1. International Conference on Population:
Mexico, 1984
Md. Saeed Anwar
Sociology Discipline
Khulna University

2. World Population Conference
The first World Population Conference was held at the
Geneva in Switzerland in 1927 (Wikipedia, 2014).
It was organized by Margaret Sanger (American birth
control activist, sex educator, and nurse.) the conference
was an attempt to bring together international experts on
population, food supply, fertility, migration and health to
discuss the problem of overpopulation (Wikipedia, 2014).

3. Significant International Population Conferences
World Population Conference at Geneva, 1927
World Population Conference in Rome, 1954
World Population Conference in Belgrade, 1965
World Population Conference in Bucharest, 1974
International Conference on Population in Mexico , 1984
International Conference on Population and Development
(ICPD) in Cairo, 1994
General Assembly 21st special session in New York, 1999
International Population conference in Korea, 2013 (UN,
2013)

4. International Conference on Population in Mexico
Mexico City hosted the second largest International
Conference on Population between 6 – 14 August
1984 (UN, 2013).
It was attended by representatives of 147 Member
States. At the time 123 countries promoted family
planning (UN, 2013).
Many developing countries, including Bangladesh,
Brazil, China, India, Kenya, Mexico and Pakistan
expressed their firm support for family planning and
population programmes (UN, 2013).

5. Cont…
Many developed countries, including Norway, Sweden
and the UK stated their willingness to increase their
support for population programmes (UN, 2013).
The USA stated its policy of not funding any programmes
facilitating abortion.(UN, 2013).

6. Aim of the Conference
Principal Aim
The principal aim of the conference was social,
economic and human development.
To combat all forms of racial discrimination, including
apartheid.
To promote social and economic development, human rights
and individual freedom.
To ensure reproductive health facility for women (UN,
1984)

7. Goal of the Conference
To reduce death rate among children whose age
between 1-5 years before year of 2000.
To attain life expectancy 70 years before year of
2000.
To reduce maternal morality rate at least 50% from
1984 before year of 2000.
(United Nations Fund for Population Activities,
1984).

8. Cont…
To reduce at least 50% unsatisfied demand for
contraceptive method from 1984 before year of 2000.
To reduce infant morality rate at least 50% from 1984
before year of 2000.
To attain real knowledge about safe contraceptive before
year of 2000
(United Nations Fund for Population Activities, 1984).

9. Issues of the Conference
Population, Development and Environment
Gender Equality, Equity and Empowerment of Women
Reproductive Health, Reproductive Rights, Family Planning and
Family Well-being
Territorial Distribution of the Population and Internal Migration.
International Migration and Development
Training, Information and Research
(UN, 1984)

10. Objective of the Conference
To harmonize the mutual relationships among population
dynamics, the environment, social and economic development.
To broaden the consideration of trend in demographic variables
in sectoral and regional policies.
To adopt environmentally sustainable development strategies
To reinforce and broaden at all level of education and
communication programmes.
(United Nations Fund for Population Activities, 1984)

11. Objective of the Conference
To improve women’s status and position in society specially
it the sector of decision making.
To guarantee equal job opportunities with equitable
remuneration.
To combat discrimination against women in social and
political field.
(United Nations Fund for Population Activities, 1984)

12. Objective of the Conference
To improve the health of women, specially in the area
of reproductive health, family planning and sex
education.
To promote and protect the reproductive and rights of
individual and couple.
To ensure the legislation on the family incorporates
conciliation mechanisms and laws designed to prevent
violence
To improve the quality of family planning services.
(United Nations Fund for Population Activities, 1984)

13. Objective of the Conference
To promote a territorial distribution of the population
which is conductive to changing production patterns of
the economy
To encourage the diversification of migratory
destination by developing intermediate cities.
To improve and extend the basic infrastructure of
essential services and raise the environmental quality.
(United Nations Fund for Population Activities, 1984)

14. Objective of the Conference
To address the root causes of migration especially
those related to poverty.
To promote agreement with developed countries in
order to reduce migration.
(United Nations Fund for Population Activities, 1984)

15. Objective of the Conference
To promote the development of human resources as
well research
To create and implement new, low cost teaching
methods in the area of population.
(United Nations Fund for Population Activities, 1984)

16. Special Focus
 Much of the focus was on economic development
 Improve of women status through family planning and
maternal and child health (UN. 1984).

