Interim reply to Recommendation 1243 (1994) on demographic change and sustainable development

14 September 1994

Doc. 7150

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS

Interim reply to Recommendation 1243 (1994)

on demographic change and sustainable development

(adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 8 September 1994

at the 516th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)

The Committee of Ministers has taken note with interest of Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1243 (1994) on demographic change and sustainable development. It has decided to bring it to the attention of the Governments of the member States of the Council of Europe.

Concerning paragraph 9.i of the Recommendation the Committee of Ministers points out that, having regard to present budgetary constraints, particularly shortage of human resources, together with timetabling constraints (the United Nations 4th World Conference on Women is scheduled to take place in Beijing in September 1995) it does not appear feasible to organise a campaign as requested by the Parliamentary Assembly.

The Council of Europe has long intended a specific contribution to this world conference: the conclusions of the Conference "Equality and Democracy: Utopia or Challenge?" to be held in Strasbourg in February 1995. The Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG) is currently engaged in preparatory work for the organisation of the conference.

The Committee of Ministers also recalls that in 1993 the North-South Centre, as part of its initiatives, held an international encounter on "Democracy and Human Rights: the Role of Women in an Interdependent World" attended by 120 women and men from 42 countries of the North and the South. A report containing the meeting's conclusions and recommendations has been published.

Concerning paragraph 9.ii of the Recommendation, the Committee of Ministers recalls that the North-South Centre devotes considerable efforts to raising public awareness of global interdependence and the resultant need for policies of solidarity.

Awareness-raising is conducted by means of the Centre's two programme "windows" devoted to (a) public information and media relations and (b) education and training for global interdependence.

In the framework of the first "window", the Centre co-ordinates co-operation between development NGOs and the "One World" media initiative which involves some 20 European television channels and whose campaign for 1994 relates to the theme of "People, Population and Migration", which will be the focus of the United Nations International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, 5-14 September 1994).

In the second area, the Centre organises training workshops for educationists from the viewpoint of global education, implementation of "Agenda 21" of the Rio summit (UNCED 1992) and preparation for the World Summit for Social Development to be held in Copenhagen in early 1995.

The Committee of Ministers has transmitted Recommendation 1243 (1994) to the North-South Centre's Executive Council and Committee of Representatives of Members for them to take it into account in the framework of the preparation of the Centre's 1995 programme of activities and the budgetary provisions for its implementation.

Finally, the Committee of Ministers has requested the opinion of the European Population Committee (CDPO) and will not fail to keep the Assembly informed of the outcome thereof.