National Population Programme, Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy, October 1987
Annual Review of Population Law 14: 262-266
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0364-3417 PMID: 12346660 Document Number: 295829
This document reprints major provisions of Costa Rica's 1987 National Population Program. The document states that Costa Rica bases its population policy on respect for human rights and, recognizing the family as the basic unit of society, protects the right to procreate and the right to life from the moment of conception (which leads to rejection of abortion and sterilization for family planning [FP]). Specific directives contained in the population policy include: 1) augmentation of maternal and infant health care services and FP; 2) promotion of shared responsibility of men in all spheres of familial responsibility, including FP, child rearing, and domestic tasks; 3) protection of children's rights regardless of the circumstances of filial relationships; 4) equality for women and improvement in women's status; 5) support to the family by providing access to education, employment, nourishment, health, housing, social security, justice, and liberty; 6) promotion of rational population distribution; and 7) protection of the rights of immigrants.