PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Integrated National Population Policy for Progress and Development, 5 June 1991. (An Integrated National Development Policy for Progress and Development, Department of Finance and Development, 1991.)
4.0 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
4.1 The overall goal of the Government is to hold population growth down as much as possible in order to ensure that all citizens attain an acceptable standard of living and quality of life through social and economic development progress. A population policy and population programme to guarantee Papua New Guineans fuller participation in the benefits of social and economic development, is to form an integral part of the overall development strategy. Its main goals and objectives are the following.
4.2 Population Policy Goals
The goals of the National Population Policy are:
1. To improve the standard of living and the quality of life of the citizens of Papua New Guinea.
2. To improve health and welfare of the population through preventing premature deaths and illness among high risk groups, especially that of mothers and children.
3. To achieve a population growth rate which will not threaten future development prospects.
4. To achieve universal primary education and to expand secondary education to 70 percent of the population by the year 2000.
4.3 Population Policy Objectives
In order to achieve these goals the objectives of the Population Policy are:
1. To promote awareness among the citizens of PNG of population problems and the effects of population growth on future development.
2. To sensitize the implications of population dynamics in social and economic development planning at the national and provincial levels among planners and decision makers, opinion leaders at all levels and the general public at large.
3. To provide the necessary information and education on the value of reasonable family size to both the individual family and the future of the nation.
4. To raise the living conditions in rural areas and provide objective information on living conditions in urban areas to prospective migrants.
5. To promote and expand primary health care services, especially maternal and child care.
6. To make available family planning means and services to all couples and individuals willing to regulate childbirth.
7. To improve demographic data collection, analysis and dissemination for use in social and economic development planning.
8. To enhance integrated rural and urban development in order to improve living conditions in rural areas and to promote an equitable distribution of socio-economic services.
4.4 Phase I
The immediate objective of the Population Policy in the initial state is to:
1. Establish a Population Planning and Coordination Unit in the Department of Finance and Planning with the capacity to coordinate policy formulation, develop, and monitor programme implementation, and review policies and programmes.
2. Identify and appoint a Human Resource person to establish direct links to Departments of Health, Education, Labour and Employment, Personnel Management, Commission for Higher Education, Department of Youth and Home Affairs, and other relevant agencies.
3. Establishment of the National Advisory Committee on Population Policy with the above membership plus representatives form the private and non-government organisations.
4. Establishment of a database with the capacity to produce regular and up-to-date and accurate information on population, age and sex distributions, mortality, fertility, uses and acceptance of family planning and so on. Institutionalization of this data base so that consistently accurate updates are produced.
5. Establishment of relations with Labour and Population Team for Asia and Pacific (LAPTAP), United Nations Fund For Population Activities (UNFPA), and other regional institutions engaged in population development programmes.
4.5 Phase II
The second phase of the national Population Policy is to achieve the following targets:
1. To increase family planning prevalence from three percent now to about 22 percent by 1995 and 63 percent by year 2000.
2. To increase the percentage covered by family planning services and information to all married couples by the year 2000.
3. To expand birth spacing knowledge and increase birth spacing to at least two year intervals or more by 50 percent of married couples.
4. To reduce the total fertility rate (TFR) per woman from the current 5.4 per woman to 4.4 by 1995 and 3.2 per woman by the year 2000.
5. To reduce the infant mortality rate from 72 to 50 per thousand by the year 2000.
6. To reduce the crude birth rate currently 35 per 1,000 to 30 per 1,000 by the year 1995 and to reduce overall growth rate.
7. To reduce the number of people coming into the labour market by increasing qualification levels and prolonging education, especially that of women.
8. To expand secondary education to at least 50 percent by year 1995 and achieve universal primary education by the year 2000.
9. To promote the relevance of education to rural areas and to provide better incentives to reduce attrition rates, especially among females.
10. To increase adult literacy from 32 percent to 50 percent by 1995 and 80 percent by year 2000.
11. To promote the positive use of elements of PNG traditions and cultures in order to encourage better understanding and use of family planning practices.
