STRONG SUPPORT FOR 1994 CAIRO ACTION PROGRAMME REAFFIRMED, AS POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OPENS 37TH SESSION

Commission on Population and Development                   

Thirty-seventh Session                                     

1^st & 2^nd Meetings (AM & PM)

STRONG SUPPORT FOR 1994 CAIRO ACTION PROGRAMME REAFFIRMED, AS POPULATION

AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OPENS 37TH SESSION

United Nations officials and Commission Members reaffirmed their strong support for the Programme of Action of the International Conference of Population and Development (ICPD), as the United Nations Commission on that topic opened its thirty-seventh session today, adopting its agenda and starting its general debate.

During the course of the session, from 22 to 26 March, the Commission is expected to assess the implementation of the recommendations of the ICPD, which was held in Cairo in 1994.

As he opened the meeting this morning, José Antonio Ocampo, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said that the Commission had been given a renewed mandate after the Cairo Conference in 1994.  The ICPD had recognized that human beings were at the centre of sustainable development and comprised the most valuable resources of a nation.  The action plan had been adopted in a spirit of optimism and included a broad spectrum of recommendations on, among other things, women and men, girls and boys, families, rural groups, indigenous and disabled persons.

Surveying population trends since 1994, Mr. Ocampo said that progress had been “uneven” towards meeting the Action Programme’s goals.  This year, world population would surpass 6.5 billion, nearly 800 million larger than in 1994, 95 per cent of the increase occurring in less-developed regions.  In the more developed regions, a growing number of governments were voicing concerns about low rates of growth and even decline.  Migration, reproductive health, maternal and infant mortality and the devastating HIV/AIDS pandemic had also come to the forefront.

Also making opening statements this morning were the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and SmallIslandDevelopingStates, Anwarul Chowdhury, the Director of the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Joseph Chamie, and the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Thoraya Obaid.

The vast majority of countries were taking actions in the areas of population, women’s rights, reproductive rights and reproductive health care improvement, said Ms. Obaid.  Yet the promise of Cairo remained in many senses a promise unfulfilled, with crises in all those areas.  She said that top priority must be given to the least developed countries in remedying the problems.  In addition, all the current processes that aimed at similar goals should reinforce each other, and all sectors must be galvanized in the effort.  Funding must be increased -- there was a $3 billion shortfall in donor funding of population initiatives.

Elected this morning as Commission Chairman, Alfredo Chuquihara of Peru said that the Action Programme of the Cairo Conference had broken new ground by aiming for a balance between population and development in a new, comprehensive matter that assured the rights of all and took cultural values into consideration.  He requested the collaboration of all members of the Commission in its further implementation.

Also this morning, the Commission elected, by acclamation, three Vice-Chairmen and one Vice-Chairman cum Rapporteur:  Gediminas Serksnys of Lithuania, Mohamed El-Farnawany of Egypt, Kitty van der Heijden of the Netherlands and Khondker Mohammad Talha of Bangladesh.

Following the elections and opening statements, representatives continued the reaffirmation of support for the goals of the Cairo Plan of Action as the general debate began.  Representatives differed, however, in their emphasis.  The representative of Qatar, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said that the Group had been in favour of placing a higher level of emphasis on the cross-cutting themes of resource mobilization, capacity-building and partnerships.  Other members of that Group emphasized the problems of maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS and the need for donors to meet the Cairo donor funding goals.

The representative of China said that family planning was at the core of population policy, and also an indispensable part of reproductive health.  The representative of the United States, however, said that national governments, in partnership with non-governmental organizations, must prepare for a phase-out in what he called family-planning “commodity” donations, though the United States continued to be the largest bilateral donor supporting the objectives of the Programme of Action and led the fight against AIDS.  In that effort, he stressed the ABC programme -- abstinence, faithfulness of relationships and appropriate use of condoms.  Stable families and faith-based institutions were two pillars on which that successful approach was built.

Also speaking today were the representatives of Ireland, on behalf of the European Union, Russia, Madagascar, Norway, Japan, Brazil, Peru, Guyana, Luxembourg, Ethiopia, Iran, Syria, Switzerland and Mexico.

A representative of Cuba spoke on behalf of the Ad Hoc Committee on Population and Development of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and a representative of Switzerland spoke on behalf of the European Population Forum, organized with the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) and the UNFPA.

In addition, statements were made by representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), as well as the observer of Partners in Population in Development.

The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m., Tuesday, 23 March, to continue it general debate and hear keynote speakers.

Background

The Commission on Population and Development opened its thirty-eighth session in morning and afternoon meetings today.  [For further information, please see Press Release POP/892 of 17 March.]

