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DECEMBER 1989 - NUMBER 35
JUNE-DECEMBER 1990 - NUMBERS 36-37
93.27.05 - English - Salim TAMARI, Department of Sociology, Birzeit University (West Bank), and Anne SCOTT, London School of Tropical Medicine, 99 Gower Street, London (U.K.)
Fertility of Palestinian Women Between National Perspective and Social Reality (p. 5-42)
This paper investigates the social content of fertility patterns in four palestinian conglomerations, viz., the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Galilee and Jerusalem, on the basis of an analysis of fertility data derived from official sources and field work conducted by Palestinian demographers. It seeks to identify meaningful relationships between these data and variables related to the household's place of residence, social class, and vocational and educational background. The paper also reviews the demographic history of Arab citizens in the occupied territories since 1948 to determine the effect on fertility trends in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s by such factors as confiscation of land, shifting to work in idustrial production and migration to cities. In addition, the paper discusses weak and strong points in a comparison between demographic patterns in Galilee and other palestinian territories. The paper finally touches on the impact of the Palestinian intifada, according to the limited statistical data available on fertility trends in the short term including increasing cases of marriage and early marriage. (ISRAEL, GAZA STRIP, FERTILITY, FERTILITY DETERMINANTS, ETHNIC GROUPS)
93.27.06 - English - Mustafa AL-SHALKANI, Geography Department, Faculty of Commerce and Economic and Political Science, Kuwait University (Kuwait)
A System for Collecting Vital Statistics in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (p. 43-97)
This paper examines the four major sources of population data in the countries of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) viz., general ppulation censuses, registration statistics, houdehold surveys and permanent registration of population. The paper starts with an analysis of the status quo of these sources in each country of the GCC, then proceeds to examine their standards of accuracy and finally identifies the problems faced by the data collection process in each source separately and states some practical solutions to them. In order to formulate a balanced policy for population data collection, the paper proposes an overall strategy on the four sources of population data with an attempt to design a social demographic database depending on these sources and serving as a foundation for various population data. (ARAB COUNTRIES, DEMOGRAPHIC STATISTICS, DATA COLLECTION)
93.27.07 - English - Abbas F. AL-SA'ADI, Geography Department, Faculty of Arts, Baghdad University, Baghdad (Iraq)
Spatial Diffusion of the Population of Al-Jazirah Region in Iraq (p. 99-127)
This paper attempts to explain spatial diffusion of the population in Al-Jazirah area, which lies in the northwest of Iraq between the Tigris, Euphrates and the Syrian-Iraqi border. To draw a picture of this diffusion, the geographical distribution of the population of the area was studied on the basis of data for 1977 as compared with those for 1987 to determine the extent of charge that took place in population diffusion during the intervening period between the two censuses. The study assumes that population diffusion and disparity from one locality to another in the Al-Jazirah area is associated with disparities in natural and human factors. To determine the impact of these factors the stepwise regression method was employed. It appeared that rising above sealevel accounted for 32% of the interpretation given to the discrepancy in population distribution. After ppursuing the degree of contribution of other variables, it was found that 98% of the discrepancy in diffusion can be forecast from determination of all the variables, except one which was excluded on account of its ineffectiveness. (IRAQ, GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION, POPULATION DISTRIBUTION)
93.27.08 - English - Robert E. LOONEY, Department of National Security Affairs, Naval Postgradute School at Monterey, California (U.S.A.)
