Since the ICPD in Cairo in 1994, Arab countries with no exceptions have witnessed various political, social and economic developments. The Arab states have committed to work towards the full implementation of the ICPD PoA as well as all other international commitments, including the decelerations of the international conferences preceded or followed ICPD, particularly the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW, December 1979), the International Social Development Conference in Copenhagen (March 1995) the fourth International Conference on Women in Beijing (September 1995) and the UN Millennium Declaration (2000).
As indicated by some reports and statistics, various achievements have been attained at the population and development front, including education and health policies and services as well as legal amendments that serve women's interest and rights. However, many marginalized segments of the society have not enjoyed these achievements, particularly women and girls, who bear the suffering throughout their life cycle, though with variations among various Arab countries. In spite of the progress made in Arab women's and girls' education attainment, particularly at university level, their public participation remains low, specifically in the labor force and decision making positions at both public and private sectors. The feminization of poverty and violence against women and girls, particularly Female Genital Mutilation and Child Marriage has continued to hold back progress of Arab women and girls.
With these sustained challenges and in spite of Arab Governments' commitments to combat all these violations, the Arab Region has recently witnessed some political dynamics that have produced various worry-some indicators that compromise women's and girls' achievements and progress attained in the past. In response, various Arab women NGOs have established a regional coalition to support women issues and eliminate challenges and gaps that pertain to women's and girls' rights. This coalition is called "Arab Women NGOs Coalition in Support of ICPD Agenda Beyond 2014." Based on the Coalition commitments towards national, regional and international population and development, particularly women's issues (a real civil society role to face challenges and gaps in the region), the coalition is calling upon ICPD regional conference to fully implement the ICPD PoA.
This declaration is based on the following principles:
1. Freedom and equality are among the humane and basic principles brought about by all religions and upon which all human rights instruments are based.
2. Human being is the ultimate aim of any development plan and is the source of this development and has the highest value in all societies. Every person counts. Therefore the violation of individual and peoples' rights to serve or protect specific group or even majority rights is morally and legally unacceptable.
3. The rights of women and girls to lead a dignified and healthy life in an environment free of inequality, marginalization and violence is the bottom line of human rights that should be fully implemented, not selectively.
4. The exercise of women's political, social and economic rights on equal footing with men represents one of the basic guarantees to any society development; therefore it should be well-preserved by both state and none-state actors.
5. The development of all people's capabilities, particularly women and youth, is a condition for sustainable development plan that aim at the wellfare of people.
6. The qualitative and quantitative population dynamics are well linked with the achievement of sustainable development, secure good standards of living for all people and eliminate inequality and marginalization.
7. The enjoyment of healthy life style is a right for all, including the right to information and quality services to sexual and reproductive health.
8. When education, health, and vocational capabilities of people are enhanced, their living standards and access to equality are improved.
9. Women have the full rights to physical integrity as well the respect to their choices based on principles that promote equality and condemn violence.
10. Many Arab women and girls are suffering from various human rights violations which sometimes are legalized, particularly in political unrest, conflicts and/ or natural disasters.
11. The equality that has been granted by law is often not translated into people's daily life. Besides, governments' commitments towards many international human rights instruments are not reflected in the national laws in many Arab countries.
12. Non-governmental organizations have contributed in many population and development interventions and they are real partners in implementing ICPD PoA, as indicated by article 15 of ICPD PoA.
Based on our belief in the role of the civil society in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating human rights-based development plans, the Arab Women NGOs Coalition in Support of ICPD Agenda Beyond 2014 is calling on ICPD regional conference in 24-26 June in Cairo to achieve a number of goals, on the basis of equality, dignity, sustainable development and combating violence, including:
I. NGOs members to this coalition are committed to continue working towards the elimination of all forms of violence against women and women's rights, including their sexual and reproductive rights.
II. Call upon governments to develop population policies based on human rights and gender equality as well as to align existing policies in order to serve family, women and youth rights and support their respective roles.
III. This coalition condemns all values and concepts that support violation of women' rights, condone women inequality and tolerate violence against women and girls. Therefore, this coalition calls for the adoption and promotion of human rights culture that promotes equality and human rights.
IV. Call upon all Arab governments to lift their reservation on CEDAW and the adoption of the optional protocol that would allow for the full implementation of ICPD PoA.
V. Call upon Arab governments to put in place mechanisms to protect women and prevent violence against women and girls.
VI. This coalition condemns all inhuman and degrading practices, such as female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child marriage and supports and encourages traditions and practices that respect women and girls rights.
VII. Call upon the Arab governments to support the civil society via promotion of capabilities and finance as well as lifting all restrictions on the civil society to enable it to play its role in sustainable development, particularly in population and development.
VIII. All governments, INGOs and civil society are called upon to renew their commitment towards the empowerment of all society segments, particularly women, girls and youth by providing access to education, health and political and economic participation in a way that protect their rights and dignity.
IX. The coalition calls for more coordination with civil society in a way that protects and respects human rights.
X. The coalition is asking ICPD regional conference to make sure that the international development agenda beyond 2014 addresses women, girls and youth empowerment and rights in particular.
XI. Call on Governments to adopt legal systems to protect women, girls and elderly during conflict, political unrest and natural disasters.
XII. Call upon governments to develop studies, researches and surveys to produce data and information about population, particularly women and girls.
XIII. Call upon Governments to generate reliable data and statistics.
XIV. Call upon governments, private sector and INGOs to support all regional networks and structures that are working on population and development in the Arab Region, particularly on women and youth, by providing financial resources as well as to include them in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation aspects
