Population policy of local self-government: Necessities possibilities and limitation

Abstract

Taking into consideration the roles it objectively has, the state is also responsible for the formulation and implementation of population policy. In the process of its articulation, population policy of our state, although not explicitly formulated, continual and consistent, went through various phases of development, but was mostly in the shadow of other policies. In order to be successful, population policy has to be local, too. The need for definition and implementation of local population policy is indicated by insufficiency and inefficiency of government measures, knowledge of determinants of reproductive behavior and social processes, especially society democratization and globalization. The possibilities available are not sufficiently used. The attention is focused on the measures of material assistance, which is understandable in present conditions, while the measures of non-material assistance are almost missing. The paper is pointing out the non-material potentials and the necessity of their activation. The paper also contains the results of an empiric research carried out by interviewing the presidents of the population policy committees within municipal assemblies in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, thus providing the picture of the present situation, and knowledge of their positions, opinions and suggestions for the better use of potentials and overcoming of limitations in population policy.