United Nations, New York Headquarters, 10 April 2014

On its eighth meeting of the 47th session, the Commission on Population and Development discussed the “Programme implementation and future programme of work of the Secretariat in the field of population.” Ms. Francesca Perucci, Chief, Demographic Analysis Branch, Population Division, introduced the Secretary-General’s report describing the activities of the Population Division in 2013. She presented another document outlining the proposed strategic framework for the period 2016-17 for the department’s sub-programme.  The report noted that the department made important progress in all thematic areas including: fertility and family planning, mortality and health, migration, population estimates and projections, population policies and population development.

The delegations commended the staff of the Population Division for their outstanding work in the field of collecting, analyzing and projecting population data which, they said, is of utmost importance for the implementation of the Programme of Action of the ICPD. Although much has been achieved, many countries noted that some challenges pertaining to maternal mortality, youth and adolescents, and unmet need for family planning continue to loom as obstacles in the population and development objectives.  

The Permanent Representative of Australia said that he was bitterly disappointed because the international community continued to struggle to deliver fundamental human rights for women and girls: it struggles to protect women and girls from discrimination and violence in all its forms, to empower women and girls to have control and autonomy over their own bodies and protect their sexual and reproductive rights, and struggle to prevent female genital mutilation. Many delegations agreed that one of the best ways to promote economic growth is to empower women.

Delegates also stressed on the need to implement the Cairo Programme of Action and re-affirm their commitment to the ICPD Programme of Action.

Full Meeting Title: Commission on Population and Development, Forty-seventh session, 8th Meeting

Key Speakers: Ms. Francesca Perucci, Chief, Demographic Analysis Branch, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs; Representatives from Germany, Norway, USA, Ghana, China, Italy, United Nation Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean, Sudan, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Finland, Algeria, Botswana, Nigeria, Jordon, Seychelles, Niger, Ireland, Australia, Mauritius, Malawi, Panama, Czech Republic, El Salvador,  Ecuador, Zambia, Jamaica, Tuvalu, IPPF, Asian-Pacific Resources & Research Centre for Women, New Zealand Family Planning, Pakistan, Belgium, Namibia, Poland, Cote D’Ivoire, Iraq, Russian Federation, Barbados, Madagascar, Cameroon, Guatemala, Kiribati, Kenya, Holy See, Marshall Islands, Haiti, Tunisia, Fiji, Turkmenistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Myanmar, Romania, Chad, Oman, Kazakhstan, Rutgers WPF and Partners, International HIV/AIDS Alliance and  Federation for Women and Family Planning

Written by WIT Representative: Shan Cheema