Election of Officers

The Commission elected Alfredo Chuquihuara of Peru Chairman of the thirty-eighth session by acclamation.

The Chairman, ALFREDO CHUQUIHUARA (Peru), then thanked the Commission for his election and said that the Action Programme of the Cairo Conference aimed at creating a balance between population and development in a new, comprehensive matter that assured the rights of all.  Women’s rights and health, gender equality and empowerment of women were made key elements in reaching the goals of reducing poverty.  Health services were acknowledged as crucial.  The Cairo Conference also established a balance between human rights, cultural values and national sovereignty.  He requested the collaboration of all members of the Commission in the further implementation of the work programme, so that more people could escape poverty and exercise their reproductive rights in a healthier manner.

The Chairman then announced the election, also by acclamation, of three Vice-Chairmen and one Vice-Chairman cum Rapporteur:  Gediminas Serksnys of Lithuania, Mohamed El-Farnawany of Egypt, Kitty van der Heijden of the Netherlands, and Khondker Mohammad Talha of Bangladesh, respectively.

Opening Statements

JOSE ANTONIO OCAMPO, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said that the Commission had a distinguished history dating back to its creation in 1946.  It had been given a renewed mandate after the Cairo Conference in 1994.  Over the years, the Commission had played a critical role in both the preparation and follow-up of population conferences.  More recently, at a special session of the General Assembly in 1999, key actions for further implementation of conference outcome texts were agreed.  The Commission also had a key role in overseeing and providing broad direction to the programme of work of the United Nations Secretariat in the areas of population.  It also played key role in the Economic and Social Council in ensuring that evolving trends and concerns were brought to the attention of the Council and its other functioning commissions.

He recalled that General Assembly resolution A/57/270 b, adopted last June, had set forth guidelines for conducting coordinated reviews.  The Assembly had understood that functioning commissions should continue to have the primary responsibility for reviewing and assessing progress in implementing United Nations conferences’ outcome texts.  The Population and Development Commission had been charged with reviewing and appraising the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action.

Throughout the processes, the importance of civil society in implementing conference outcomes had been underscored, he said.  It was gratifying that this session of the Commission would have the participation of many representatives of other United Nations programmes and agencies, and of civil society groups, which had played a vital social role in the dialogue leading to the ICPD and the day-to-day activities of implementing the recommendations contained in its action plan, and had been at the very centre of negotiations that resulted in its consensus adoption.

Issues of population involved the most basic concerns of human life, birth, death and migration, he said.  The latter underpinned the most basic component of population change.  Migration increased or decreased and formed geographic patterns of human settlements.  Those were influenced by societal, economic, political and environmental issues at the centre of the quest for sustainable development, individual well-being and future prospects for society and individuals.  The ICPD had recognized that human beings were at the centre of concerns of sustainable development and comprised the most valuable resources of a nation.  The action plan had been adopted in a spirit of optimism and included a broad spectrum of recommendations on, among other things, women and men, girls and boys, families, rural groups, indigenous and disabled persons.

He noted that the action plan had considered population in relation to the environment, and it had emphasized actions that would lead people out of poverty.  It had also included issues now receiving much international attention, including population ageing and the HIV/AIDS pandemic.  The plan had also identified qualitative and quantitative goals in several areas, including universal access to knowledge about and the achievement of reproductive health, gender equity and equality, mortality and health, and combating the then emerging epidemic of HIV/AIDS.  That was not just a set of goals, but also a road map of practical policy action, the route towards reaching the desired goals.  The upcoming review would assess progress.  When that was good, it was important to celebrate it, while directing attention to areas that were lagging, proceeding too slowly, or losing ground.

There had been many changes in population trends since 1994, and overall, the progress had been “uneven” towards meeting the action programme’s goals, he said.  Among those trends, this year, world population would surpass 6.5 billion.  In 2004, that figure was nearly 800 million larger than in 1994.  Also, 95 per cent of that population increase had occurred in less developed regions.  The predominate view, as reflected in the action plan, was that slower rates of population growth could allow more time to attack poverty, protect and repair the environment, and build a base for future sustainable development.

Globally, the average growth rate had increased and was now at 1.3 per cent, but those rates of increase had varied greatly between countries, he continued.  Today, in general, the least developed countries were experiencing the most rapid population growth of an annual rate of more than 2.4 per cent.  In the more developed regions, a growing number of governments were voicing concerns about low rates of growth and even low rates of decline.