Structural Change in the Arabian Gulf: Impact of the Foreign Workforce (p. 129-159)
This paper aims to throw light on issues related to the actual economic impact of the non-national labour force by exploring aeas in which such labour force contributes to divesification of the labour-receiving country and how non-national workers idffer from their national counterparts in effecting structural changes in the Arab Gulf region. After considering patterns of migration to Arab Gulf countries an dpatterns of structural change in the economies of Gulf and other countries in the Arab world, the study embarks on an analysis of factors of sectoral patterns of production in member States of the Arab Monetary Fund for 1975 and 1985 for the purpose of appraising the roles played by national and non-national labour forces in the structural changes. Finally, the study winds up with a review of certain results pertaining to effects exercised by the labour force, concluding that participation by the non-national labour force has been varying in the structural change of oil contries, that this change which had previously been influenced by developments in the construction sector has in recent years focused on the services sector, which is witnessing a noticeable expansion in management by nationals, and the industrial sector, which entirely relies on non-national labour. (ARAB COUNTRIES, MANPOWER, FOREIGN WORKERS, ECONOMIC STRUCTURE)
JUNE-DECEMBER 1991 - NUMBERS 38-39
93.27.09 - English - Riad TABBARAH, Public Health College, The American University of Beirut (Lebanon)
The Third Choice: Adapting Working Conditions to Family Needs (p. 5-40)
On reviewing the main trends in the current controversy on the traditional role of woman as a wife and mother within the family, it appears that what has been written on this topic offers a woman two fundamental options in respect of her work: either to stay at home and dedicate herself to her tasks as wife and mother or to develop her time to her work and achieve her goal of vocational advancement as the only way to liberation, equality and fulfillment of personal aspirations. Accordingly, this paper suggests a third choice that calls for changing the conditions of work in such a way as to suit household requirements and allow women to both pursue productive work outside the home and fulfil the requirements of vocational advancement without abandoning their traditional household duties. In this context, the paper examines a set of actual experiences in respect of application of the third choice and gives an assessment of the results. The paper finally concludes by suggesting a number of major procedures in various areas to consolidate the application of the third choice and establish its ability to continue as a suitable alternative. (WOMEN'S ROLE, WOMEN'S EMANCIPATION, FEMALE EMPLOYMENT, WORKING CONDITIONS)
93.27.10 - English - Najeeb ISSA, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lebanese University, First Branch, Beirut (Lebanon)
Conditions and Problems of the Labour Force in Agriculture (p. 41-78)
This paper is a presentation of conclusions and proposals embodied in a more comprehensive study by the same title prepared by the above-named researcher for the Social Development and Population Division of ESCWA. It deals with the conditions of the agricultural labour foce in the region in two stages. The first stage comprises a discussion and comparison of the characteristics and conditions of the economic and social aspects of the agricultural labour force and examines the means of production employed and the production units in which they operate. The second stage seeks to demonstrate that the major problems from which the agricultural labour force suffers are, in their determinants and dimensions, the outcome of interaction of various factors. The study propounds several proposals which collectively could form the broad outlines of a policy aimed at finding proper solutions for the problems of the agricultural labour force in the countries of the region. (WESTERN ASIA, MANPOWER, AGRICULTURE)
93.27.11 - English - Social Development and Population Division, ESCWA, P.O. Box 927115, Amman (Jordan)
Socio-Economic Differentials in Child Mortality: The Case of Jordan (p. 79-120)
This paper is one of a series of studies using similar data and analytical methods covering various countries from all regions of the developing world. The study examines factors related to differentials in child mortality in Jordan by using data derived from two household surveys conducted respectively in 1976 and 1981. The first part focuses on the contribution of socio-economic factors to the drop in mortality levels. The second part deals with levels and trends in child mortality in Jordan and reviews the conceptual framework of the studies on this topic. It also includes a description and evaluation of the data sets used. This part also describes the multivariable pattern used to examine the relationship of the child mortality rate with selected economic and social variables. The results of this pattern are presented and discussed within a comparative feramework. In the final part, basic effects were discused, particularly in the field of policy-making. (JORDAN, INFANT MORTLAITY, MORTALITY DETERMINANTS, SOCIO-ECONOMIC DIFFERENTIALS)
93.27.12 - English - Robert E. LOONEY, Department of National Security Affairs, Naval Postgradute School at Monterey, California (U.S.A.)
