Civil Society Update on Sixth Asia- Pacific Population Conference (APPC) Day Two
Friday, September 13, 2013 at 2:16PM We have received the following from the International Planned Parenthood Federation:
The second day of the Asian Pacific civil society (CSO) meeting Advances, challenges and ways forward: Asia Pacific CSO forum on ICPD beyond 2014 before the sixth Asian Pacific Population Conference (APPC) kicked off with the participants splitting into six thematic groups. The groups were tasked with analyzing and working on recommended language for the draft outcome document that was released ahead of the APPC.
The thematic groups were divided into the themes covered in the draft outcome document:
- Preamble & Policy direction
- Gender equality and women's empowerment
- Young people and education
- Migration (internal, international) & urbanization, poverty eradication & employment
- SRHR and health
- Ageing, population and sustainable development
They then reconvened to present their findings to the whole group. Participants were given the opportunity to question or endorse the recommendations that were presented. All recommendations were taken into consideration and were then consolidated into a single document.
The afternoon session was shaped around supporting CSOs to advocate and lobby for change and was aimed particularly at those who will be staying on for the sixth APPC next week. I presentation was given by the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) on Parliamentary Advocacy for ICPD Beyond 2014.
The focus then shifted to lessons learnt from other regions with presentations on the Montevideo Consensus and its success, and how the group could strategize for the week ahead.
The day closed with a CSO statement being put together with the recommendations collected from the thematic groups earlier in the morning session and a consensus building exercise to endorse the statement. The CSOs of Asia- Pacific strongly endorse the Montevideo Consensus and especially sexual rights as defined in the Montevideo Consensus. The final CSO statement will follow shortly. The statement was endorsed by 120 CSOs from the five Asia and Pacific sub regions.
Advances, challenges and ways forward: Asia Pacific CSO forum on ICPD beyond 2014 was organized by a steering committee comprised of: IPPF SARO, IPPF ESEAOR, AFPPD, ARROW, APA, DAWN, Help Age International, SARYN, ICOMP, IWRAW, Youth lead, Coalition of Asia Pacific Regional Networks on HIV/AIDS