ICPD
The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was held in Cairo, Egypt in 1994 when delegations from 179 States approved a 20-year Program of Action.
Objective
“The objective is to raise the quality of life for all people through appropriate population and development policies and programs aimed at achieving poverty eradication, sustained economic growth in the context of sustainable development … the guarantee of all human rights … and achieving balance between population and available resources and sustainable patterns of consumption and production.” ICPD Program of Action, para 3.16
The preamble to the ICPD Program of Action says:
“ The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development occurs at a defining moment in the history of international cooperation. With the growing recognition of global population, development and environmental interdependence, the opportunity to adopt suitable macro-and-socio-economic policies to promote sustained economic growth in the context of sustainable development in all counties and to mobilise human and financial resources for global problem-solving has never been greater. Never before has the world community had so many resources, so much knowledge and such powerful technologies at its disposal which, if suitably redirected, could foster sustained economic growth and sustainable development.
None the less, the effective use of resources, knowledge and technologies is conditioned by political and economic obstacles at the national and international levels. Therefore, although ample resources have been available for some time, their use for socially equitable and environmentally sound development has been seriously limited.”
ICPD Program of Action 1994, p1
ICPD+5
In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly convened a special session to review progress towards meeting the ICPD goals. The five year review (ICPD+5) agreed to key actions for further implementation of the Program of Action.
ICPD+10
September 2004 was mark the 10th anniversary of ICPD (ICPD+10).
To find out more visit www.unfpa.org/icpd or www.un.org/popin/icpd2.htm.
ICPD+15
2009 marks the 15th anniversary of the ICPD and reminds us of the five years remaining to fulfill the commitments made at Cairo. UNFPA, the lead agency in implementing the ICPD Programme of Action, is taking this opportunity to celebrate what has been accomplished. It is also using this benchmark to acknowledge gaps and challenges, to consolidate lessons learned over the last 15 years, and to come up with practical recommendations for accelerating progress.
Further details on the ICPD at 15 Conference can be found at http://www.unfpa.org/icpd/15/index.cfm