5.0 STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL POPULATION POLICY
5.1 The strategies for implementing the National Population Policy Programmes are to improve the standard of living and the welfare of the people through an integrated and balanced approach to population and development planning.
5.2 Population policies explicitly related to fertility reduction may be self-defeating, if the population and development interactions affecting demographic processes are not properly analysed and included in development programmes. Experiences elsewhere have shown that healthy population and improved living conditions indirectly affect morbidity, mortality and fertility.
5.3 The Population Policy Programmes accepts the freedom and rights of the individual and couples to act freely and voluntarily to decide on their family size. The Government will enhance the individual's and couples' capabilities to choose alternative methods through information and free access to family planning services.
5.4 A successful population and development programme depends on the acceptance and willingness of the sectoral agencies, the private sector and non-government organisations in implementing the programmes and the allocation of budgetary support by the sponsoring agency. The government needs to sensitize the integration of population and development planning and allocate fundings where programmes are lacking or inadequate.
5.5 Population Information, Education and Communication (I.E.C.).
The achievement of the goals and objectives through the integration of population and development planning will in the first place depend on the understanding and cooperation of Papua New Guineans and their leaders to endorse the policy. Changing demographic behaviour will be ultimately determined by changing attitudes of the populace and their leaders.
5.6 An intensive and widely-spread population Information, Education and Communication (I.E.C.) programme is to be promoted to inform all citizens on the implication of population growth on the well-being of the immediate families, the nation at large and future development prospects.
5.7 The carrying out of such necessary activity will be complicated by the enormous diversities of culture and language, geophysical realities, religious beliefs and the limited mass media network in rural areas and high illiteracy among the population. The I.E.C. programme network will include:
1. An efficient and well-managed awareness creating campaign to sensitize population and development planning directed at national, provincial and local planners, decision makers in governments, as well as community and church leaders, and politicians. This programme is to be implemented through workshops, and seminar discussions from written materials on the demographic, social and economic changes and its implication for social and economic well-being of the family and the nation.
2. The Government is to promote an I.E.C. programme stressing the implication of population growth and socio-economic changes through the mass media utilizing the existing government extension services such as Public Health Extension Programmes, Maternal and Child Health Services, Youth programmes, Adult Education, Agricultural and Nutritional extension programmes to disseminate population and family welfare information.
3. Appropriate training in management and communication skills should be given to government and non-government officials engaged in I.E.C extension programmes to improve their capabilities as well as the effectiveness of the I.E.C. programmes.
4. It will be essential that a vigorous adult literacy programme is pursued if the I.E.C. programme is to be effective.
5. National research institutions such as the National Research Institute (NRI), University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) and Institute of Medical Research (IMR), should be provided with the resources and equipment to undertake research into attitudes and motivation of the population towards family planning, to define the linkages of population, development and environment as well as the dynamics of population changes.
6.0 POPULATION DATA COLLECTION
6.1 The available demographic and socio-economic information has gaps of ten years or more. The Government is to give priority to ensuring that reliable and timely data is available for development planning.
6.2 Closer and collaborative efforts are to be accorded among government departments, non-government organizations and private agencies to establish and maintain a firm database from available information and to have collective inputs in the improvements or the collection of additional information. Line departments and especially permanent members of the NACPP are to be responsible for the proper maintenance and collection of information in their speciality areas and to set up infrastructure to enhance the continuous flow of up-to-date information.
6.3 The Government recognizes the importance of Censuses, Sample Surveys and Vital Registrations Systems as the keys to realistic and effective development planning. The Government is to create alternative sources of collecting information between censuses so that statistics used for policy planning are not more than five years old. Such alternatives include modified Provincial Data Systems, sample registration, intercensal vital statistic sample surveys, multi-round demographic surveys and provincial-based vital registration.
1. The National Statistical Office (NSO), being the central agency for censuses and sample survey data collection and dissemination is to carry out these alternative programmes. The Government needs to immediately review the NSO's needs and measures taken to ensure timely processing, analysis and dissemination.
2. Closer and collaborative efforts must be taken in all preparatory census activities and population surveys to ensure that the data collected are relevant to current development thinking and plans.
