The information and population education and social and community welfare program drawn up by the International Labor Organization (ILO) aims at the improvement of the living conditions of workers through relating their incomes and needs to the basic needs of the family. The integration of voluntary associations in project activities can increase the effectiveness of messages; the multiplicity of information channels enlarges the scope and strenthens credibility insofar as these channels are accepted by the target groups. When it comes to determining the contents intended for groups such as trade unions, village committees, or cooperatives, a study of the area is undertaken to know their specific situation and the aspects concerning their population and social welfare problems. Population education provided by ILO deals with 2 primordial factors: 1) the improvement of working methods which will make it possible for individuals to improve of their health and living conditions while earning better incomes, and 2) the sharing all knowledge between men and women to encourage men to assume better responsibilities. The level of education of persons affected by projects is very different; they represent a complete range from the literate and semi-literate to the illiterate. Different units of production of educational equipment are being organized to meet material demand. In conclusion, educational and social welfare programs conform to the recommendations of the conference and will continue to draw on the World Population Action Plan to improve standards of living and quality of life for all people.
In January 1981, a project proposal was signed by the Somalian government and the UN Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) governing project assistance in the implementation of population education activities in the Republic. The objectives of the program involve the institutionalization of population-family life education within the formal educational system of Somalia. An analysis of existing primary and post-primary curricular was undertaken to ascertain the possibilities of infusing population-related concepts, content, or themes into the traditional subject areas: social studies, general science, and mathematics. A broad spectrum of teachers were selected from each of the 16 regions of Somalia, and they were trained in 3 stages: 1) an initial background content providing phase, 2) an implementation phase focussing on content and method in a classroom setting, and 3) an apprenticeship phase where assistance was given in training 5 apprentices. The population family life project in Somalia is currently in a stage of mass vitalization of in-school and out-of-school programs. Mobile audi-visual vans work during the day out of a regional center to reinforce school activities. The National Program of Population Education in Somalia is now in its 4th year of implementation; it is in the last stages of institutionalizing the in-school program. The strengths of the program stem from its fundamental location within the planning department, the quality of the project staff, and the extremely low level of turnover. The weaknesses of the program are due to isolation from the world outside Somalia. The scarcity of skilled manpower and having to train specialists and technicians are also difficult to overcome.
Population education in Africa South of the Sahara made very little progress during the 1970s and, even though some projects were implemented during that period, they were particularly concerned with resolving specific problems connected with the family or sexual life of young people. The object of traditional education is the global development of the population as a whole, and this implies that its content covers all aspects of life in society; individual interest is subordinate to the collective interest. The teaching method derived from this education is a global, integrated, and progressive method; the education given to a child is a global education that embraces all aspects of social life. All social life is organized around a solid populationist ideology; matters relating to population are progressively inculcated in the child as its process of socialization progresses. Education in the family is conducted at 2 levels: through the intervention of parents and within the scope of games. The 2nd stage of population education goes on in age group associations, which are a form of social organization based on age and are common to practically all African societies. Initiation is a form of systematizing all the ideas inculcated in children from early childhood in the form of a global training organized by specialists at the end of adolescence for both boys and girls. Overall, far from being foreign to Africa, population education is a part of the daily life of traditional African societies where it is incorporated into a coherent project for the development of the society. Population education is still a living reality in Africa's rural areas; however, a new type of population education in the educational system designed to answer present educational problems is entirely pertinent and is a pressing need.
The Republic of Seychelles is made up of islands and a melange of African, European, Indian, and Chinese people. Traditionally, attitudes towards sex have been governed by church morality and social consensus; however, with the dissemination of Western values brought in by tourists and the early maturation of teenagers, the breakdown of traditional institutions and values has changed sexual behavior in Seychelles. A 5 year United Nation Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) maternal and child health project was initiated to enhance the development of healthy, mature, responsible attitudes towards sexuality, thus helping the young to make responsible decisions about their lives which would benefit the society as a whole. The 1st step which took almost a year to accomplish was to establish links with key people and organizations to explain the purpose of the project; in a country where sexual discussion is a taboo subject, this was not easy. The family life education advisory panel--drawing top-level people from the different ministries, organizations, religious denominations, political parties, and parents--was set up to guide and gain involvement of as wide a population as possible. In 1980, a mass campaign was organized around the theme of teenage pregnancies. Gradually, the sex education program was introduced into elementary classes following training of teachers and development of an appropriate, evaluated curriculum. Today, family life education forms an integral component of the curriculum in all schools. Results of the UNFPA 5 year project are: 1) the rate of teenage pregnancies has decreased slightly, 2) venereal diseases are more controlled, 3) contraception use has greatly increased, 4) female sterilization is widely practiced, and 5) an abortion bill has been approved. Follow up studies are needed to ascertain the long term effects of the program on the students' knowledge, attitude, and behavior in the future.
Latin America is the 5th most populous area in the world; in Central America 40% of the population is made up of indigenous groups, the remaining 60% comprise mixed European and Africa strains. The entire Latin American are faces a set of similar problems: 1) an inadequate agrarian structure, 2) unchecked urban growth, 3) high illiteracy and school drop-out rates, and 4) the undervaluation of the area's natural products by the developed countries. The increased Latin American population has had to face the additional problem of increasing unemployment rates; 10.29% in 1983 and 11.19% in 1984. The deterioration of rural living conditions, falling investment in the sector, and their lack of opportunities invariably constitute a stimulus for the endless rural exodus toward the cities. The Regional Program of Rural Communication for Latin America and the Caribbean helps national organizations (both official and private) and conducts activities related to communication and population issues by creating systems for diffusion, personnel training, and intermediate and mass communication. The basic components of the direct training program have been regional and subregional seminar courses and workshops; since 1973, 700 professional personnel have been trained directly. The Regional Program collaborates with member states in solving the zone's important population problem.
