THE GLOBAL POPULATION PROBLEM: A NORTH SOUTH DIMENSION

This analytical study examines global population issues through the lens of North-South relations during the mid-1980s, analyzing how demographic trends, population policies, and international cooperation efforts reflect and affect broader developmental inequalities. The article explores the divergent demographic transitions in developed and developing countries and analyzes the implications of these differential population dynamics for global equity and sustainable development. The research investigates how population issues have been framed in international discourse, examining competing perspectives on population growth, resource constraints, and development priorities. The study examines North-South disagreements on population policies, including controversies about family planning approaches, reproductive rights, and the relationship between population and development. The article assesses international population conferences and cooperation mechanisms, analyzing how global consensus has evolved and where significant divisions persist. The research also evaluates the impact of population factors on migration patterns, environmental pressures, and international security concerns. Furthermore, the analysis proposes a cooperative framework for addressing global population challenges that respects different national circumstances and development priorities.

Global population issues represented a crucial dimension of North-South relations during the mid-1980s, with this article providing a comprehensive analysis of how demographic trends and policies reflected broader international inequalities and conflicts. The research begins by examining the demographic divide between North and South, analyzing how completed demographic transitions in developed countries contrasted with ongoing high growth in many developing regions and the implications of these differential patterns for global population distribution. The analysis explores how population issues have been framed in international discourse, examining Malthusian perspectives that emphasize resource constraints, developmental approaches that focus on the relationship between population and economic growth, and rights-based frameworks that prioritize reproductive health and individual choice. The article investigates North-South disagreements on population policies, analyzing controversies about family planning methods, the role of abortion, the balance between population control and development investment, and the appropriate responsibilities of developed and developing countries in addressing global demographic challenges. The study examines international population conferences and cooperation mechanisms, assessing how events like the 1974 Bucharest Conference, 1984 Mexico City Conference, and ongoing United Nations activities have shaped global population discourse and policy coordination. The research evaluates the impact of population factors on international migration patterns, environmental pressures, and security concerns, analyzing how demographic dynamics in developing regions affect and are affected by global economic and political structures. Based on the comprehensive assessment, the article develops a framework for cooperative approaches to global population challenges that recognizes different national circumstances, respects cultural diversity, and addresses the structural factors that shape demographic behavior. The findings provide valuable insights into how population issues intersect with broader North-South relations and contribute to understanding the relationship between demographic change, development processes, and international cooperation.