![\\"logo\\"](\\"/img/logo-dpa-factchecking.svg\\"/) *About ![\\"IFCN](\\"/img/ifcn-certificate.png\\"/) ![\\"EFCSN](\\"/img/efcsn- certificate.png\\"/) ## No depopulation plan # A summit in 1994 to improve the quality of life Published on 28.9.2023, 10:59 (CEST) Drastically reducing the number of individuals on Earth would be an objective of world leaders for many years, according to some Internet users. However, there is nothing to support this theory. According to a publication circulating on Facebook, the world elite would have for the intention of reducing the population of our planet by several billion to 800 million individuals by 2030, due to lack of resources. A a dismal plan to say the least which would have been approved by 160 countries on the occasion of an international conference on population, which would have taken place in 1994 in Cairo, Egypt. Various strategies would thus have been implemented place at the time “in order to eliminate 95% of the human population”, argues the Facebook post. But was this really the objective of this summit? ## Assessment No. There is no evidence supporting these claims. The conference in question was intended to set goals to improve quality of life of the population, in a context of demographic growth. There is no no trace of any plan to reduce the population. ## Facts The 1994 World Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), the fifth of its type, brought together in Cairo representatives from 179 countries \- and no 160. It was organized by the Population Division and the Fund for the population of the United Nations (UN). However, there is no evidence that the latter would have agreed to reduce the world population drastically. The Facebook post provides no tangible evidence to support these allegations. The action program instead asks the question of how population growth can go hand in hand with sustainable development and improving the quality of life of citizens around the world. The emphasis is placed "on meeting the individual needs of women and of men, rather than on the achievement of demographic objectives", as summarized by the UN. A reissue of this action program on the occasion of its 20th anniversary includes in particular the different objectives recommended to the international community: “Sustained economic growth within the framework sustainable development; education, particularly that of girls; gender equity and equality; reduction of mortality infant, juvenile and maternal; and universal access to health services of reproduction, including family planning and health matter of sexuality. » Other conferences, such as that in Bucharest in 1974, were more focused on the challenges linked to population growth, which has experienced a boom after World War II. However, as in 1994, it is not makes no mention anywhere in the action program of an intention to reduce the world population. On the contrary, the plan adopted by the States UN members in Bucharest underlined the right of each individual “to decide freely” on the number of their children. An often distorted UN agenda The Facebook post is also accompanied by a video supposedly present the “real goals” of the UN included in its 2030 Agenda. Among these would include restricted access to water, “demonization vehicles", and the establishment of "permanent control" of citizens using cameras and tracking systems. This type of theory comes up regularly on social networks, under different shapes. However, there is no proof of the existence of such goals. The Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) has already denied claims similar to the UN 2030 Agenda, for example here and here. (Situation as of 09/28/2023) ## Links Facebook post (archived version, archived video) About the CIPD (archived version) About the 1994 ICPD (archived version) History of CIPD (archived version) About the UN Population Division (archived version) About the UN Population Fund (archived version) 1994 ICPD Program of Action (archived version) 1994 ICPD Program of Action - 2014 reissue (archived version) 1974 ICPD Program of Action (archived version) About the 1974 ICPD (archived version) dpa fact-checks I, II, III, IV and V ### About dpa fact checks This fact check was written as part of the independent program of Facebook/Meta check. More information about this program can be found here. To learn more about how Facebook/Meta manages accounts that spread misinformation, click here. If you have any objections or comments, please send them to the address factcheck-belgium@dpa.com including a link to the publication Facebook concerned (see the model to use here). For more information on how to submit a correction or to dispute a review, please refer to this page. powered by dpa-newslab | Imprint | Privacy | About:
In 1994 160 countries agreed at a summit in Cairo to reduce the world's population to 800 million people by 2030