of the CPD The provisional agenda for the 31st session of the CPD, to be held from 23-27 February 1998, will have the theme Health and Mortality, with special emphasis on the linkages between health and development and on gender and age. Documentation to be considered at the 31st session will include the Secretary-General s reports on: Health and Mortality; monitoring of population programmes; activities of intergovernmental and NGOs related to implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action; the flow of financial resources for assisting in implementation of the programme of action; 1997 progress of work in the field of population; and a report of the ACC Task Force on Basic Social Services for All dealing with implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action. The annual theme for 1999 will be population growth, structure and distribution, with emphasis on sustained economic growth and sustainable development, including education. CPD DOCUMENTS ONLINE The Population Division of DESIPA is making official documents for the CPD available electronically through its Population Information Network (POPIN) web site (http://www.undp.org/popin/unpopcom.htm). POPIN also maintains a gopher site (gopher://gopher.undp.org:70/11/ungophers/popin/unpopcom/30thsess ).