Some children and an elderly hilltribe woman posing for a picture in Chiang Mai, Thailand – Photo courtesy of UNFPA/CST Bangkok, Ms. Viennarat Chuangwiwat.

At the latest Committee, numerous population issues received extensive attention, in particular under the population and social integration agenda item. The great diversity in demographic dynamics among countries in the region was highlighted, while it was suggested that countries currently experiencing a bulge of young population try and make the necessary arrangments (provide adequate level of education and employment, etc.) to be able to reap the benefits of the “demographic dividend”.

The Committee noted that for countries where fertility had dropped below replacement level (such as Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore) there was a need for creating an enabling environment to support women to have children. This would help prevent the population of these countries in general and their work-age population in particular, from declining.

The Committee noted the steady increases in longevity in the region and the consequent rapid population ageing, with growing numbers and percentages of, not only old persons, but also of “oldest-old” (aged 80 and over). The Committee recognized economic and social development challenges associated with the process of population ageing.

Reviewing key activities and programmes carried out by ESCAP, the Committee urged the secretariat to assist member and associate member countries in building their capacities for integrating population factors into development planning. Under the monitoring and evaluation agenda item, the Committee reviewed the UNFPA-funded project on “Population, Development and Poverty: Emerging Challenges” implemented by ESCAP during the period 2004-2007.

Intercountry analysis and research; knowledge sharing, advocacy and policy support; and capacity-building in the field of population and development are among the project’s activities, aimed at strengthening the capacity of members and associate members to achieve the goals of the Programme of Action of the ICPD and the Fifth APPC Plan of Action. Along with the Asia-Pacific Population Journal, the present newsletter is being prepared as part of this project.