Singapore - June 14, 1999
Annual General Meeting  hile RFPD can not prescribe how Rotary projects should be handled, as a member of the
Rotary family most focused on the population issue, the group has developed a set of
Guidelines for consideration when Rotary clubs are working on population projects.
RFPD has recommended that Rotary International consider adopting these or similar Guidelines,
to set common parameters for our population project service work in the future. The Guidelines
presented below were adopted by RFPD at its Annual General Meeting June 14, 1999 in Singapore.
1. The Program of Action delivered from the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population
& Development which was agreed to by 180 governments represented at the conference, serves
as a guide for Rotary's Population & Development work. It suggests attention toward:
- Extending and improving family planning and reproductive health services
- Expanding population policy to include economic development and education
- Improving the status of women
- Linking environment and sustainable development to population
- Investing in the health and development of children, especially girls
- Emphasizing male responsibility for sexual, reproductive and parenting behavior
2. Projects should attempt to include participation and support from other agencies and/or
foundations involved in the Population & Development area, including international, national and
local organizaions. Rotarians should remain actively involved in the work, and association should
only be with organizations whose published policies are consistent with the ideals contained in
paragraphs 3-6 below. Association, where possible, with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Field Representatives is encouraged.
3. Project concepts should be respectful of local cultural and religious customs regarding family
values and reproductive health. Toward this end, projects ideally are conceived and detailed by the local Rotary sponsoring organization.
4. Projects should employ Child Spacing methods including abstinence, natural and all medically
approved methods of contraception. Projects must not use abortion or any other form of premature induced delivery.
5. Project beneficiaries should participate on a completely voluntary basis, without pressure, material inducement or compensation.
6. Projects should not specify or target certain numbers of children per family or fertility rates,
these things being better left to the discretion of the individual family units. Generally, projects
will achieve improvements in these measure areas by directing attention toward underlying
causes (availability of reproductive health services, gender equality, literacy, economic empowerment, etc.)
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