Factors Affecting Employment in the Arabian Gulf Region, 1975-1985 (p. 121-147)
This paper attempts to shed lights on factors contributing to the identification of the main employment patterns in the countries of the Arab Gulf region. It also seeks to answer the question of how determinants of employment vary between national and foreign workforces and whether these determinants have changed over time. To achieve this purpose the paper discusses major demographic patterns in the Arab Gulf countries and workforce problems attributable to various economic, social and political factors. Having identified these factors, a number of variables affecting the labour patterns prevailing in the region were determined and adopted as a framework of analysis. The results of this analysis clarify the status of labour in the countries under consideration and serve as a bsis of the conclusions reached by this paper. (WESTERN ASIA, EMPLOYMENT, MANPOWER)
1992 - NUMBER 40
93.27.13 - English - Amelia Dale HORNE
Fertility-Inhibiting Indices in the Arab World (p. 5-35)
An indirect method of estimating Bongaarts' (fertility-inhibiting) indices, using a regression relation discovered by El-Korazaty (1988), was applied to 16 Arab countries, many of which do not have survey data available for computing the indices directly. The methodology requires only sets of age-specific registration system. Results suggest that for the Arab region as a whole, proportion of married is by far the most important intermediate fertility variable (IFV) affecting fertility levels. Contraceptive use, generally, plays the least significant role in fertility reduction among the three measured IFVs, although some increase in contraceptive use appears to have occurred in a few countries. When urban/rural differentials are considered, urbanization is seen to lower fertility, and contraceptive use is the main IFV determining the residential diversity in fertility. Among the four Arab Gulf countries with data by nationality, proportions of married is an important fertility inhibitor among both native and non-nationals, but contraceptive use is an important inhibitors only among expatriates. (ARAB COUNTRIES, FERTILITY DECLINE, METHODOLOGY, INTERMEDIATE VARIABLES)
93.27.14 - English - Division du Développement Social, de la Population et des Etablissements Humains, Amman (Jordan)
Second Amman Declaration on Population and Development in the Arab World (p. 37-67)
This document expresses the Arab point of view on the population question within the context of the interrelated requirements of sustainable development concerned with economic, social, cultural and environmental affairs. The Arab Governments welcomed the International Conference on Population and Development, held in Cairo in September 1994. This document, which emanated from the Arab Population Conference held in Amman, Jordan, from 4 to 8 April 1993, and which was adopted by the participating Arab delegations, contained the following: the Declaration, the preamble, general principles, objectives, and recommendations which deal with various aspects of population. (ARAB COUNTRIES, CONFERENCES, POPULATION, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT)
93.27.15 - English - Badran Abdul-Razaq BADRAN, College of Arts, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain (United Arab Emirats)
Features of the Population Situation and Policies in Jordan (p. 69-92)
This study reviews the demographic situation in Jordan from both Arab and international perspectives and provides an introduction to the nature and characteristics of Jordanian demographic policy and implements. The study seeks to highlight government and private efforts pertaining to family planning. The study projects a survey of the more important demographic changes in Jordan in addition to providing official and international statistics for the second half of the 1980s. In documenting certain demographic problems from which Jordan suffers - including demographic maldistribution, increased internal and external emigration, increased birth rates and defects in the qualitative and age structure of the population - the study discusses certain measures adopted by successive Jordanian Governments with a view ot remedying the rise in the population growth rate. At the same time, the study attempts to deal with efforts pertaining to family planning, which constitutes in total an implicit or indirect population policy. The study also calls for the adoption of the provisions of the 1984 Amman Demographic Declaration, which promotes the application and development of integrated population policies in the Arab homeland within the context of national development policies. (JORDAN, POPULATION SITUATION, POPULATION POLICY)
93.27.16 - English - Hamed ABU-GAMRAH, Regional Adviser in Demography, UNDP (Kuwait)
Fertility Level and Birth Distribution by Order (p. 93-105)
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the study of the relation between birth-order distribution and level of fertility, and to show that birth-order distribution is expressive of reproduction behaviour. The information on birth-order distribution is available for many contries, and it has become a trend in many countries to publish annual live births. It is clear, therefore, that birth-order distributions can be produced for a country's whole population or for its constituent socio-economic groups and for country's various regions. This means that birth-order distributions can be used to study fertility differentials. Hence, the proportion between the first and second births is used to measure the fertility of reproductive women. It can be used, as well, as a conventional measure if the proportion of non-reproductive women is constant. The relation between level of fertility and birth-order distribution depends on the fact that fertility decline is not equal for all the births of different orders. As is known, birth control is used to avert high-order births - in other words, to limit the number of births. Yet most women limit their births after having the desired number, which is usually two or more. the study concludes that an index of birth-order distribution represents an important indicator of fertility. It is easier to use this index because its calculation is dependent on data from one source, unlike most fertility measures which require data from more than one source or characteristic. (FERTILITY MEASUREMENTS, BIRTH ORDER, METHODOLOGY, FAMILY PLANNING)
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