He said that, since 1994, immigration had become a major issue of concern in many countries.  While a vast number of migrants were making meaningful contributions to their host countries, that migration had “drained” countries of origin of valuable citizens.  Among the other areas he reviewed, reproductive health programmes had been established in many countries since the Cairo Conference, and their quality had improved.  Nevertheless, many millions of people still lacked access to the means of achieving reproductive health.

The risk of maternal mortality remained unacceptably high, as did infant mortality rates, he said.  Often, those statistics were related to political conflict, social and political transformations, the re-emergence of malaria and tuberculosis, and the devastating HIV/AIDS pandemic. One area where the Conference goals had not been met was in mobilizing financial resources, he stressed.

THORAYA OBAID, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), commended the work of the Commission and said that the Cairo Conference marked the beginning of a new era in a people-centred view of population efforts.  Women had much to gain through the Cairo agenda, but so did everyone.  Since Cairo, much progress had been made, as population growth had slowed and some development indicators had advanced.  Now, however, a strengthened determination was needed to reach the goals of the Programme of Action.

To meet those goals, greater action needed to be taken in the area of women’s rights, as well as the health services sector, she said.  The issue of migration had also become critical in the past 10 years, and such issues as AIDS had become recognized as great threats.  The vast majority of countries were taking actions in the areas of population, women’s rights, reproductive rights and reproductive health-care improvement.  Yet, the promise of Cairo remained in many senses a promise unfulfilled, with crises in all those areas.

Top priority must be given to the least developed countries in remedying the problems, she said.  In addition, all the current processes that aimed at similar goals should reinforce each other, and all sectors must be galvanized in those efforts.  Funding must be increased; there was a $3 billion shortfall in donor funding of population initiatives.  Action, she concluded, must be reinforced to achieve greater results in the coming period.

ANWARUL K. CHOWDHURY, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, said that success in dealing with the challenges posed by the population issues could bring about positive results in many areas.  The fight of the least developed countries to overcome poverty and free themselves from the morass of hunger and disease had been seriously hampered by rapid population growth and its “dragging” effect on social and economic development efforts.  Fully recognizing that, the 2001 Brussels Programme of Action on least developed countries had devoted a whole section to the population issues under the commitment entitled, “Building human and institutional capacities”.  It reaffirmed that the goals and targets of the Programme would be pursued in conformity with the Cairo action plan.

He said the least developed countries had committed themselves to strengthening population policies and strategies consistent with internationally agreed goals and objectives.  The development partners had committed to providing enhanced and strengthened support to least developed countries in their efforts to build national capacity for formulating and implementing population and development policies and strategies.  The Brussels Programme had also recognized the need for addressing effectively the emerging challenges relating to labour supply and internal migration, for which the development partners had agreed to provide technical, financial and other forms of support to least developed countries to improve conditions of labour supply and mitigate problems of migration.  In 2002, his Office had brought to the attention of the Executive Board of the UNFPA the concerns of least developed countries about population issues and had highlighted the need for increased population assistance.  In response, the Board decided to mainstream the implementation of the Brussels Programme in the activities of the UNFPA.  He deeply appreciated the Fund’s support to the least developed countries.

Against that backdrop, the participation of least developed countries at the upcoming Review Conference was very relevant, he said.  The serious challenges those countries faced in their population growth had been highlighted graphically in the report of the Secretary-General (document E/CN.9/2004/3).  Those challenges included the very high growth rate, the average fertility rate, which, at 5.1 children per woman in 2000-2005, was much higher than the average 2.9 children per woman for the developing regions as a whole.  Also, the “galloping” growth since 1994 of the HIV/AIDS pandemic had made population and development issues even more “starkly dramatic” for many of the poorest countries.  Revealing another dimension of the population issues in 2000-2005, life expectancy at birth was estimated at 49.6 years in the least developed countries, compared to 63 years in the developing regions as a whole.

He said that those staggering statistics underscored very clearly the urgent need for enhanced support of the development partners to the efforts being made by the least developed countries in implementing effective population policies.  The interlinkages between the goals of the Brussels and Cairo Programmes of Action should be kept in focus in a coherent manner.  The Commission recommendations at this session included appropriate references to the needs of the least developed countries, as well as the actions required in that respect.  With a view to promoting dialogue and interaction among relevant stakeholders, particularly among the representatives of the least developed countries and their development partners, on those pressing human development issues, his Office last year, in cooperation with the intergovernmental Office of the Permanent Observer of Partners in Population and Development to the United Nations, had organized a series of four symposia on the broad theme, “Population and the Millennium Development Goals”, with special focus on the least developed countries.  The proceedings were available in four booklets published by Partners in Population and Development.

