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Demography 391
We have already said how, for a long time, censuses and civil registers were the
essential sources for data on which demographers had to base their work. In
those days, it was only the variety of national conditions which gave the
researcher the appearance of conducting experiments. Hence it was essential
to reach a certain homogeneity in the information collected by the various
countries. The International Statistical Institute originally undertook to en-
courage international co-operation in this field, but a private institution such
as this lacked the powers possessed by the international governmental organiza-
tions, so the United Nations Organization was given the task of standardizing
questionnaires, methods of collecting data, and tabulation procedures.z8 All it
amounts to really is preparatory work for research purposes, but of essential
importance in itself: the Statistics Committee of the Economic and Social
Council issues the directives, and these are carried out by the Bureau of Statistics
of the United Nations.
120. Among the aims of the United Nations Organization, the economic and
social development of the developing countries was very quickly given a high
priority, and in the efforts made to further this development the demographic
obstacle became immediately apparent. It was also found that the mutual
relationships between population growth and the economic and social development
aimed at were not properly known. Accordingly, demographic research
became of supra-national importance, and there was room for international
action. This action has been developed by following lines of approach
similar to those followed by individual countries, viz:
a. Founding regional institutes for teaching and research: one for Latin
America, one for Asia and the Far East, and one for Africa.
b. Publishing of reports and textbooks.
c. Organizing courses of professional studies and convening world and regional
conferences.
The Population Committee of the Economic and Social Council draws up the
programmes which are carried out by the Population Division of the United
Nations Secretariat.
An unsolved dificulty
121. The multidisciplinary character of demographic research has been the
cause of a difficulty which is far from being overcome.
The large United Nations system is itself multidisciplinary. In addition to the
central organization in New York, we have
in Geneva:
- the International Labour Office (ILO), and
- the World Health Organization (WHO);
in Rome:
- the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) :
in Paris:
- the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization