UNESCAP 60th anniversary book reflects on demographic transition, looks back at contribution in field of population

As part of UNESCAP 60th anniversary celebrations, a book was prepared entitled The First Parliament of Asia which relates the history of the regional commission -- how it emerged as a Commission for Asia and the Far East in March 1947 and how its activities changed over the years to match the priorities of the Governments in the region.

The story fast extends beyond linear chronology to embrace the Asian and the Pacific region’s history, covering economic, political, social and environmental issues.

Divided in five chapters, the 160-page book devotes chapter three to the profound social changes that have unfolded in the region and have allowed millions of people to climb out of poverty, taking also into account the remarkable progress in health and social welfare of the 1950s and 1960s.

“This rapid reduction in death rates was a considerable achievement. But since it was not immediately matched by a corresponding reduction in birth rates it provoked a rapid growth in population. By the end of the 1940s Asia was already home to more than half of the world’s people”, the book explains.

“As the implications emerged, some governments started to act. In 1952, India was the first to respond with a national family planning programme, followed after a couple of years by a number of other countries, and a decade later by China.

“ECAFE had also become concerned about this issue around the same time, having sponsored a population seminar in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955. But the United Nations as a whole did not become actively involved in population until the 1960s. Under the auspices of ECAFE one of the first major activities was the organization of the first Asian Population Conference in New Delhi in 1963… At that point, only five administrations had official population policies. But by the time of the second conference in 1972, owing partly to the work of what is now the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), ECAFE and others, 15 countries had adopted relevant policies and 10 others were actively supporting family planning programmes”.

Explaining the early work of the Population Division, established in 1969, the book touches upon the long-standing collaboration with UNFPA, established in 1969 as well, stating that “Together, ESCAP and UNFPA have contributed to improving the capability in the region to monitor population trends and their impact on development, promote advocacy and knowledge sharing, and provide technical support”.
Note: The book will soon be made available online and accessible from www.unescap.org