World Population Policies: 2005

This report delineates Governments’ views and policies concerning population and development for the 194 Member States and non-member States of the United Nations. In particular, it itemizes policies in the areas of population size and growth, population age structure, fertility and family planning, health and mortality, spatial distribution and internal migration and international migration. Prior to 2003, the publication was issued as National Population Policies 2001 (Sales No. E.02.XIII.12) and National Population Policies 1998 (Sales No. E.99.XIII.3). Prior to 1998, the data were published as the Global Review and Inventory of Population Policies (GRIPP). A major characteristic of United Nations international population conferences during the past three decades has been the emphasis placed on the monitoring of the implementation of their goals and recommendations. Accordingly, the Programme of Action adopted by the International Conference on Population and Development held at Cairo in 1994 recommended that actions should be taken “to measure, assess, monitor and evaluate progress towards meeting the goals of the present Programme of Action”. The monitoring of population policies at the international level has a long history that goes back to the World Population Plan of Action adopted at the World Population Conference held at Bucharest in 1974. The Plan of Action was the first international instrument on population policy. Within the framework of the Plan of Action, population policies were defined in terms of all policies and programmes – including social and economic policies – concerned with the major population variables: fertility, mortality, internal migration and geographical distribution of population, and international migration. The Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs is responsible for providing the international community with up-to-date, accurate and scientifically objective information on population and development. The Population Division provides guidance to the Untied Nations General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Commission on Population and Development on population and development issues. In addition, the Division undertakes studies on population levels and trends, population estimates and projections, population policies, and population and development interrelationships. Responsibility for World Population Polices 2005 rests with the Population Division. Preparation of this publication was facilitated by the collaboration of the Member States and non-member States of the United Nations, the regional commissions, and the United Nations programmes, funds and agencies.