theneedtoincorporate population variables intodevelopment plansandpolicies, veryfewcountries haveestablished national population policies. 33.57 Inorderforsustained development tobeachieved, aconcerted effortwill havetobemadeinmanydifferent spheres atthenational andsubnational levels. Manyofthenational institutions thatusepopulation information arenotconcerned withdemographics assuch,butinstead areengaged inmUltidisciplinary activities encompassing anumberofdifferent fields. Thus,theirpopulation information -16- Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Libraryrequirements rangefromthoseassociated withworkinthefieldofpopulation proper andinrelated fields, suchasfamilyplanning tothoseofactivities in whichsuchdataplayasecondary role,asisthecaseofplanning inthefieldsof education, housing, investment banking andmarketing. Inaddition, the availability ofsuchinformation andthecapability forutilizing itvary substantially fromonecountry toanother intheregion andwithintheindividual countries. 33.58Inrecentyears, thecountries oftheregion haveshownamarked tendency to decentralize administrative functions and,consequently, planning, whichmeansthat demographic activities willhavetobeadapted totheneedsofsubnational and localplanning. Thistrend,incombination withthefactthatpopulation variables areincreasingly beingincluded indevelopment policies, willcreate alargedemand forthetraining ofnational officials atvarious administrative levelsinrespect of'bothgeneral population issues andspecific demographic subjects. Bythesame token,themultiplier effectofteaching activities willhavetobeincreased and newtraining modalities willhavetobeexplored inordertomeetthecountries' needsinthisarea. 33.59 Theobjectives ofthesUbprogramme are: (a)Toprovide assistance toMemberStatesincompiling up-to-date information onpopulation dynamics, theircauses andconsequences, andinanalysing specific subpopulations forpolicy-making purposes: (b)Toassistthecountries inincorporating population variables intopublic policies, inevaluating theimpacts ofalternative demographic trends onspecific public programmes andviceversa, andinutilizing population/development models forplanning purposes; (c)Tofurnish assistance tothecountries intheutilization ofpopulation variables inareasofspecial interest asregards development, including subnational andlocalplanning, healthissues, thestatusofwomen,thesocial and economic situation oftheaged,familyplanning programmes andenvironmental impact analyses; (d)Toassistthecountries inincreasing theirnational institutions' Lapabilities fororganizing, retrieving andutilizing popUlation information within amultidisciplinary context, expedite theflowofinformation onpopulation and facilitate accesstotherelevant technology; (e)Totrainnational personnel toconduct population studies andto incorporate demographic factors intodevelopment programmes andpolicies bymeans ofshort-term training onspecific areasandapplied long-term training, aswellas increase theteaching ofpopulation studies withintheregion's universities and promote national training activities. (b)CourseofactionoftheSecretariat 33.60 Although efforts willcontinue atthenational leveltosensitize decision-makers andtoprovide planners withtoolsforincorporating population variables intodevelopment planning, special attention willbedevoted to increasing thecapabilities ofsectoral ministries andregional andlocal authorities togenerate, obtain andutilize thepopulation inputsrequired for -17- Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Librarytheirwork,especially thoserelating tothebasicneedsofthemostdisadvantaged groups. Advisory services willbeprovided tothecountries inordertohelpthem obtain anup-to-date picture oftheirpopulation dynamics, particularly thoseof thesectors mostseriously affected bythecrisisofthe1980s, andtoutilize economic/demographic modelsforplanning andpolicy-making, especially intheareas ofhealth, education, housing, socialsecurity, employment andothersocial
**Analysis**
The text discusses the importance of incorporating population variables into development plans and policies, with a focus on training national officials and increasing the capabilities of sectoral ministries and local authorities to generate and utilize population data. It also mentions the use of population data in areas such as education, housing, health, and environmental impact analyses. This suggests that the text is primarily concerned with the relationship between population dynamics and development, rather than with specific economic or industrial activities.

**Category**
Economic development, Education, Health