3. Legislations should be introduced and enforced to harness the relevance of birth certificates for entry into school enrolment and employment, in order to improve vital registration systems. Registration of births and issue of birth certificates must be decentralized among all relevant departments and agencies.
4. Provincial officials involved in data collection and policy planning are to be entrusted with more responsibility and trained to reinforce vital registration system and data collection methods.
5. The Provincial Data Systems are to be renewed and fully supported to maintain continuity. Data collection, analysis and dissemination methods need to be revitalized to improve on the quality, timeliness and usefulness of the data.
6.4 Education Strategies
The Government should assess the teaching manpower capacities of all the Government institutions and strengthen their capacity through improved assistance in resources and equipment.
6.5 Educational facilities to be expanded to areas having less access to basic education and emphasis given to removing factors contributing to high drop-outs, especially among females. One such incentive would be to expand the transition from Grade 6 to Grade 7 and then on to Grade 10.
6.6 The Government is to re-introduce adult non-formal education with greater emphasis on increasing literacy levels of those people with less or no formal education.
6.8 Maternal and Child Health
Without any prejudice to the National Health Plan, health programmes are to be intensified in order to attain the goal of health for all by the year 2000. Special emphasis will be to reduce the high child and maternal morbidity and mortality both among urban settlement population and in rural areas. These programmes are:
1. The strategies for primary health care will give greater emphasis to attaining the goal of health for all. Maximum community participation in the formulation and management of such services should be promoted.
2. Special attention is to be given in primary health care especially to encourage mothers to breastfeed infants, the provision of adequate nutrition, clean water, basic sanitation, immunization, birth spacing, fertility regulation and family planning services.
3. Health policies and programmes should be integrated into developmental programmes such as in education, family planning, agriculture and income generating activities.
4. Specific programmes will be included in family planning services to reduce the high incidence of deaths related to births.
5. Research into traditional health care and family planning practices should be pursued to establish scientific bases for the possible utilization of such traditional practices.
6. Health education programmes will be intensified to educate mothers and fathers on the proper nutritional requirements of their children and mothers.
7. Community health care and health extension workers, especially HEOs, MCH nurses and APOs are to be provided with regular in-service training to improve capabilities or update the knowledge of health workers.
6.9 Family Planning and Fertility Regulation
Increasing family size and declining family resources negatively affecting family harmony and stability now constitute a national social problem. Organized family planning programmes to regulate family size can be an effective low-cost preventive measure to control social problems in the long run.
6.10 Family planning programmes should not be seen only as a birth control measure, but as a health measure as well, and integrated with existing maternal and child health services. Regulating fertility and spacing of births reduces the incidence of maternal and child morbidity and mortality, as well as reducing the growth rate. The Government is to draw attention to the following broad areas:
1. Legislation which protects the family and the institution of marriage should be enacted and promoted.
2. The importance of family planning and child spacing on the stability and well-being of the family should be incorporated into maternal and child health services.
3. Identify those groups most likely to have their rights limited and develop strategies to remove existing barriers.
4. Government is to ensure the free availability and accessibility of family planning services to all individuals and couples seeking such services.
5. Family planning programme agencies are to make available alternative fertility regulation methods to ensure a conscious and free choice by all couples and individuals.
6. Family planning clinics and private distribution outlets should be established to strengthen existing facilities and community based delivery systems in order to reach those communities, individuals and couples not currently served by the conventional delivery system.
7. Special emphasis on information and educational programmes is to be given to reaching the population in general, and the male population in particular, with messages of the social, economic and health implications of close birth intervals and the moral responsibility for procreation.
8. Adequate resources and appropriate training must be given to family planning personnel to ensure that family planning programmes are more responsive to local cultural values, and the community, immediate families and the individual couple's preferences.
9. Necessary efforts will be given to improve planning, programme formulation, programme management and budgetary control for effective implementation of maternal and child health as well as family planning programmes.
10. Formulate strategies to link plans with budget allocation to consolidate existing services capabilities to improve cost effectiveness in the monitoring and evaluation of family planning programmes.
