BUCAREST 19-30 AOUT 1974. CONFERENCE MONDIALE DE LA POPULATION. DECLARATION A LA TRIBUNE DE LA POPULATION, LE 30 AOÛT 1974, AU NOM DE LA FIDAF-IFFLP ET DE LA HUMAN LIFE FOUNDATION

FAMILY PLANNING AND FERTILITY KNOWLEDGE : A FEW EXPERIENCES

The World population plan of Action (N°27 a,b,e and N°64 i) recommends to " respect.. the right of couples to determine, in a free, informed and responsible manner the number and spacing of their chi1dren "; to " make available the necessary information and education " ; to "insure that information about family planning and othor matters which affect ferti1ity, are based on valid and proven scientific knowledge " and to deve1op new metfi-ods Il inc1uding methods ne~ding no medical supervision ".

For over fifteen years, the undersigned groups have been working along these 1ines in many countries having diverse cultural, ethica1 and re1igious backgrounds.

In contrast to the approach which heavily promotes more sophisticated contraceptives techniques, these groups represent an alternative, a natrural approach to family planning.

This approach inc1ude

1) KNOWLEDGE.

A basic understanding of the processes of fertility and explanation of the methods (such as the Sympto-thermal Method, the Temperature Method and the Ovulation or Mucus Method) which indicate fertile and irfertile days within a woman's cycle. This know1edge a1so embraces human sexuality in terms of its three inter1inked elements of affection, pleasure and procreation.

2) AUTONOMY.

This approach represents a social promotion for women and promotes human development by offering an opportunity to become independent and autonomous, to assume mastery of procreative 1ife.

3) FUNDAMENTAL VALUES.

This aprroach fully respects the Family and its three basic va1uEs : the man as person, husband and father; the woman as person, wife and mother; and the child ever-present in reality or potentiaily, and respected from the moment of conception.

4) COMMUNITY ACTION.

This knowledge, autonomy and fundamental values are transmitted within a community setting through grass-roots initiatives.

5) GLOBAL APPROACH.

This approach allows coup1es to become responsible not only for the application of a method of conception regulation, but for a way of 1ife freely chosen. Family planning is only one aspect of a couple's 1ife and it should be perceived within a totally deve1opment content. To realize this concept, the family needs time and stabi1ity. The family relies on a society which does not have as its first objective to contro1 the number of men but to achieve the necessary transformation 1eading to the promotion of the human person.

This paper is not a theoretical statement, but a summary of proven experiences in the world reinforced by thousands of couples and by scientific etudies (such as the Fairfie1d International collaborative study, 1972-74).

Our experiences seem full of promise for the future and carry an insight which we offer for your consideration during these population meetings.

ACTION FAMILIALE D'HAÏTI, FAMILY WELFARE CENTRE (India), COUPLE ET FAMILLE (France), ACTION FAMILIALE de l'lle MAURICE, FUNDACION CARVAJAl (Co1ombia), SERENA (Canada), C.L.E.R. (France), Natural Family Planning Centre (New Zealand), I.R.E.C. (France).

H.L.F. 1776 K Street, N.W. Washington D.C. 20006, U.S.A.