ICPD + 25: Posting 4

ICPD Beyond 2014 + 5 Regional Reviews  -- Africa

The Regional Review for Africa will take place in Accra, Ghana, from 2 – 5 October 2015. It will be held at ‘expert and ministerial level’ and will be preceded by a civil society pre-conference. The outcomes will be the Regional Review Report and the outcome of the ministerial review. They will feed into the Secretary-General’s Report to the 52^ndsession of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) in 2019, which will be devoted to the overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the ICPD PoA. (See ICPD + 25: Posting 3)

The Review meeting will consider the Regional Review Report, that is being prepared by consultants recruited jointly by the African Union (AU), the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and UNFPA. National level reports, which will be supported by UNFPA country offices, will be prepared as part of the review process. 

So, what is being reviewed?

The review will be assessing progress that has been made since the adoption of the Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development (AADPD) (See: Outcome document from the Ministerial Meeting: The Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development in Africa Beyond 2014) by Africa Ministers and subsequently by the AU Authority of Heads of State and Government in October 2013.

There are four areas in the AADPD to which they made commitments, namely:

• Dignity and Equality
• Health
• Place and Mobility
• Governance

Also included are commitments on:

• Data and statistics
• International cooperation and partnership
• Implementation

The  AADPD was adopted by the 53 African countries that participated in the meeting, the only exception being CHAD. Sixteen countries made reservations on three commitments – nos 17, 18 and 13.[1]For further information see Outcome document from the Ministerial Meeting: The Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development in Africa Beyond 2014. 

A statement was agreed by CSOs at their pre-conference meeting before that of the expert and ministerial, as well as a Youth statement at the Youth pre-conference. (See: African CSO Statement on ICPD Beyond 2014)

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[1]UN Economic Commission for Africa, African Union. Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development in Africa beyond 2014. 2013.  ECA/ICPD/MIN/2013/4 

17  Adopt and protect the human rights of all individuals without distinction of any kind, and guarantee equality before the law and non-discrimination of any kind, and guarantee equality before the law and non-discrimination for all people, in accordance with national policies, laws, religious, ethical values and cultural backgrounds;

18  Promulgate, where absent, and enforce laws to prevent and punish any kind of hate crimes without distinction of any kind, and take active steps to protect all persons from discrimination, stigmatization and violence: in accordance with national laws and policies;

35  Enact and enforce laws and policies within the national political and legal framework to respect and protect sexual and reproductive health and rights of all individuals;