PSN joins NGOs in urging CPD delegates to further reproductive health

4 April 2011

Source: PSN

With the 44th session of the UN Commission on Population and Development taking place next week, PSN has joined a number of NGOs in calling for delegates to support several key principles throughout negotiations on a resolution on fertility, reproductive health and development.

Forty-fourth session of the Commission on Population and Development

Fertility, reproductive health and development is the theme of the 44th session of the UN Commission on Population and Development that will take place in New York from 11th – 15th April.

As negotiations begin for a resolution on the theme of the session, PSN has signed a letter to reach delegates in charge of reviewing progress on the commission. The letter has been signed by over 80 NGOs and civil society organizations committed to furthering the International Conference on Population and Development’s goals.

Furthering population and development goals

The letter sets out a number of principles, aiming to gain support from the various delegations to ensure that the following key elements are part of the final resolution and output to the session:

1. A reaffirmation of the General Assembly decision to extend the International Conference on Population and Development’s Programme of Action and the key actions for its further implementation beyond 2014.
   
   
2. Actionable and operational steps for ensuring protection of sexual and reproductive rights and access to a full range of integrated sexual and reproductive health services.
   
   
3. Actionable steps to provide adolescents and young people with comprehensive sexuality education.
   
   
4. Gender equality and fulfilment of human rights as a necessary condition for achieving the ICPD Programme of Action and Millennium Development Goals.
   
   
5. Ensuring individuals’ rights to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on all matters related to their sexuality and reproduction free of coercion, discrimination, and violence.
   
   
6. Financial commitments from all countries to increase resources to implement these action steps.
   

From words to action

The letter concludes with the following call, stating that more is needed than a reinstatement of the language agreed to in prior UN-agreements;

“ We urge you to include actionable steps for governments to take to promote the principles of the ICPD Programme of Action and meet its goals in the next four years. Given that these goals were not achieved in the initial 20-year time frame, new priorities to secure the health and wellbeing of individuals, their families, communities and the world are needed.”

Read the letter

A copy of the letter sent to delegates of the 44th Session of the UN Commission on Population and Development is available in Resources.