REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF THE USAID PROGRAM IN POPULATION; STUDIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

THE PROPOSED PLAN OF ACTION IS ALSO SOUND. THE SPECIFIC GOAL OF THE PROP WAS OVERLY AMBITIOUS BECAUSE IT UNDERESTIMATED THE RESISTANCE OF PERUVIAN LEADERS TO ALTERING THEIR PRONATALIST POSITION. THE STANDARD ESTABLISHED FOR MEASURING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE GOAL WAS TOO NARROWLY CONCEIVED. THE EVALUATOR MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THE NEXT PROP. HE ALSO MAKES SUGGESTIONS ABOUT PURPOSES AND GOALS WHICH DO NOT DIFFER MARKEDLY FROM THE MISSION'S PAST AND CURRENT EFFORTS, EXCEPT THAT THEY ARE LESS AMBITIOUS AND MORE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED. MUCH OF THE DISCUSSION IS ORIENTED AROUND THE NEED TO PROMOTE FAMILY PLANNING. THE EVALUATOR POINTS OUT THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED TO IMPLY THAT FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAMS WILL SUFFICE TO REDUCE PERU'S RAPIDLY WORSENING POPULATION-RELATED PROBLEMS. THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF PERU (GOP) SEEMS TO BE ATTEMPTING TO IMPLEMENT SUCH MEASURES SHOULD BE APPLAUDED WHILE CALLING ATTENTION TO THE NECESSITY OF COMPLEMENTARY PROGRAMS WITH DIRECT OR INDIRECT DEMOGRAPHIC EFFECTS BEING IMPLEMENTED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE GREATEST CONTRIBUTION THE MISSION CAN MAKE AT THIS POINT IS TO HELP THE GOP AND PERUVIAN SOCIETY AT LARGE TO UNDERSTAND HOW DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS INTERACT WITH AND INFLUENCE THE PROBLEMS IN WHICH THEY ARE PRIMARILY INTERESTED.