A3-0052/94

Resolution on the demographic situation and development

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the motion for a resolution by Mr Galland on demography and development (B3-1655/91),

-having regard to the resolution of the Development Cooperation Council of 18 November 1992 on European cooperation in the field of family planning and the work to be done in this area by Member State and Commission experts,

-having regard to the Commission Communication to the Council and the European Parliament of 4 November 1992 on demography, family planning and cooperation with developing countries (SEC(92)2002),

-having regard to the observations made during the hearing on the subject in question held by its Committee on Development and Cooperation on 25 November 1993,

-having regard to the Declaration of the Rights of the Child of 20 November 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child of 20 November 1989,

- having regard to the World Population Action Plan (1974) and the Mexico Declaration (1984),

-having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

-having regard to the report by the Committee on Development and Cooperation (A3-0052/94),

A.whereas in absolute terms population densities are much higher in economically advanced countries than in underdeveloped countries,

B.whereas in many cases, in comparison with developed countries, underdeveloped countries are rich in raw materials and have vast areas of territory which are not exploited,

C.whereas therefore economic and social underdevelopment is due less to demography than to other factors, such as inadequate vocational training and centuries of exploitation by rich countries to the detriment of poorer countries,

D.whereas it is currently a feature of the world population situation that there are enormous differences between regions of the world as regards population density, health, pollution, consumption of resources, consumer behaviour etc.; whereas poverty is causing great difficulties, particularly to the so-called developing countries, while disproportionate consumption of resources occurs in industrialized and rich countries,

E.whereas the race between industrialized countries to produce and consume most, and the need to export goods which is forced upon developing countries, are aggravating existing problems and imbalances, including the imbalance between population density and the availability of resources in these countries, and hence fundamentally endangering all efforts to achieve international justice and sustainable, acceptable development,

F.whereas the relationship between consumption, technology and population is very complex; recognizing the impact of consumption patterns in the North on environmental destruction,

G.whereas not only this demographic situation but above all the fundamental global imbalance, covered in recent years in particular by the Brundtland Report ('Our Common Future') and the UNCED on behalf of the United Nations, are factors leading to destabilization of the political and social situation of nations worldwide and present fresh challenges to whole regions because of the migration they cause,

H.deploring the fact that to date female sterilization remains the most common means of birth control; noting that there are often grounds for doubting whether it is genuinely carried out with the full awareness and free consent of the women concerned, because the overriding objective of reducing the birth rate in developing countries is sometimes pursued quite ruthlessly, so that measures have even come to light which were carried out without the women concerned being informed, in some cases with serious consequences for their health,

I.deploring the fact that so-called family planning policy has to date largely been characterized by the absence of self-determination for women, respect for their health and mental and physical integrity, comprehensive and objective information about risks and side-effects associated with contraceptives and studies and information about natural methods of birth control, reliable medical prior care and aftercare, the involvement of men in preventing unwanted pregnancies, and the education required in order to make a genuinely free decision to opt for parenthood,

J.whereas the EU should increase its support to ACP states engaged in structural adjustment programmes, to help them maintain and improve upon their basic social expenditure in the education, health and housing sectors, which is critical for efficient family planning,

K.whereas the level of education of women is the most important factor in the decision on how many children to have; whereas in every country there is a direct link between raising the level of education of women and reducing the birth rate,

L.whereas acceptable birth control can only succeed in the context of an overall political strategy in the health, education, social, cultural, information, consumer behaviour, resource consumption and economic areas; whereas there is a need, first and foremost, for an ethical decision on self-restraint everywhere where the imbalances so far created no longer spontaneously correct themselves,

M.whereas every couple has the inalienable right to opt for responsible parenthood,

N.whereas all family planning policies must be founded on a due regard for the fundamental rights and freedom of choice of the individual; whereas any move to use coercion - regardless of the institution behind it - is completely unacceptable and must be rejected as unethical, since forcible population policy (either to increase or reduce the population) is a highly questionable and often brutal form of interference in people's private lives,

