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About the ICPD The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was held in Cairo, Egypt in September 1994. Virtually all members of the United Nations participated, along with 10,000 representatives of global civil society. At the ICPD, 179 nations agreed on a 20-year vision (the Programme of Action) to guide national and international family planning, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS prevention, women's empowerment and related development efforts. Description of the ICPD Programme of Action: The Programme of Action adopted at the ICPD established a groundbreaking approach to population and development. This new strategy transitioned away from problematic "population control" programs (centered around demographic targets and occasionally associated with coercive practices) and adopted a more human-centered approach that responds to basic needs and universal human rights, with special reference to women. The ICPD Programme of Action is an action plan for: ensuring sexual and reproductive health for all, including family planning, safe motherhood, treatment and prevention of sexually-transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS; reproductive rights; environmental protection; basic education and closing the education gap for girls; human rights; the role of families; and development and economic opportunities for women. The ICPD set key, time-bound targets, including:
Achievement of these goals is consistent with and conducive to achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) established in 2000. Simply put, the MDGs cannot succeed absent full implementation of the ICPD action plan. Progress achieved since the ICPD: At the halfway mark of the Programme of Action's 20-year implementation plan, there is important new data on the substantial progress that has been achieved. Population growth rates are declining globally as desired family size and spacing of children is achieved. As many as 130 countries will achieve the ICPD interim goal for reduction of infant mortality (below 50 per 1000 live births by 2005). School participation has been increased and the gender gap in education has been reduced by 50% over the past decade. Country health systems have adopted an increased emphasis on the quality of care, resulting in expanded choices and enhanced service delivery for clients. There has been a substantial increase in contraceptive prevalence, increasing in key areas by 1-2% annually. The proportion of assisted births by skilled attendants has improved. More than 90% of governments have initiated national actions in response to the ICPD and 90% are addressing the needs of adolescents. Almost every country in the world has taken some action to protect the human rights of girls and women and empower them in society. The mobilization of important new financial resources has enabled the aforementioned gains. Donor-country resources in support of the ICPD action plan have more than doubled from $1.3 billion just prior to the ICPD to an estimated $3 billion last year. Private foundations have increased spending by 200 %, and host countries have increased spending by 50 % to $12 billion. All together, more than $15 billion was mobilized to advance ICPD objectives in 2003 - still short of the $18.5 billion estimated as necessary in 2005. In short, the ICPD action plan is working and progress on key indicators is demonstrable. This momentum must be maintained and more work done in order to ensure that the needs of all countries and rights of all people are met in the next 10 years. For more information about the ICPD and progress toward its objectives, please visit www.unfpa.org/icpd/icpd.htm. |
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The World Leaders Supporting
the ICPD Statement is a project of the Summit For more information, contact us at leadersstatement@qwest.net |
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