The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) ICPD regional review is underway

We have received the following from the International Planned Parenthood Federation:

The  Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) ICPD regional review is underway

The Articulación Regional de Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil de América Latina y el Caribe Hacia Cairo +20 convened a civil society forum on August 11th,  in advance of the First Regional Conference on Population and Development for Latin America and the Caribbean.  Approximately 250 members from a wide range of regional, sub-regional and national networks and organizations-- including representatives from IPPF Member Associations- participated in the day-long forum.  During the forum, participants discussed the Cairo +20 and Post-2015 processes, and drafted “The Time is Now”, a declaration that was delivered to delegates during the Conference.  The declaration highlights the need to ensure that sexual and reproductive rights and health are met through various actions, including the decriminalization of abortion and the promotion of comprehensive sexuality education, among others. 

Click to read more ...

Sexual and reproductive health and rights: Priorities for the ICPD Beyond 2014 and the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda

PRESS RELEASE

Sexual and reproductive health and rights:
Priorities for the ICPD Beyond 2014 and the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda

The High-Level Task Force for the ICPD calls on States participating in the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean to accelerate efforts for achieving gender equality, the empowerment of women and young people and sexual and reproductive health and rights.

The full press release is available to download in English and Spanish. 

Strong Statement From CSOS At Regional Meeting On ICPD Beyond 2014 From Latin America And The Caribbean In Montevideo

More than fifty networks, national and international coalitions with presence in the Latin American and Caribbean region, campaigns and organizations aligned as movements for almost two years in the Alliance of Civil Society Organizations from Latin America and the Caribbean from different countries, cultures, races, ethnicities, social classes, ages and sexualities, are present at the Regional Conference on ICPD Beyond 2014 in Montevideo, Uruguay. In a strong statement read by Dorotea Wilson from the Articulación Regional at the Regional Conference. 

In their statement they said that they were at the conference in support of the agenda for the 20 years of the Cairo process and for development beyond 2014 and 2015, and also to defend an environment in the region where all people can live in freedom, equality and solidarity. The region , moreover should be one that ensures the effective enjoyment of human rights and A WORLD where everyone can realize those rights. The statement not only specifies the unjustified gaps that exist, but makes specific demands for the agenda moving forward.

The full statements are available here:

• English 
• Spanish

Outcome Document for the ESCWA Region

The Declaration, adopted at the ICPD Beyond 2014 Regional Conference on Population and Development in the Arab States held in Cairo from 24 through 26 June 2013, is now available and can be downloaded here.

The Arabic version is also available and can be downloaded directly from UNFPA here. 

The UN Millennium Campaign invites you to a teleconference on the UN Secretary-General's Report & engagement opportunities around the UN General Assembly

Date: Tuesday 20 August 2013

Time: 1:30pm GMT (9:30am in New York / 2:30pm in London / 3:30pm in Geneva / 8:30pm in Bangkok. For other cities and time zones click here).

The meeting will be Chaired by Sering Falu, Deputy Director of the UN Millennium Campaign, and is organised jointly by the UN Millennium Campaign and the Executive Office of the Secretary General.

Please see enclosed the draft agenda for your consideration and feedback, and below the dial in instructions.

Click to read more ...

ESCAP - Civil Society meeting

We have received the following from the International Planned Parenthood Federation:

The civil society forum, prior to the Economic and Social Commission for Asian Pacific (ESCAP) International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) regional review will be on 12- 13 September, Bangkok. The forum is being organized in partnership by a steering committee comprised of:  Asia Pacific Alliance (APA) , International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW), The Asian- Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), South Asia Regional Youth Network (SARYN), 7 Sisters, International Council on Management of Population Programme (ICOMP), Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD), Help Age International, IPPF ESEAOR/SARO 

Click to read more ...

Sexual and reproductive health and rights and UN Women consultation on stand alone goal on gender equality and gender mainstreaming

UN Women has posted a position paper outlining its recommendations for the post-2015 development agenda on the World We Want 2015 website ). In the paper UN Women calls for addressing the structural causes of gender inequality through a stand-alone goal and gender mainstreaming throughout the post-2015 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It provides the evidence for and expands on the arguments presented in a shorter version issued in May 2013.

It should be noted that the paper refers throughout to “sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights”. While this is agreed language as included in the ICPD Programme of Action, in the development of the Post-2015 Development Agenda the language has moved on to “sexual and reproductive health and rights”.  It will be important going forward to encourage UN Women to refer to “sexual and reproductive health and rights.”

NGO participation in UN General Assembly Special Event on MDGs, 25 September 2013

Following our recent postings on the UN General Assembly Special Event on MDGs to be held at the UN in New York on 25 September 2013, we wish to inform you about the process for NGOs and CSOs that wish to be invited to participate in this event.

The President of the General Assembly will draw up a list of representatives of NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC, as well as other relevant civil society organizations, academic institutions, youth groups and private sector representatives. Nominations by non-ECOSOC groups will be circulated to Member States on a no-objection basis. If confirmed they will receive confirmation on 7 September 2013. Your organization can express its interest to participate in this event by registering here

Registration will close on 19 August 2013.

The special event will be broadcast live and on archive video at: http://webtv.un.org.

Advancing Regional Recommendations on Post-2015: A Dialogue between Civil Society, Governments and UN Representatives on 22 September 2013

Advancing Regional Recommendations on Post-2015: A Dialogue between Civil Society, Governments and UN Representatives on 22 September 2013 toward the UN General Assembly Special Event on the MDGs on 25 September

The UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service has provided information on the CSO Consultation for the Special Event that will be held in the United Nations Headquarters, Conference Room 3 (CB) 
on 22 September 2013 
from 14.00 to 17.30 hours.

Click to read more ...

ICPD Beyond 2014 – next steps along the way to the 2014 General Assembly Special Session

With 13 months to go to the UN General Assembly Special Session for ICPD Beyond 2014, preparations are well underway. Two of the five Regional meetings have been held and the next one is taking place on 12-15 August, with those for the Asia and Pacific Region and Africa, (for which the dates have been changed). In addition the International Conference on Human Rights has taken place.

The next important meeting will be the ICPD Beyond 2014 Expert Meeting on Women's Health -Rights, Empowerment and Social Determinants which will be held in Mexico City from 30th Sept to 2nd October Mexico City. For more information, as it becomes available, see here for further details.

Click to read more ...