Commission on Population and Development
Rights and dignity at the heart of development
An assessment of the ICPD Programme of Action shows many gains but persistent challenges remain in addressing population dynamics, accessing health services, migration and the enjoyment of basic rights.
The focus on people-centred development over the last 20 years has helped deliver significant gains in universal education, reducing maternal mortality, and increasing access to health services. However, the international community currently faces serious on-going challenges such as the unsustainably high levels of inequities and the denial of basic
human rights.
This week the United Nations has convened its 47th Session of the Commission on Population and Development which is reviewing progress made since the 1994 landmark International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) that was held in Cairo.
One major result of the ICPD was a Programme of Action agreed to by 179 Member States which called upon governments to provide universal access to family planning and sexual and reproductive health services, the promotion of women’s empowerment, equal access to education for girls, a focus on the impact of urbanization and migration as well as support for sustainable development and environmental issues.
In his opening statement Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson stated that the Programme of Action had set an ambitious agenda to deliver inclusive, equitable and sustainable development. “Fewer people are living in extreme poverty. Gender equality and the empowerment of women are gaining ground worldwide. More people are living longer, healthier lives. More girls are in school. Fewer women are dying in pregnancy and childbirth. There are more laws to protect and uphold human rights” said Mr. Eliasson.
Even with these achievements, it was widely recognised that many major challenges are still ahead. Dr. Nafis Sadik, Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General, in her remarks indicated that enormous challenges remain, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia which holds the majority of the least-developed countries. “Extreme inequality is apparent in all aspects of life, between rich and poor, urban and rural, men and women, those with political power and those without. While South Asia has seen some robust economic growth, the social indicators are far less encouraging” stated Dr. Sadik.
The Secretary-General report prepared for the Commission concluded that the current state of the world’s population is one of unprecedented diversity and change, reflected in new patterns of fertility, mortality, migration, urbanization and ageing which will present opportunities and challenges for the formulation and implementation of the UN’s post-2015 development agenda.
This rise in diversity as well as trends in urbanization and migration was clearly recognised by Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) who stated that we must better understand population dynamics and governments “need to ensure that migration works for development and that the dignity and human rights of all migrants are respected.”
Over the course of the week-long conference, the various and differing concerns of governments in the field of population and development were further elaborated. Ministers from small island developing States spoke of measures they have taken to combat domestic violence, maternal mortality and sexually transmitted diseases. The Minister of Education from the Maldvies, Aishath Shiham, pointed to her country’s first-ever Domestic Violence Act that was adopted in 2012. Minister Shiham stated that “victims of domestic violence were protected through an array of law enforcement tactics, rehabilitation programmes and safe houses”.
Other representatives spoke of low maternal mortality rates due largely to the presence of trained birth attendants in the delivery room. Representatives stressed that increased access to sexual and reproductive rights, including modern contraception, was essential for maintaining those gains. According to Nandi Tuaine Glassie, the Minister of Health from the Cooks Islands, stated that there were “no maternal deaths” reported since 1991 and that all mothers received antenatal care, resulting in “an infant mortality rate that was among the lowest in the world.”
In regard to strategies to tackle the spread of HIV/AIDS, the Minister of Health for Suriname, Michel Blokland, said an increase in HIV awareness, testing and early treatment had resulted in “a declining HIV/AIDS curve” in his country. Mr. Blokland stressed the importance of creating linkages between the ICPD Programme of Action, the Beijing Platform of Action, and other regional outcomes such as those prescribed by the Montevideo Conference.
The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Youth, Ahmad Alhendawi, said that with half of the global population under the age of 25, the world was undergoing a severe socioeconomic transition. The wider development agenda and the lives of youth everywhere, he said, “would be determined on how countries implemented changes in education and training young people for skills relevant to a changing job market.”
Mr. Alhendawi emphasised that young people were asking for investments that can empower them to help build a better world. “I warn of a lost generation if we don’t do more,” he said. “That would be the biggest gamble we make with our future.”
Concern for youth was also visible in the statement from Egypt’s representative who indicated that young people represented 20 per cent of his country’s population. The recent events in his country and in others had shown that the youth were “agents of change” and that governments around the world should “ensure that the perspectives of youth must be better integrated into development processes.”