17. Attitudes of Developing Countries
International population comference assistance as racist,
genocidal, or imperialistic
Western nations of advocating population control as a
substitute for foreign aid
Recognized that problems of rapid population growth, infant
and child mortality, urbanization, and migration (Mosely,
2006)

18. US position on Population in the Conference
Population growth is, of itself, a neutral phenomenon
Developing countries experiencing population
pressures should reduce government interference in
their economies in order to promote economic
growth and thereby reduce fertility (Mosely, 2006).

19. US position on Abortion in the Conference
Much more restrictive than previously.
Previous position: US funds could not be used for direct
support of abortion-related activities (Mosely, 2006).

20. Economy and the Conference
At Bucharest in 1974: US offended by Third World
introduction of North-South economic issues
At Mexico City in 1984: US took the opportunity to
advance its own political views
But developing countries had much greater influence on
Plan in 1974 than US did in 1984 (Mosely, 2006).

21. Changing economics and the Conference
Between 1974 and 1984, developing countries had
government changes toward more pragmatic and market-
oriented development e.g. China, India, Mexico, Algeria
Many LDC’s highly in debt to MDC’s making them more
cautious in international politics (Mosely, 2006).

22. Changing Outlook toward Population
By 1984, most LDC’s believed it was in their interest
to reduce fertility and address population issues as
part of their development strategy
China, sub-Saharan Africa had changed their 1974
views that population was unimportant (Mosely,
2006).

23. Achievement of the Conference, 1984
 Implementation of the proramme of action of the
international conference on population and development.
 Improve reproductive health and reproductive rights.
 Gender Equality
 Mobilization of resources and international co-operation

24. Conference Declaration
1. Reaffirmed validity of 1974 World Population Plan of Action
2. Recognized progress in human welfare, but also problems
especially stagnation in economic growth and increase in number
of people living in absolute poverty
3. Economic difficulties and problems of resource mobilization in
developing countries (Nowels, 2001).

25. Cont…
4. Population growth, high mortality and morbidity, and
migration problems causes of great concern.
5. Confirmed principal aim of social, economic, and human
development, of which population goals and policies are
integral part (Nowels, 2001).

26. Cont…
6. Global growth rate declined from 2.03 to 1.67 % per year
7. Demographic differences between developed and developing
countries remain striking
8. Population issues recognized as fundamental element in
development planning (Nowels, 2001).

27. Cont…
9. Population policies good experience in previous 10 years
10. Population and development policies reinforce each other when
they are responsive to individual, family, and community needs
11. Improving the status of women and enhancing their role is an
important goal in itself and will influence family life positively
(Nowels, 2001).

28. Cont…
12-14. Family planning
15. Maternal and child health
16. Aging
17. Urbanization
18. Migration
19-21. Role of governments, NGO’s
22. Close interrelationship of population and economic and social
development (Nowels, 2001).

29. Concluding Remark
 Mexico’s population policy has been able to construct
a sound institutional structure.
 In 1974 a muliti-sectoral national body was created.
This body is helpful for implementing the population
policy.
 In 1984, more than 32 states decentralize their
population policy which in extend the municipal
population policy at present.

30. References
Mosely, W. H, 2006. Population Policy. Johns Hopkins University
UN, 2013. Outcomes on Population. Retrieved from
http://www.un.org/en/development/devagenda/population.shtml[Accessed on 19 January,
2014]
UN, 2013. United Nations Conferences on Population Retrieved from
http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/events/conference/index.shtml
[Accessed on 19 January, 2014]
UN, 1984. Report of the International Conference on Population, Mexico City. United Nation
Publication, New York
United Nations Fund for Population Activities, 1984. Mexico City Declaration on Population
and Development. Retrieved from http://www.popline.org/node/405896 [Accessed on 19
January, 2014]
Wikipedia, 2014. World Population Conference. Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Population_Conference [Accessed on 19 January,
2014]

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THANKS TO ALL