On 12 October 1999, many countries observed the Day of Six Billion. It was a day to reflect on what a world population of 6 billion would mean, now and in the future while population growth rates continue to decline, numbers are still increasing owing mainly to the effects of population momentum. It was a day to recognize that individual lives and health come first, and that poverty, food and water shortages and other problems of underdevelopment can be helped by paying close attention to population issues. Delegations overwhelmingly endorsed the ICPD Programme of Action agreed in 1994. Five years of experience have shown that the Programme is practical, affordable and essential for the future.
Countries are committed to making it work.
For almost three decades, the Asian and Pacific region has stood out to the rest of the world as a model of development. The region had experienced stunning economic growth accompanied by massive investments in health and education that were widely credited with contributing to reduced infant, child and maternal mortality, smaller family size, higher living standards and significant improvement of women's status. But development is not a smooth process. The crisis threw millions into poverty and deep distress, which in some countries has been compounded by the lack of social cohesion and dependable political institutions. It has caused bewilderment among young generations who, before the onset of the crisis, had no real experience of anything except continued improvements in living conditions.