Regional Population and Development Conference for the Arab States 2013 for Supporting the Global ICPD Beyond 2014 Review
UNFPA Sub-Regional Office for the GCC Countries, Muscat, Oman, May 20, 2013- The landmark 1994 CairoInternational Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) is approaching in its 20-year anniversary in 2014. In the 20th year of the ICPD Program of Actions, a Review will identify progress and achievements towards the goals set out in the landmark ICPD, when 179 governments committed to a 20 year Program of Action to deliver human rights based development. To support the Global ICPD Beyond 2014 Review a Regional Population and Development Conference for the Arab States 2013 is going to take place in Cairo from June 24-26, 2013.
To facilitate the review process the ICPD Beyond 2014 Secretariat has been established under the supervision of the UNFPA Executive Director's Office. UNFPA country offices including Sub-Regional Office for the GCC Countries, located in Muscat, Oman participating in the Regional Population and Development Conference for the Arab States 2013. UNFPA GCC Office facilitating the engagement of Governments of GCC States and other UN Agencies to ensure the inclusion of the GCC countries in the review and reaffirm the commitment of the six GCC States to achieve the ICPD goals.
The ICPD Beyond 2014 Review is an opportunity to influence the future of global population and development policy at national, regional and global levels. The conference will review the overall progress towards the implementation of the 20 year ICPD Program of Action. It provides a unique chance to engage leaders from governments and civil society and build a renewed consensus and commitment to create a more equal and more sustainable world. The outcomes of the conference will also inform the post-2015 MGD development agenda.
ICPD Key Messages for the Arab Region are:
- Evidence-based stocktaking of population dynamics and development challenges
- Promoting gender equality and women empowerment
- Every pregnancy should be wanted, and every childbirth safe
- Making people, particularly youth, the cornerstones of the future Arab region
- Investing in reproductive health is sound economics
