Secretary-General’s report on achieving the MDGs and post-2015

The Secretary General's report on achieving the MDGs and post-2015 is currently being finalized for the 25 September 2013 Special Event. It is understood to be weak on gender equality and women's rights and not to address sexual and reproductive health or rights.  

It was decided to encourage civil society organizations (CSOs) to write to the Secretary General using the attached letter as a basis for their communications during the Regional  civil society meeting “ICPD Beyond 2014 – From Promise to Action, CSOs Defining the Way Forward”, co-hosted by IPPF European Network and the regional networks ASTRA and European Women’s Lobby, and attended by over 70 participants from across the region. 

Other CSOs are also urged to send letters recognizing that time is of the essence and may also wish to use the attached as a guide.

Regional UNECE Conference; Enabling Choices: Population Priorities for the 21st Century

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) 

The Regional UNECE Conference; Enabling Choices: Population Priorities for the 21st Century , 1-2 July has concluded after a two day review  of the achievements of the ICPD Programme of Action in the region. Discussion was oriented around the UNECE Regional Report  - based on the results from the global surveys from the countries in the UNECE region. Discussion was organised into three themes:

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UNECE Regional Conference Enabling Choices: Population Priorities For The 21st Century

Attached is the Chair's summary for the ECE ICPD Regional Population Conference Enabling Choices: Population Priorities For The 21st Century.

• Chair's summary ECE ICPD Regional Population Conference

Process gears up for inputs into the Operational Review through the initial findings of the Global Survey and start of the Regional Conferences

Part III – UN Economic Regional Conference – Enabling Choices: Population Priorities for the 21^st Century, Geneva 1-2 July 2013

The high-level regional conference Enabling Choices: Population Priorities for the 21^st Century was held in Geneva on 1-2 July 2013, organized jointly by UNFPA and the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and hosted by the Government of Switzerland.

Following the presentations and discussions the Chair’s Summary was presented at the final session. In its Progress and Recommendations it includes the following in the various sections.

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Process gears up for inputs into the Operational Review through the initial findings of the Global Survey and start of the Regional Conferences

Part II – Regional Conference on Population and Development in the Arab States: Development Challenges and Population Dynamics in a Changing Arab World, Cairo Egypt, 24-26 June 2013 

(The following reports on the Civil Society meeting, the Youth Forum and the Regional Conference are based on the report from the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF))

The ICPD review process is gaining momentum as the first of five regional inter-governmental population conferences has concluded with successful outcomes in Cairo, in a conference hosted by the League of Arab States.

The Inter-governmental meeting was preceded by a civil society meeting convened by IPPF Arab World Regional Office and a Youth Forum convened by the Arab Youth Coalition for Population and Development.

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Process gears up for inputs into the Operational Review through the initial findings of the Global Survey and start of the Regional Conferences

Part I -- UNFPA presents findings on the Global Survey to Governments

UNFPA presented the initial findings of the Global Survey to United Nations member states to review the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development. Completed by 176 governments, the Survey will contribute to the Operational Review, which was called for in General Assembly resolution 65/234. As stated on the ICPD Beyond 2014 website “the survey set out to capture what had been achieved since 1994 as well as gaps, challenges, emerging issues and future priorities of governments in relation to the ICPD agenda. It is the first time in the 20 years since the ICPD Programme of Action was created that such a comprehensive and rigorous approach has taken place to assessing progress.”

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Special Event towards achieving the MDGs

Governments under the leadership of the Co-chairs, the Permanent Representatives of South Africa and Ireland, held open consultations in New York on 24 June on the zero draft of the Outcome document for the Special Event towards achieving the MDGs, to be held on 25 September 2013. 

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Regional Population and Development Conference for the Arab States 24-26 June 2013

The ICPD review process is gaining momentum as the first of five regional inter-governmental population conferences is currently underway in Cairo, hosted by the League of Arab States. The Inter-governmental meeting was preceded by a civil society meeting convened by IPPF Arab World Regional Office and a Youth Forum convened by the Arab Youth Coalition for Population and Development.

The civil society meeting convened by IPPF was attended by national NGOs from each country in the region, with strong participation from the youth forum.

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Post-2015 Outreach Group Meeting/Call

The UN Millennium Campaign have announced that there will be a Post-2015 Outreach Group meeting/call tomorrow Wednesday 26th June 2013 at 3pm GMT (11am in NY / 5pm in Geneva / 10pm in Bangkok). For other cities and time zones click here. The Secretariat apologies for the very shot notice.

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Open Working Group 4 (Day 2: Education and Youth)

Youth and education were among the topics for consideration during the morning meeting of the Open Working Group (OWG) Session 4. Below are some of the comments made by different delegations. These provide an indication as to the support that different countries might give to potential goals and targets.

Tuesday 18 June

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