The Commission will conclude its work for the 47th session on 11 April with a number of possible resolutions and decisions charting the way forward in achieving the laudable goals outlined in the programme of action of the ICPD as well as the key action points outlined in the Secretary-General’s report on world demographic trends.
human rights.
This week the United Nations has convened its 47th Session of the Commission on Population and Development which is reviewing progress made since the 1994 landmark International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) that was held in Cairo.
One major result of the ICPD was a Programme of Action agreed to by 179 Member States which called upon governments to provide universal access to family planning and sexual and reproductive health services, the promotion of women’s empowerment, equal access to education for girls, a focus on the impact of urbanization and migration as well as support for sustainable development and environmental issues.
In his opening statement Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson stated that the Programme of Action had set an ambitious agenda to deliver inclusive, equitable and sustainable development. “Fewer people are living in extreme poverty. Gender equality and the empowerment of women are gaining ground worldwide. More people are living longer, healthier lives. More girls are in school. Fewer women are dying in pregnancy and childbirth. There are more laws to protect and uphold human rights” said Mr. Eliasson.
Even with these achievements, it was widely recognised that many major challenges are still ahead. Dr. Nafis Sadik, Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General, in her remarks indicated that enormous challenges remain, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia which holds the majority of the least-developed countries. “Extreme inequality is apparent in all aspects of life, between rich and poor, urban and rural, men and women, those with political power and those without. While South Asia has seen some robust economic growth, the social indicators are far less encouraging” stated Dr. Sadik.
The Secretary-General report prepared for the Commission concluded that the current state of the world’s population is one of unprecedented diversity and change, reflected in new patterns of fertility, mortality, migration, urbanization and ageing which will present opportunities and challenges for the formulation and implementation of the UN’s post-2015 development agenda.
This rise in diversity as well as trends in urbanization and migration was clearly recognised by Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) who stated that we must better understand population dynamics and governments “need to ensure that migration works for development and that the dignity and human rights of all migrants are respected.”
Over the course of the week-long conference, the various and differing concerns of governments in the field of population and development were further elaborated. Ministers from small island developing States spoke of measures they have taken to combat domestic violence, maternal mortality and sexually transmitted diseases. The Minister of Education from the Maldvies, Aishath Shiham, pointed to her country’s first-ever Domestic Violence Act that was adopted in 2012. Minister Shiham stated that “victims of domestic violence were protected through an array of law enforcement tactics, rehabilitation programmes and safe houses”.
Other representatives spoke of low maternal mortality rates due largely to the presence of trained birth attendants in the delivery room. Representatives stressed that increased access to sexual and reproductive rights, including modern contraception, was essential for maintaining those gains. According to Nandi Tuaine Glassie, the Minister of Health from the Cooks Islands, stated that there were “no maternal deaths” reported since 1991 and that all mothers received antenatal care, resulting in “an infant mortality rate that was among the lowest in the world.”
In regard to strategies to tackle the spread of HIV/AIDS, the Minister of Health for Suriname, Michel Blokland, said an increase in HIV awareness, testing and early treatment had resulted in “a declining HIV/AIDS curve” in his country. Mr. Blokland stressed the importance of creating linkages between the ICPD Programme of Action, the Beijing Platform of Action, and other regional outcomes such as those prescribed by the Montevideo Conference.
The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Youth, Ahmad Alhendawi, said that with half of the global population under the age of 25, the world was undergoing a severe socioeconomic transition. The wider development agenda and the lives of youth everywhere, he said, “would be determined on how countries implemented changes in education and training young people for skills relevant to a changing job market.”
Mr. Alhendawi emphasised that young people were asking for investments that can empower them to help build a better world. “I warn of a lost generation if we don’t do more,” he said. “That would be the biggest gamble we make with our future.”
Concern for youth was also visible in the statement from Egypt’s representative who indicated that young people represented 20 per cent of his country’s population. The recent events in his country and in others had shown that the youth were “agents of change” and that governments around the world should “ensure that the perspectives of youth must be better integrated into development processes.”
The Commission will conclude its work for the 47th session on 11 April with a number of possible resolutions and decisions charting the way forward in achieving the laudable goals outlined in the programme of action of the ICPD as well as the key action points outlined in the Secretary-General’s report on world demographic trends.