Can world population problems be solved by approaching with a view of empowerment for women and reproductive health and rights? There is an example of Japan and Asia NIEs where they succeeded in lowering the birth rate in the past even though women's status was low. Comments are given that it is difficult to expect developing countries' birth rate drop rapidly only through empowerment for women. There are some opinions that distributing thinly the money for the social development of women from a small budget, just for favorable appearances, may be like throwing cold water on programs to spread family planning that have been effective with a rather small amount of money.
However, if no novel approach like reproductive health were given, or if no voices of NGO, which is adovocating feminism, were heard at the International population & Development Conference, the conference must have been a boring one and the world may not have shown this much interest as it does today over the population problem. It has become known that the approach which tries to spread family planning with a candy and whip, holding national goals at the front, without supportive development, has its limit. Maybe a fresh image, like reproductive health, and new concepts were necessary to change the anticipated standstill situation, which comes if things keep going
