Commission on Population and Development

Thirty-fifth Session

7^th Meeting (AM)

COMMISSION ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT CALLS FOR CONTINUED RESEARCH

ON POPULATION, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

As 35^th Session Ends, Commission Adopts Agenda

-- ‘Population, Education, Development’ –- for Next Session

The Commission on Population and Development this morning concluded its thirty-fifth session, which had, as its theme, reproductive rights and reproductive health, with special reference to HIV/AIDS, by adopting, without a vote, a resolution on reproductive rights, including HIV/AIDS.

By the terms of the resolution, the Commission would request the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs to continue its research, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to continue its programming on reproductive rights and reproductive health, in close collaboration with each other and all other relevant funds, programmes and agencies of the United Nations system.

The Commission would also request that the Population Division strengthen its work on the demographic aspects and impact of HIV/AIDS, and to incorporate its findings from that and other relevant research on reproductive rights and reproductive health, including the interrelationship with HIV/AIDS, in its contribution to the next review and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and, to the extent appropriate, to the annual reviews of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and other relevant review processes.

Introducing the draft resolution, the Commission’s Vice-Chairman, Makoto Atoh of Japan, said that during informal consultations no consensus could be reached on a second draft resolution.  The text was on review and appraisal of progress made in implementation of the Programme of Action of the ICPD, as had been the case during the last two sessions of the Commission.  Therefore, it had been decided not to submit a draft resolution on that subject to the Commission.

In explanation of position, the representative of the United States said his country, while fully supporting the principle of voluntary choice, reiterated that abortion should not be promoted as a method of family planning. He stressed, among other things, the need to further address the importance of family stability, the role of fathers and parent-child communication on abstinence, delaying sexual initiation, and responsible sexual behaviour.  It was the understanding of the

United States that in reaffirming Cairo, Cairo + 5 and Beijing + 5, all reservations made by his country at any of those conferences remained in effect.

In closing remarks, the Director of the Population Division, Joseph Chamie, said he was concerned about the lack of spontaneous exchanges.  This session had failed to generate the kind of dialogue of past sessions.  As the Commission provided input and advice on technical matters of population and development, that dialogue was vital for both the Commission and the Population Division.  The Economic and Social Council, during a meeting of its bureau and that of the Commission, had stressed the importance of such advice and guidance.  There was a need to return to a vital exchange between population experts on technical, not political, matters.

Closing the session, Chairman Antonio Golini (Italy) invited delegates to think about the Commission’s work of the last two or three sessions.  He had the impression that sometimes the important task of advising the Economic and Social Council on population issues and trends, including consequences, was forgotten.  Monitoring, reviewing and assessing implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action was the Commission’s second task.  It was important that the Commission maintained and enhanced public attention and support for that implementation, as the Programme dealt with almost all population issues.  In 2004, the Programme would be halfway, with 10 more years to go.  It was the Commission’s responsibility to plan the programmes and thinking for the next decade.

Addressing programme implementation and the future programme of work of the Secretariat in the field of population, the representative of the non-governmental organization “Population Institute” warned that the goal of bringing the world’s population into balance with the world’s environment and resources was in imminent danger of being undercut by its own success.  A follow-up up to the 1994 Cairo Conference was not only desirable but necessary.  He, therefore, supported a global event on population and development in 2005.

In other business, the Commission adopted the report on the current session (document E/CN.9/2002/L.3), introduced by its Vice-Chairman-Rapporteur Richard Turkson of Ghana, and authorized the Rapporteur to finalize the report.

The Commission also adopted its provisional agenda for the thirty-sixth session (document E/CN.0/2002/L.2), introduced by the Director of the Population Division, Mr. Chamie, which would have “population, education and development” as its theme.

During the thirty-fifth session, which was held from 1 to 5 April at Headquarters, the Commission considered follow-up actions to the recommendations of the ICPD and heard delegates on national experience in population matters regarding the session’s theme.  It also held a panel of experts from Chile, Ireland, Russian Federation and South Africa.  The Commission further heard from United Nations agencies and representatives from non-governmental organizations.

The Commission elected Antonio Golini (Italy) as this session’s Chairman.  It elected Makoto Atoh (Japan), Gediminas Serksnys (Lithuania) and Joan E. Thomas (Jamaica) as Vice-Chairs; and Richard B. Turkson as Vice-Chairman-Rapporteur.