JOSEPH CHAMIE, Director of the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, outlined the history of the Commission and of the recent unprecedented growth in world population.  At the time of the Commission’s first session, the total population was 2.3 billion, which was now merely the combined population of two countries, India and China, as total population had soared to over 6.4 billion.

The current session, he said, would focus on the progress of the Cairo Programme of Action and consider the next steps in effectively addressing the wide spectrum of population and development issues facing the international community.

As for the future, he said the United Nations projected that by mid-century at least 2 billion, and perhaps closer to 3 billion, would be added to the world’s population, though growth would be slower.  More of the world’s population would be concentrated in less developed countries as the population of many other countries declined.  In most countries, life expectancy would be higher, and the percentage of persons over 65 years old was expected to double.  At the same time, the impact of HIV/AIDS was expected to worsen in certain regions; the world would be more urbanized; and international migration would increase both in volume and impact.

On the whole, the twenty-first century, he said, would see the end of rapid world population growth, which would most likely peak at slightly above 9 billion.  The Commission had a vital role to play in the continuing debate on population and development.  Bold vision and strong leadership from Commission members, coupled with international cooperation and commitment, would greatly enhance the ability of the United Nations to contribute to making the world in the twenty-first century a much better place for the generations of today and tomorrow.

Procedural Matters

As the Commission turned to procedural matters, the representative of Qatar stated that the “Group of 77” developing countries and China would adopt the agenda, but not all reports and documents before the Commission.  Following that statement, the report of the intersessional meeting (document E/CN.9/2004/2) was introduced by the previous Chairman of the Commission, GEDIMINAS SERKSNYS (Lithuania).  The Commission then decided to take note of the report.

The provisional agenda (document E/CN.9/2004/1) was then introduced by the CHAIRMAN and adopted.   The Secretary of the Commission pointed out changes in the organization of work (document E/CN.9/2004/L.1) and made other procedural proposals.  The Commission then adopted its organization of work.

Next, Mr. CHAMIE opened the agenda item on review and appraisal.  That was the sixth review and appraisal to be undertaken since the Bucharest Population Conference.  The demographic and population trends were not automatic.  Over the decades, there had been great efforts to address the many concerns.  First, a very solid basis of knowledge and information was needed.  In contrast to some areas of activity, it was not possible to repeal the laws of demography:  everyone was born at the age of “0” and, eventually, everyone must die.  Those were the parameters within which he was constrained to work.  Building upon a scientific knowledge base, policy formulation and the necessary resources were also needed.

Introducing the report of the Secretary-General on the review and appraisal of the progress made in achieving the goals and objectives of the Programme of Action, LARRY HELIGMAN, Chief, Population Studies Branch, Population Division, recalled that the Programme of Action had been built on the previous decades of international efforts to address issues of population and development.  The ICPD Programme, however, contained several innovations in terms of new issues, new approaches and new activities, particularly in the way it dealt with reproductive and gender issues.  The Programme also focused on achieving sustainable development, as well as on the role of education, particularly of girls, in effecting change.  The Programme also gave wide and systematic recognition to the role of non-governmental organizations, and provided detailed recommendations regarding resource needs and institutional mechanisms for achieving the Programme’s goals and objectives.

He noted that the review and appraisal report found that much progress had been made in implementing the action plan in the past 10 years.  The world was beginning to see the end of rapid population growth; couples were closer to achieving their desired family size and spacing; mortality was declining in most countries; and there was evidence that many nations were taking the necessary steps to confront HIV/AIDS and other mortality crises.  Also, governments were initiating processes to address concerns related to international migratory movements.

Such progress, however, had not been universal, he said, and based on current trends, many countries were likely to fall short of the agreed goals.  Rapid population growth remained a concern for more than half the governments in the less developed regions, and the decrease in the global population growth rate was the result of an almost universal reduction in fertility.

Also, while global life expectancy was increasing, progress was by no means uniform, he said.  Many countries had witnessed a stagnation of mortality improvement, if not a decline in life expectancy. Population ageing had become more evident around the world, and population distribution continued to be a concern for many countries, especially in the less developed regions.  As of mid-2000, approximately 175 million persons resided in a country other than where they had been born, three fifths of whom were found in the more developed regions.

Looking back over the past decade, it was clear that national programmes to implement the action plan had shown encouraging results, he continued.  Much had been learned, including finding successful approaches and arriving at improved national programme implementation.  Nevertheless, there had also been shortfalls and gaps.

The report had shown that continued efforts and commitment were needed to mobilize human and financial resources; to strengthen institutional capacities; and to nurture partnerships among governments, the international community, non-governmental organizations and civil society, he said.  With such efforts and commitment, it was possible to expect broader and deeper progress in achieving the goals and objective of the Programme of Action.