6.11 Role and Status of Women
It is now generally accepted [that] there is a close relationship between female education, employment and fertility levels. As female education and employment opportunities increase, fertility levels decline and as fertility levels decline a greater proportion of married women enter, or rather, reenter the labour market. Increasing levels of education and employment opportunities for females raises the status of women, leading to marriage at older ages and therefore postpones the onset of reproduction. This obviously has an effect on the overall rate of population growth. The activities to be included are:
1. Amend the legal framework to eliminate remaining barriers to equal participation by women in national development.
2. Government to continue introducing special programmes to guarantee equal opportunities for women in education, employment, housing and business. Specific programmes designed to remove barriers to women's economic, social and intellectual independence should be introduced and strengthened. Greater incentives to rural women in domestic and village crafts, agriculture and small-scale industries are to be encouraged through low interest credit facilities.
3. The roles of the women as mothers and workers should be recognized in all sectors of the economy and expectant mothers granted paid maternal leave to nurse and breastfeed infants. Paid maternity benefits, however, may be restricted to births that take place at [at] least two years intervals.
4. Promote programmes to eliminate high illiteracy among women by providing greater educational opportunities for them.
5. Special programmes on population education and information on areas of family planning, fertility regulation and hygiene should be promoted.
6. The Government to promote and support the advancement of women, especially in relation to their human rights and to freedom of choice with regard to child bearing.
7. The Government to promote, support and strengthen women's organizations promoting the status of women.
6.12 Children and Youth
More than 51 percent of the total population consists of children and youths below the age of eighteen, and constitutes a great social and economic burden on our national resources, yet they are potentially a great natural resource. It is of paramount importance to accept this youth population as the backbone of future social and economic progress, and to prepare them to realize the relevance and quality of their lives. The Government is to:
1. Expand educational and vocational training programmes to facilitate the acquisition of skills which can be applied to the community in self-reliance and gainful employment in the economic sectors.
2. Expand secondary education to reduce high drop-out rates in order to reduce rising rates of youth unemployment, delinquency, and crimes not only in urban areas but everywhere. Educational programmes to foster extended training and provide skills relevant to the aspiration of the community and individual's social and economic development are to be promoted.
3. Incorporate population and family life education into the primary and secondary school curricula and vocational training to assist young people [to] prepare themselves for responsible parenthood.
4. Concentrate its efforts on addressing the needs of young people in family life education, counselling and information on family planning services.
6.13 Population Distribution, Migration and Urbanization
With regard to population distribution and internal migration, the Recommendations of the Mexico International Conference in Population set out in the World Population Plan of Action are to be adhered.
6.14 The Government of Papua New Guinea is also concerned to encourage a more equitable distribution of social and economic services to its population. The system of circular migration is changing towards more permanent movement of migrants from rural areas to the cities, especially to the National Capital District and Law. The ensuing rapid urbanization creates a number of problems, particularly in the areas of housing and urban socio-economic services.
6.15 It is recognized that migration and urbanization are closely related to the socio-economic situation in rural areas, especially in regard to agricultural development, wage and price policies and access to social services. Programmes that need emphasis include:
1. The stepping up of rural development programmes which will include an expansion of community education and primary health services;
2. The registration of customarily owned land to facilitate the proper development of the land;
3. The improvement and expansion of rural extension services, enabling the people to utilize more productively the resources, credit and other facilities made available by Government and other state agencies;
4. The expansion of the larger cities' industrial base in order to relieve pressure on the National Capital District, Lae and other urban areas that are experiencing or are likely to experience industrial growth;
5. The encouragement of community development programmes in urban "spontaneous settlement" areas;
6. The provision to prospective migrants of balanced information about the facts of urban living through schools, radio programmes, radio plays and other media;
7. Promotion of decentralization in a wider range of services and activities to enhance the attraction of rural or regional centres.
8. Deregulate minimum wage policy in order for market forces to determine wages.
7.0 INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION, AND LEADERSHIP
7.1 Implementation of the National Population Policy will be complex involving multi-sectoral participation, requiring close collaboration of many elements of government and non-government organizations. Line departments of government and non-governmental organizations should have operating responsibility, under the general surveillance and coordination of the Population Planning and Coordination Unit, Department of Finance and Planning, for implementation of elements of the national policy assigned them.
