Dates for ICPD Regional Review Conferences finalized

Meeting/Event	Date	Venue
3rd Regional Conference on Population and Development for Latin America and the Caribbean	7-10 August 2018	Lima, Peru
UNECE ICPD Regional Review Meeting	1-2 October 2018	Geneva, Switzerland
Africa Regional Ministerial ICPD Review Conference	2-5 October 2018	Accra, Ghana
Mid-Term Review of the Sixth Asian and Pacific Population Conference	26-28 Nov 2018	Bangkok, Thailand
High Level ICPD-SDG Regional Review Conference in the Arab Region	30 Oct-1 Nov 2018	Beirut, Lebanon

Regional Forum on Sustainable Development – 3 weeks to go!

In only three weeks, on 1-2 March 2018, the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE region will be held at the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG). 

Are you registered? 

Registration is still open. Make sure you register through the registration link, preferably by 16 February 2018…

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Regional meetings on 2030 Agenda for UNECE region 25 and 25 April 2017 – Deadline 23 February 2017

We have received the following email about the regional meeting for the ECE region on the 2030 Agenda: 

Dear Major Groups and other Stakeholders from Civil Society interested in regional SDG Agenda 2030 for the UNECE region

We are officially inviting you to pre-register for participation on April 24th and 25th at the UN in Geneva. 

In order to register, please fill ou the registration survey, including information regarding travel support - please note only very little funds are available!…

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2017 Regional Preparatory Meetings for High-level Political Forum

The following dates and venues have been announced for the Regional Preparatory Meetings for the High-level Political Forum in 2017:

ESCAP: Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APSFD), 29-31 March 2017, Bangkok, Thailand

ECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (RFSD) 2017, 25 April 2017, Geneva, Switzerland

ECLAC: Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development (LAC RFSD), 26-28 April 2017, Mexico City

ECA Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (RFSD), 16-19 May, Venue to be decided

EU Report on science, technology and innovation policies and implementation of SDGs available on line

We have received the following from the EU Commission on Research & Innovation

The report “The role of science, technology and innovation policies to foster the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals” is available online.

The report presents the conclusions of the independent Expert Group on the “Follow-up to Rio+20, notably the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” that was established in March 2015 by the European Commission under Horizon 2020 (Societal Challenge 5 - Work Programme for 2014-2015, pp. 79-80).

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European Union Council conclusions on a transformative post-2015 agenda

The Council of the European Union (General Affairs Council), on 16 December 2014 adopted the Council conclusions on a transformative post-2015 agenda. These will underpin the positions of the EU during the negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda. It provides direction and guidance, without being too prescriptive. This is very important at this stage in the process. It is therefore important to read the full document carefully and to use it when working with the EU and its Member States. Meanwhile, some of the key points are highlighted below.

The Council conclusions note the great opportunity provided by the post-2015 development agenda “to address some of the key global issues facing the world today in a truly transformative manner.” Foremost among these issues are the interrelated challenges of eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development in all its three dimensions (environmental, social and economic). They emphasize the need for “an ambitious agenda” to address these challenges in a coordinated and coherent manner that “leaves no-one behind.” They consider progress so far and the opportunities ahead, as the next phase of the international process begins. 

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Beijing+20 regional review UNECE region

Preceding the official Regional Review of Beijing+20 meeting for the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), a civil society forum was held which adopted a Declaration and Recommendations. (They are attached but can also be found at beijing20.ngocsw-geneva.ch) The recommendations include both sexual and reproductive health and rights and comprehensive sexuality education

The official sessions, held on 6 and 7 November, focussed on closing the gender gap through social and economic policies, women in policy, women and justice, women and violence, and the closing session on ways forward. On the first day Nyardazayi Gumbonzvanda, the chair of the CSO Forum Beijing+20, presented the results of the forum during the opening session. Other speakers included the Crown Princess of Denmark. (Videos of the session can be found on the twitter account of UNECE and #Beijing20ECE.) During the meeting there was harldy any possibilities for interventions from the floor, but when it was possible, no CSOs asked for the floor.

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European Civil Society calls upon the Open Working Group on SDGs to support SRHR

(Brussels, 30 April 2014) Over 87 European NGOs across 42 European countries joined forces this week to call upon their governments and other likeminded states to express strong support for universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) at the upcoming 11^th session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

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Outcome of the Regional Consultation Inclusive and Sustainable Development: Perspectives from Europe and Central Asia on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, Istanbul, 6-8 November 2013

The regional consultation Inclusive and Sustainable Development: Perspectives from Europe and Central Asia on the Post-2015 Development Agend was held from the 6-8 November 2013 in Istanbul, Turkey. It provided an opportunity to ensure the integration of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) into the regional priorities and to engage with other civil society organization (CSOs), including environmental and education organizations on related issues. 

CSO consultation:

The official consultation was preceded by a self-organised CSO consultation, which brought together more than 170 participants from the region

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Regional Consultation on the Post-2015 Agenda in Istanbul, Turkey on 6-8 November

The Ministry for Development in Turkey together with UNECE and UNDP will host a regional (Europe and Central Asia) consultation in Istanbul, Turkey, 7-8 November 2013. It will be a multi-stakeholder event, bringing together representatives from governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector, academia and media. The meeting will feature a series of thematic panel discussions and conclude with an open forum that will identify regional priorities for the post-2015 agenda and formulate the regional contributions to the global debate. For the proposed agenda click here. 

The Conference background document is a report entitled “Building more inclusive, sustainable and prosperous societies in Europe and Central Asia – A common United Nations vision for a post-2015 development agenda”.

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