O.concerned at the distortions in demographic patterns caused by AIDS, which may alter the population structures of certain countries,

P.whereas with regard to issues concerned with self-restraint in consumer behaviour, population density and population trends, consumption or conservation of natural resources, international environmental pollution and the like, the European Union has so far displayed inaction or simply made statements,

Q.whereas it is important to consider demographic issues from an ethical point of view in order to avoid adopting a merely economic approach to them;

1.Stresses that the socio-economic growth of the poorest peoples depends primarily on the solidarity of rich peoples, on the establishment of trade relations between developed and developing countries which are fair and opposed to any form of exploitation, and on education based on the values of life, the family, solidarity, responsibility, and thorough vocational training for young people;

2.Emphasizes the link, specific to each case, between a balanced population density and socio-economic development and takes the view that economic and commercial structures which are fair for all peoples are needed if excessive population growth is to be corrected by means of a comprehensive equalization of social conditions;

3.Takes the view that the formulation and implementation by the Union of an effective policy with comprehensive objectives to achieve population balance and sustainable development towards international equity are preconditions for practical action;

4.Calls accordingly for intensified and better coordinated efforts by the Member States and the European Union;

5.Calls for the Commission to establish the appropriate preconditions in terms of staffing and organizational arrangements to enable it to formulate the objectives called for in paragraph 3 in an appropriate manner and ensure that they are taken into account in all other fields of policy;

6.Considers that statistical systems equipped to collect reliable data and family planning services should be set up in the developing countries;

7.Is aware that a process of rethinking is needed both in industrialized and in relatively unindustrialized countries and urges that this process be reciprocal so that both parties remove part of the burden on the global environment in accordance with their specific responsibility and capacities;

8.Stresses that the main thrust behind this change of approach will come from women, provided that the social, economic and cultural preconditions are right, and therefore recommends the active promotion of self-organization and improvements in women's educational and occupational opportunities in both developing and industrialized countries;

9.Takes the view that no authoritarian family planning policy of any kind - whether to increase or limit population - would be ethically acceptable, and calls for all family planning measures to take full account of the cultural, social and economic conditions of the population concerned and the basic requirements of international justice;

10.Calls for family planning to be planned, decided, organized and implemented by the population concerned, and especially by women, and to form part of a broad health policy which should also include psychological, health and social assistance in dealing with difficult or unwanted pregnancies; takes the view that appropriate and suitably sensitive advisory services (accessible both to women and to their male partners) could help to provide the necessary information; calls for NGOs and relevant local associations to be given the opportunity to play a central part in this;

11.Takes the view that family policy should also provide for the education of, and the promotion of literacy among, adolescents and young people of both sexes, and should include the provision of information on reliable and legal methods of birth control - which could be undertaken as part of schooling and vocational training as well as in other social learning processes, through the media and so on - and stresses the fundamental role of education for women;

12.Believes that it should be possible for free decisions of women or couples to employ birth control measures to be carried out without any financial burden or social impediments;

13.Calls on the Commission and Member States to ensure that they do not provide any support for family planning programmes which involve coercive measures or health risks for the people concerned;

14.Considers that, given the interaction between demographic and economic factors, secure prospects must be offered to women and men in the areas of employment and the equitable distribution of resources, land, appropriate technology, education and access to credit, and that family support programmes, child care and pension schemes must be altered accordingly;

15.Firmly believes that it should be actively involved in the third United Nations International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in September 1994;

16.Urges the Commission to pay greater attention to the demographic impact of large-scale development programmes, not least in the area of health care and education, particularly in view of the need to improve the level of women's education and their social status;

17.Insists that the Commission and Council should always inform and consult it promptly with regard to Union plans and measures, particularly with reference to the Union's participation in the forthcoming world population conference in Cairo, to which it resolves to send a delegation;

18.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EEC Joint Assembly, the governments of the Member States and the UN Secretary-General.