7.2 To ensure efficient administration and facilitate coordination between implementation organizations, a single point of contact responsible for population policy implementation is to be designated in key organizations.
7.3 Key steps have already been taken for implementation of the National Population Policy. Pursuant to NEC Decision No. 3/87 the Department of Finance and Planning has established a National Advisory Committee on Population Policy (NACPP) to set guidelines to formulate a National Population Policy, and established a Population Planning and Coordination Unit to oversee and coordinate implementation of the policy.
1. Private and non-government organizations should be assisted with the necessary resources and equipment to strengthen their capability to participate in population activities. Due recognition and support should be given to their work, expertise and experience to fully utilize their resources.
2. Appropriate guidance should be provided to such non-government organizations to ensure that their activities respond to the priority problems of the community and the nation.
3. Community participation in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of population programmes is to be ensured to encourage cooperation from the community.
4. The Government to encourage technical cooperation with other countries and international organizations to share expertise and experience in population and development activities.
7.4 Population Planning and Coordination Unit
The effective implementation and coordination of the National Population Policy requires an appropriate mechanism to facilitate close interaction and cooperation among line departments, non-government and private organizations.
7.5 Immediate actions taken to establish a separate Population Planning and Coordination Unit staffed by highly qualified personnel. The unit should be headed by an Assistant Secretary full-time on the job.
7.6 Composition of National Advisory Committee on Population Policy
Composition of the National Advisory Committee on Population Policy should be broad enough to include membership of key government departments, non-government and private organizations, and provincial governments.
7.7 The NACPP should be a technical body of key organizations to provide policy guidelines from time to time. Coordination for the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the population policy shall be the daily responsibility of the Population Planning and Coordination Unit of the Department of Finance and Planning.
7.8 The advantages of establishing a Permanent National Population Council by parliamentary legislation is recognized, though it may not be necessary now. Details of the institutional organization, composition and functions are attached in Appendix I. A broad line of responsibility for each implementation agency is also attached in Appendix II.
8.0 TRAINING AND RESEARCH
The timely processing, analysis and dissemination of population data will require reinforcement of trained personnel in line departments entrusted with the collection and interpretation of these data.
8.1 Training of field officials in basic data collection at local levels of primary health care, family planning acceptance, births and deaths, enrolment figures and the related information is of paramount importance to monitor and evaluate development goals and objectives.
8.2 Periodic, short in-service training on basic demographic procedures in population analysis for personnel attached to policy and planning divisions to enhance their planning capabilities is to be conducted on a regular basis.
8.3 The most immediate need of line departments and organizations is to designate Human Resources persons in the department and to provide adequate training in population dynamics analysis as inputs in development planning. The other areas of concern are on:
1. The training of skilled demographic personnel to take on the tasks of demographic analysis. The identification of relevant courses to be taught at the University of PNG at an undergraduate level. However, necessary advanced training, especially in the area of demographic data analysis, population studies, family planning programme management and clinical health science should be pursued abroad.
2. Apart from the training of a limited number of demographers, special attention will be given to training officials in central, regional and sectoral planning offices in the field of population-development relationships of "population studies" in the broad sense. This should be achieved by selected training abroad but more importantly by the regular organization of workshops and seminars on the different aspects of the impact of population dynamics on socio-economic development.
3. At the national level, training to strengthen capabilities should be undertaken by institutions such as the University of PNG, the Population and Social Statistics Division of the National Statistical Office, the National Research Institute and other relevant agencies.
Population research should, above all, be action-oriented; activities should focus on:
- basic demographic variables
- dynamics of population change
- motivation and attitudes incluencing demographic behaviour
- population and development interactions
8.5 To ensure continuity in the pursuit of research objective and policy relevance, Papua New Guinea should establish a National Research Strategy with which national institutions, international organizations and donor agencies are invited to conform.
8.6 Coordination of population policy oriented research should be assured by the Population Planning and Coordination Unit of the Department of Finance and Planning.
