Special Characteristics of Population Planning in the Pacific

Abstract

Several of the countries in the Pacific region are pioneers in the national family planning movement of the developing world. Programs there focus on clearly specified demographic goals and operational targets and are usually given a high status. Several are among the most successfully implemented programs in the world. Good evaluation systems and innovative approaches are among their special characteristics. The programs have some weaknesses in common, however. Among these are inadequate input, failure to reach the hard-to-reach, inability to lower the norm of family size, and failure to encourage the use of some effective means of fertility control such as induced abortion. Some programs are also approaching an important stage of transition: a plateau of acceptance, a changing age structure of the population, and a possibly improved fecundability will, henceforth, make attainment of program goals increasingly difficult. More innovative approaches and dynamic leadership to save programs from the natural process of “aging” will be required in the future. Notwithstanding these weaknesses, the countries in the Pacific have a unique opportunity to demonstrate to the world that human fertility may be reduced through planned and organized effort.