United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC)

The following is a report on the preparations for the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC) Regional Conference:

The Regional Population Conference in Latin America and the Caribbean in Montevideo, Uruguay, 12- 15 August will focus on key issues in population and development in the context of the Beyond 2014 Review of the ICPD Programme of Action. Various agencies and organizations will come together to discuss the evidence gathered in the ICPD global surveys, which was summarized into a regional report. The Regional Population Conference will be a space for participants to discuss future policy directions based on findings in the regional report.

A Caribbean Regional Forum was held in Guyana on 9 - 10 July, the outcome of that meeting will formulate the Caribbean position to input into the ECLAC conference.

The key regional themes emerging through various consultations are:

• Rights, needs and demands of adolescents and youth.
• Ageing, social protection and socio-economic challenges
• Gaps in universal access to sexual and reproductive health services and gender equality
• Territorial inequality, space mobility and environmental sustainability
• International migration and the protection of the rights of all migrants
• Indigenous and afro-descendant populations: multiculturalism and rights

Civil society in the ICPD +20 review process

Civil society has been mobilized around the Latin American and Caribbean alliance; the Articulación network of 49 organizations and coalitions IPPF has been working the Articulación, UNFPA and other civil society partners to engage with ECLAC to ensure the civil society voice is represented in ICPD review. It is now confirmed that of the 400 places at the regional population conference, 150 places have been allocated to civil society participants. Registration to participate in the conference is now open.

Prior to the regional conference civil society in Latin American and the Caribbean will meet in a Civil Society Forum on 11 August, Montevideo. There will be 150 civil society participants at the civil society forum, with around 25% youth participation. The Articulación has a Secretariado that was elected in a meeting held in Quito in July 2012, members include:

• Articulación Feminista Marcosur
• Enlace Continental de Mujeres Indígenas de las Américas-ECMIA 
• Caribbean Coalition for Population and Development 
• Red de Mujeres Afrolatinoamericanas, Afrocaribeñas y de la Diáspora
• Red de Salud de las Mujeres de América Latina y el Caribe

The Articulación is organized into 3 working groups; organization of the civil society forum, country mapping and the position document.

Youth in the ICPD +20 review process

There will be a Youth Forum on 10 August, Montevideo which is being organised by the Alianza de Juventudes who are part of the Secretariado of the Articulación. The Alianza de Juventudes, in a process of engaging and reaching out to more youth activists and will be working online with 100 youth led networks and organizations to ensure a very representative youth statement. The Youth Bali Declaration will be referred to as their principal orientation. 

For more information contact: Edurne Cardenas, ecardenas@ippfwhr.org