9.0 MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Monitoring and evaluation will be an important management tool for realistic planning and programme formulation. Both the Asia-Pacific Call for Action and the Mexico Recommendations invite governments to establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and to strengthen their administrative and managerial capacity in order to attain self-reliance in the execution of their programmes.
9.1 Monitoring is seen as a continuous process providing feedback to improve implementation; evaluation as distinct from monitoring, should be carried out periodically by the Population Planning and Coordination Unit to verify whether objectives have been realistic and programmme implementation on target. From this it follows that evaluation of the population programme should be carried out occasionally by the National Advisory Committee on Population Policy.
9.2 The overall policy should be evaluated no later than two years initially, then every five years as certain elements of the programme should be evaluated over a shorter period, such as family planning services.
9.3 In order for the evaluation findings to be included in policy directives it must be expressed in clear operational terms so as to ensure the proper feedback to all government departments and non-governmental institutions participating in the implementation of the population policy.
9.4 Research studies related to population policy formulation and its impact are to be given high priority, especially given the social, cultural and regional diversities existing in the country.
9.5 Policy proposals are to be widely circulated among all government departments and agencies, provincial and local governments and non-governmental organizations in order to obtain a greater input into policy formulation itself as well as to generate political support and stronger commitment to implementation.
1.0 Institutional Organisation for Policy Implementation
1.1 A National Population Council (NPC) comprising the relevant Government Ministries with the Prime Minister as Chairman will be established by legislation to ensure that continued political commitment and visibility is given by the top leadership.
1.2 The National Population Council would be responsible for the coordination, policy approval and programming. The technical details for policy formulation, programming, funding decisions and routine coordination will be done by a technical advisory committee appointed by the National Population Council.
1.3 The advisory committee will draw membership from line Departments in the NPC, non-government organizations and provincial governments.
1.4 The Secretary, Department of Finance and Planning or his Deputy will be the Chairman of the advisory committee. It obviously means transforming the existing NACPP into a more technical body but with its composition broadened to include membership of essential organizations. The Chairman should have authority to make changes in membership of the committee and the flexibility to arrange for ad hoc participation from time to time.
1.5 The Population Planning and Coordination Unit in the Department of Finance and Planning will be the secretariat to both bodies. This structure once firmly in place will give continued political commitment, leadership and effective intra-governmental and intergovernmental and agency coordination.
2.0 Provincial Representatives
It is important at the outset and will become more so for provincial governments to participate in setting policies and programmes for their regions. This can be accomplished to an extent, by deploying existing policy formulation channels such as the Premiers' and Provincial Secretaries' and use of the existing linkage between national and provincial technical departments. However, provisions have been made in the first instance for direct provincial and regional representation on a standing basis.
2.1 Private Sector Representation
The role of the private sector in population policy formulation is also crucial. Many elements of the private sector (including Trade Unions, Voluntary and Commercial organizations) have great appreciation of the adverse and costly effects of population growth in their own community and the nation at large. Their active participation in the NACPP would be an added incentive for their contribution to population programmes among their constituents.
2.2 Permanent Membership should include the following national Departments, and non-government and private organizations:
- Department of Finance and Planning
- National Statistical Office
- Department of Health
- Department of Education
- Department of Labour and Employment
- Department of Prime Minister
- Department of Youth and Home Affairs
- Department of Personnel Management
- Department of Industrial Development
- National Housing Corporation
- Department of Environment and Conservation
- Family Planning Association of PNG
- Employers Federation of PNG
- PNG Trade Union Congress
- PNG Council of Churches
- Commission for Higher Education
- National Research Institute
- National Council for Women
- A respected and leading journalist
2.3 The following essential government organizations, non-government organizations and private sector agencies are recommended for membership to the NACPP on a standing basis. They include:
- Department of Justice
- Department of Lands and Physical Planning
- Department of Agriculture and Livestock
- University of Papua New Guinea
- Chamber of Commerce
- National Broadcasting Commission
- Provincial Departments
- Regional and Premier's Secretariat
- Institute of Medical Research
- Institute of National Affairs
- Others as may be determined by the Chairman
2.4 The Advisory Character of NACPP Role
As a policy formulating body, the NACPP's role is an advisory one. Although, its composition is mainly from representatives of line departments of Governments, the Committee should not be called upon or permitted to take responsibility for administration and implementation of the population policy. It should concentrate on advising on the formulation of policy and, in the time ahead, on modification thereto seen as desirable or necessary in the light of experience with implementation of population policy.
