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Introduction
The ICPD’s success in advancing a human rights
agenda to address critical health and development
challenges has had a broad impact. Since 1994, NGOs,
countries and the international community have used
the consensus to help advance a far-reaching agenda
on empowerment and equality. For example:
- Countries have stepped up efforts to fight
HIV/AIDS using an integrated, comprehensive
approach to prevention, treatment, care and support
(see Chapter 8).
- Adolescent reproductive health has become an
emerging worldwide concern (see Chapter 9).
- Early marriage is increasingly being opposed as a
risk to girls’ health and a violation of their rights.
- The persistence of high maternal mortality has
sparked an intensified examination of its causes
and remedies (see Chapter 7).
- There is growing recognition of and support for
women’s reproductive health needs in emergency
situations (see Chapter 10).
- The UN Security Council in October 2000 unanimously
adopted Resolution 1325 on women, peace
and security, calling for the special needs of
women and girls to be incorporated in all decisions
related to repatriation and resettlement, rehabilitation,
reintegration and post-conflict reconstruction.
- A growing number of countries are taking action
to prevent and repair obstetric fistula, a terrible
injury that happens during childbirth, especially to
adolescent mothers.
- Action to reduce the impact of unsafe abortion—
including greater support for quality family planning
and post-abortion care, and open discussion informed
by cultural values on the circumstances when abortion
might be permissible—has grown since the
ICPD identified it as a major public health concern.
- Campaigns against gender-based violence (including
domestic violence and the use of rape to
terrorize war-affected populations) are gaining
broad support in many countries.
- Calls are increasing for global action to combat
trafficking in women and children and coercion
in the global sex industry.
- Strong action is being taken to end female
genital cutting (FGC) and other harmful traditional
practices once considered too sensitive to discuss;
17 countries have outlawed FGC and many
communities have been mobilized to eliminate
the practice.
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