UNECE Regional Conference, 1 – 2 July 2013, Geneva

Enabling choices: Population Priorities for the 21^st Century

The ECE Regional Conference, Enabling choices: Population Priorities for the 21^st Century, to be held in Geneva 1 -2 July 2013, will bring together 200-250 representatives of governmental, including high-level officials, academia and ECOSOC accredited NGOs, as well as members of national parliaments and other national and international stakeholders. They will review the progress that has been made towards achieving the goals and objectives of the ICPD Programme of Action in the region; identify neglected areas; pinpoint what needs to be done to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action; and address the emerging issues and reduce inequities.

Objectives for the Conference

1. Discuss the status of implementation of the commitments made in Cairo in 1994 in the region and outline the persistent and emerging issues to be addressed in the area of population and development, sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality and empowerment of women.
2. Highlight successful approaches (policies, strategies, programmes) and provide the basis for recommendations for scaling-up good practices within countries and across the region.
3. Raise awareness about the ICPD Beyond 2014 process and possible synergies with the debate on the Post-2015 UN development agenda; mobilize political support, expand partnerships and urge allocation of adequate resources at the national and regional levels for the advancement of the ICPD agenda.

Organization of the meeting

There will be five sessions for the Conference. The opening plenary session will include a keynote speech, followed by a presentation and discussion of the UNECE regional report on ICPD Beyond 2014. Tarja Halonen, the former President of Finland and Co-chair of the High-Level Task Force for ICPD.

Three thematic sessions will be dedicated to the following topics:

• Population Dynamics and Sustainable Development

Interrelationships between population, sustained inclusive economic growth and sustainable development; opportunities in the future for a harmonious balance between social, economic and environmental development centered on human-rights and equality principles

• Families, Sexual and Reproductive Health over the Life Course

Diversity of family formations and social- economic support to the family, family health and well-being; challenges in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights; changing life course perspective

• Inequalities, Social Inclusion and Rights

Inequity and vulnerable population groups as well as the factors that contribute to their formation or alleviation, as they relate to population and development, sexual and reproductive health and gender equality and women’s empowerment

Each thematic session will commence with a keynote presentation followed by two discussant interventions. Comments and notes from the floor will complete the session. The keynote presenters and the discussants will be leading experts from academia, governments, national parliaments and CSOs.

A panel session on Partnership and International Cooperation for advancing the ICPD agenda beyond 2014 will be conducted over the lunchtime on day two.  It will focus on the complexity of the 21st century architecture for development cooperation in the area of population and development; domestic funding and unmet needs; renewed commitments and emerging donors in the region for funding the ICPD Programme of Action.

Conference outcomes

The Conference will contribute to the assessment of the progress made in implementing the ICPD PoA in the UNECE region by outlining the achievements as well as remaining challenges and emerging issues. During the two-day conference lessons learned and good practices will be highlighted. It is also expected to make recommendations on future policy actions, synergies with the post-2015 UN Development agenda and on how to effectively place the rights, gender equality and empowerment of women, as well as of adolescents and youth, at the core of sustainable development.

At the conclusion of the Conference the Chairperson will give a summary of the two-day discussions. The proceedings of the Conference will be published subsequently. The outcome of the meeting will feature in the ICPD Global Report to the UN Secretary-General and is expected to influence the post 2015 development agenda.

For Concept Note and registration see: http://www.unece.org/icpd-2014/unece-regional-conference.html

Contacts: UNECE Population Unit, pau@unece.org; and UNFPA Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher, Regional Communications Advisor, eschenbaecher@unfpa.org.

Also see: http://icpdbeyond2014.org/pages/view/7-eastern-europe-central-asia