Ocho Rios Declaration, Caribbean Regional Consultation in Jamaica

The regional consultation for the Anglo, Dutch and French Caribbean was held in Ocho Rios, Jamaica 12-13 April 2012 to provide input to the draft questionnaires for the Global Survey to be delivered to governments and contribute to the contents of possible optional modules that could be developed for each region and to develop a detailed plan for the movement and strategies of civil society so these consultations be informed to all and continue our role of monitoring the compliance with the ICPD in 2014 and after.

The Declaration was agreed at the meeting. While the Declaration recognized that gains had been made, there was concern that 20 years after the Cairo Consensus, the Caribbean remains vulnerable because of factors such as the high level of social and economic disparities that existing in some countries in the region; the weak economic base due to lack of diversification and high idebtedness; being geographically prone to natural disaster; and a dearth of human resources and brain drain.

In addition other relevant outcome included  an Advocacy Action Plan for Cairo +20 process and agreement to build a "Caribbean Coalition for Population and Development", which will be lead by CAFRA (Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action).

A copy of the Ocho Rios Declaration, Caribbean Regional Consultation in Jamaica can be downloaded here.