Ottawa, 23 October 2018 – More than 90 parliamentarians from over 70 countries have agreed on a forward-looking declaration that aims to foster understanding of, and consensus around, the urgency to address the current political discourse on sexual and reproductive health and rights. Jean-Jacques Flahaux (MR) and Petra de Sutter (Groen), members of the Belgian all-party parliamentary group, ‘Parliamentarians for the 2030 Agenda’, participated in the conference.
Meeting over two days in Ottawa, the gathered parliamentarians renewed their commitment to the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), and discussed progress made towards implementing its recommendations.
The 7th International Parliamentarians’ Conference on the Implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action (IPCI) came at a landmark moment for the population and development community as it prepares to observe the 25th anniversary of the ICPD next year.
In the agreed Ottawa Statement of Commitment, parliamentarians pledged to work toward a world “where preventable maternal deaths are a thing of the past, where unmet need for family planning is met, where gender-based violence and harmful practices do not exist, where young people can live healthy and productive lives, where stigmatisation and discrimination have no place in society and where reproductive rights are promoted, respected and protected.”
The parliamentarians resolved to mobilise their constituencies and governments to make bold efforts to fully implement the ICPD Programme of Action and to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The parliamentarians pledged, among others, to enact laws and policies and implement programmes to respect and protect the sexual and reproductive health and rights of all individuals. Furthermore, they advocate for increased development assistance budgets for population assistance and ensure the target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product (GNP) for official development assistance is met.
The two-day event was organised by the Canadian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (CAPPD), the Inter-American Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (IAPG), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF), and Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights.
The 7th International Parliamentarians’ Conference on the Implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action (IPCI) came at a landmark moment for the population and development community as it prepares to observe the 25th anniversary of the ICPD next year.
In the agreed Ottawa Statement of Commitment, parliamentarians pledged to work toward a world “where preventable maternal deaths are a thing of the past, where unmet need for family planning is met, where gender-based violence and harmful practices do not exist, where young people can live healthy and productive lives, where stigmatisation and discrimination have no place in society and where reproductive rights are promoted, respected and protected.”
The parliamentarians resolved to mobilise their constituencies and governments to make bold efforts to fully implement the ICPD Programme of Action and to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The parliamentarians pledged, among others, to enact laws and policies and implement programmes to respect and protect the sexual and reproductive health and rights of all individuals. Furthermore, they advocate for increased development assistance budgets for population assistance and ensure the target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product (GNP) for official development assistance is met.
The two-day event was organised by the Canadian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (CAPPD), the Inter-American Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (IAPG), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF), and Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights.
Group picture participants to IPCI2018, Ottawa. Copyright EPF.
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