2.5 Frequency of NPC and Advisory Committee Meetings
The National Population Council and the Advisory Committee should meet four times a year. Less frequent meetings will be insufficient to maintain continuous cognizance of effectiveness of the policy and the need for changes and will also detract from the unity and continuity of its membership. More frequent meetings will incur excessive cost and seem unnecessary in any case.
The broad roles of government departments, non-government organizations and private agencies in implementing the National Population Policy are specified below:
A. GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS
1. Department of Finance and Planning
a. Overall coordination of the population policy.
b. Monitor implementation of the National Population Policy implemented by line departments, non-government and private organizations.
c. Identification and assignment of special tasks on an ad hoc basis which do not fall naturally to particular departments or organizations.
d. Secretariat function in support of the NACPP, including information clearing house functions of its members.
e. Arrange for periodic meetings and seminars to facilitate effective participation by all agencies in the formulation and implementation of programmes.
f. To ensure that financial assistance including technical assistance is coordinated and provided under conditions and terms specific to our development goals.
2. Department of Health
a. To concentrate on extending acceptance of family planning and expanding the delivery services as well as improving the quality of family planning services.
b. To monitor all family planning services including counselling, and follow up checks to ensure clients' safety, assurance and care.
c. To extend primary health care and health services delivered to rural areas and marginal urban settlements.
d. To maintain reliable and up-to-date data on health services, including family planning service for effective health planning.
e. To register births and deaths, and issue Certificates registering the events taking place.
f. Promote research into the causes of infertility and sub-fertility to provide assistance to those willing to achieve their reproductive capabilities.
g. To integrate family planning services into health service delivery systems to ensure availability of family planning services and information on first contact with patient.
3. Department of Education
a. To integrate population education in primary and secondary school curricula.
b. To expand primary education to marginal areas especially in more remote and less developed areas.
c. To expand secondary education to enable more children completing primary education to have access to secondary education.
d. To increase community enrolment especially for females and maintain low attrition rates.
e. To promote the understanding, communication and acceptance of family life education through extension of literacy programmes.
4. Commission of Higher Education
a. To assess the further manpower needs and to coordinate training so that manpower supply meets demands of both the private and public sectors and the cadre is of the demand of the labour market.
5. Department of Labour and Employment
a. To ensure that child labour is eliminated from all forms of labour, family labour apart.
b. To concentrate on expansion of manpower training in the private sector.
6. Department of Personnel Management
a. To disseminate family planning services and information among public sector workers.
b. To promote the benefits of planned family sizes to the individual family's immediate well-being and the quality of life as well as the nation's further development prospects.
7. Department of Youth and Home Affairs
a. To integrate family life education in Youth programmes.
b. Encourage youths to engage in activities useful to community life.
c. To enhance women's participation in business activities and develop markets for small-scale products, especially those involving women.
d. To promote women's organizations promoting the status of women.
e. To include family planning and family life education in women's fellowships, seminars and so on.
8. Department of Trade and Industry
a. To decentralize industrial development and promote rural industries, especially in agriculture, forestry, marine resources and so on.
9. Department of Lands and Physical Planning
a. To promote and intensify land mobilizations and register customary land.
10. National Housing Corporation
a. To develop physical infrastructure for low-cost housing development in urban areas and the periphery.
b. To provide credit facilities to first home owners to buy or build suitable accommodation at affordable values.
11. National Statistical Office
a. To provide up-to-date and accurate social indicators to policy planners, decision makers and other data users.
b. To develop alternative source of information for policy formulation, programme monitoring, evaluation and research.
c. To carry out intercensal sample surveys, sample vital registration, and multi-round household surveys to supplement census and other available sources.