On Tuesday and in cooperation with UNFPA, HPC concluded a series of local-level discussions to prepare for the “International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) +25 – A Promise Expedited” which will be held next November in Nairobi, Kenya. The discussions were held in the Northern, Central and Southern regions with the participation of representatives of concerned entities from all governorates.
The discussions aimed to produce the points and topics of Jordan's position paper on population and development issues and on the universal commitments to be addressed by “the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) +25 - A Promise Expedited”
HPC’s Secretary, Dr. Abla Amawi, emphasized that the International Conference on Population and Development, held in Cairo in 1994, marked a turning point for the international discourse on population, and contributed to shifting the focus of population policies away from slowing the population growth to improving the lives of individuals. Governments have also agreed that demographic policies should address the different aspects of social development other than family planning, especially the advancement of women. She indicated that through its commitment to ICPD’s outcomes, Jordan has witnessed economic, social, human and political transformations that involved all aspects of life.
Amawi also noted that the conference to be held in Nairobi would be an opportunity to assess the global situation and achievements 25 years after the commitments made by the countries at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, the conference will serve as a platform for governments and organizations to announce voluntary and global commitments - including financial commitments - that will expediate progress. These commitments will be directed towards developing national and local commitments by government entities, civil society organizations, companies and others in order to conclude the work included in the 1994 ICPD Program of Action.
UNFPA’s humanitarian coordinator, Boshte Mtrabt, explained that the Nairobi conference is an important occasion for world leaders to renew the confirmation and commitment to continuing implementation of 1994 ICPD Program of Action. This aims at expediting the achievement of the sustainable development goals by adopting a new obligations paper revolving around three strategic goals related to ending preventable maternal deaths, eliminating unsatisfied needs of family planning methods and eliminating gender-based violence.
The discussions addressed many topics, most notably utilizing the demographic diversity to improve economic growth and achieve sustainable development, eliminating gender-based violence and harmful behaviors, supporting the right to reproductive health care including in humanitarian and fragile contexts, ensuring reproductive healthcare for all as part of inclusive health coverage and funding to complete ICPD Program of Action and sustain the achieved gains.
These topics focused on women's empowerment and gender equality, innovation and data, youth leadership, political and community leadership to expedite the promise and private sector participation.
The Nairobi conference’s most notable commitments are intensifying efforts for the full, effective and expedited implementation and funding of the 1994 ICPD Program of Action and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, integrating a comprehensive package of reproductive health interventions in national strategies, policies and programs to achieve comprehensive health coverage. They also included ending child marriage, eliminating all forms of discrimination against women and girls, preventing gender-based violence, utilizing the demographic dividend by investing in family planning information and services and investing in health, education, job opportunities for youth, and seeking to completely eliminate preventable maternity deaths.
