UN General Assembly discusses follow-up to ICPD Programme of Action

Under the topic  “Promotion of sustained economic growth and sustainable development in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and recent United Nations conferences”, the President of the General Assembly will hold a debate on agenda item 13 “Integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields. The second part of this agenda item is on “Follow-up to the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development”. It will take place tomorrow, Thursday 9 October 2014, at 10.00 am in the General Assembly Hall, New York. 

The debate will take into account the outcome of the UNGA Special Session (UNGASS) during which world leaders made strong statements, including on centrality of human rights as a necessary precondition for achieving sustainable development embracing the Framework of Actions and expressed support for their respective regional outcomes. There was a near universal call for integrating the ICPD Beyond 2014 in the Post 2015 Development Agenda. At the conclusion, the General Assembly took note of the deliberations of the Special Session on the findings and recommendations of the review reports, without any objection or reservation. By this oral decision, the Member States have formally acknowledged the Framework of Actions for the follow up to the Programme of Action beyond 2014 and the steps for further implementation, taking into account their respective statements in the special session.

At the UNGASS a number of Member States were not able to make statements. As part of the agenda of work of the General Assembly, the debate on 9 October 2014 will both be an opportunity to make statements that could not be made on 22 September 2014and statements spelling out concrete steps with respect to actions on commitments made at the regional review conferences and at the UNGASS. This meeting will not affect the procedure or outcome of the ICPD Beyond 2014 review or the outcome of the UNGASS.