ICPD + 25: Posting 5

ICPD Beyond 2014 + 5 Regional Reviews  — Arab States

The Regional Conference, under the theme Development Challenges and Population Dynamics in a Changing Arab World,took place in Cairo, Egypt from 24-26 June 2013, hosted by the League of Arab States (LAS), together with the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), and UNFPA.

It was preceded by a civil society meeting convened by the IPPF Arab World Regional Office, and a Youth Forum convened by the Arab Youth Coalition for Population and Development.

Attended by Government officials, representatives of CSOs, academia, youth and women’s groups, as well as development partners and leading population experts, the Conference reviewed the state of population and development issues in the Arab region, agreeing the Cairo Declaration statement of commitment. For information on CSO and Youth meetings see: Regional Population and Development Conference for the Arab States 24-26 June 2013

The Cairo Declaration included the following areas for commitments:

• Dignity and Equality
  • Women
  • Migrants and Displaced Persons
  • Young people
  • Older persons
  • Persons with Disability
• Health
• Displacement and International Migration
  • International Migration & Displacement
  • International Migration
  • Environmental Sustainability
• Governance
  • International cooperation and partnership

Bringing together ICPD and the SDGs

UNFPA, LAS and ESCWA, together with Member States have determined that synergies between ICPD and SDGs are the best and most politically feasible approach in the region. As such they have identified a list of 39 ICPD-based SDG indicators, ‘Leaving no one behind’ and ensuring partnership between all stakeholders as the governing principles for achieving SDGs. These indicators will be reflected both in the SDG regional review and the ICPD regional review.

2018 review

Working in collaboration with LAS and ESCWA, UNFPA, with technical assistance from the Social Research Center (SRC) of the American University in Cairo, is conducting a review in 2018, which will be based on surveys, mapping exercise on population policies and thematic papers on ICPD-SDG linkages. 

The review will be based on the responses to a set of National Follow-up Questions sent to governments in the region. It will also make use of relevant official national reports to highlight achievements and challenges. 

The process will culminate in an ICPD-SDG High-level Conference to be held in the last quarter of 2018, possibly in November in Beirut, Lebanon. There is no information about a parallel civil society meeting.