FRANÇOIS FARAH, Population and Development Branch, Technical Support Division, UNFPA, introduced the report of the Secretary-General on the flow of financial resources for assisting in implementation of the action plan (document E/CN.9/2004/4).  He noted that the Fund had been given the lead role in monitoring progress towards achieving the ICPD goals in the area of resource mobilization.  To do that, it worked closely with the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI).  It also relied on the cooperation of donor countries and organizations, as well as developing countries and UNFPA country officers, to obtain data on funding levels.  Since 1999, the UNFPA had been collaborating with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in data collection in resource flows to HIV/AIDS activities.

He said that the present report analysed international and domestic financial resource flows for population activities that were part of the “costed population package”, as described in the ICPD action plan.  That had included funding in the following categories:  family planning services; basic reproductive health services; activities concerning sexually transmitted diseases; and basic research, data and population and development policy analysis.  The programme had estimated that the cost of implementing the population and reproductive health package in developing countries and countries with economies in transition would be $17 billion annually by 2000.  Approximately two thirds of the cost was expected to emanate from developing countries, and one third, or $5.7 billion, from the international donor community.

Progress towards achieving those goals had been “painfully slow”, he said.  In the past decade, funding levels quickly reached a plateau and barely inched upwards.  At times, there had even been setbacks when levels of population assistance had decreased.  The preparatory process preceding the ICPD and the immediate post-ICPD period saw a 54 per cent increase in international population assistance, from $1.3 billion to $2 billion between 1993 and 1995.  The momentum of Cairo, however, did not last and funding levels hovered near the $2 billion mark from 1995 to 1999.  In fact, in 1997, population assistance actually decreased slightly for the first time since the Conference.

He said he was pleased that the provisional figure for population assistance in fiscal year 2002 had increased to $3 billion.  Estimates for 2003 had put the figure at almost $3.1 billion, but the target was still far from being reached.  Despite the encouraging increase, at current funding levels, the $6.1 billion target for 2005 also appeared unlikely to be achieved without a significant increase in allocations to population assistance.  According to UNFPA’s global estimates, domestic population expenditures in developing countries, which had averaged annually around $8 billion from 1997 to 2000, declined to $7 billion in 2001.  The ICPD goal of $11.3 billion in 2000 had not been reached.  Most recent estimates indicated that developing countries mobilized $11.7 billion for population in 2003.

While the global total showed real commitment on the part of developing countries, that concealed the great variation that existed among countries’ ability to mobilize resources for population activities, he went on.  Developing countries required increased national budget for population, but many were unable to generate the necessary funds to cover the cost of their own population programmes.  Substantial donor assistance was particularly critical for the least developed countries to achieve the ICPD goals.  Meanwhile, population and reproductive health were central to development and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.  They must figure prominently in development programmes and poverty reduction strategies.  Without a firm commitment and adequate resources to implement population, reproductive health and gender equality programmes, it was unlikely that the ICPD goals and Millennium Development Goals would be met.

General Debate

SULTAN AL-MAHMOUD (Qatar), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said that the Group had been in favour of placing a higher level of emphasis on the cross-cutting themes of resource mobilization, capacity-building and partnerships.  In the 10 years since the Cairo Conference, there had been much progress, even though many countries continued to experience high fertility rates, high mortality rates, migration, the growth of urban populations and AIDS.  The Group reaffirmed its commitment to address all such development challenges.

He emphasized the importance of solidarity in issues of development, along with a holistic approach to address issues of population and development.  He said that the developing countries acknowledged their responsibility in the pursuit of development, but the fulfilment of financial commitments to the Cairo Programme of Action were equally essential.  The Group recognized, in particular, the importance of mobilizing domestic resources in such areas as health, despite serious limitations and competing development priorities.

He urged continued support for the UNFPA and other related United Nations units, and welcomed a focus on the working methods of the Commission.  He reiterated the Group’s commitment to the work of the present session and the goals agreed to in Cairo, which he hoped would be translated into concrete action.

TOM MOONEY (Ireland), speaking on behalf of the European Union, reaffirmed the Union’s commitment to the Cairo Programme of Action and the Key Actions for Further Implementation of the Programme of Action of the ICPD.  In that regard, the Union strongly supported the activities of the UNFPA, and emphasized the need for predictable resources for the Fund, to which all donors should contribute.  Implementation of the agreed goals of the action plan were not only in the reproductive and sexual health sector, but in the entire social sector, in education, in issues related to gender equality and the protection of minorities and vulnerable groups, and on the whole spectrum of democracy and good governance.

He said that only through progress in those key areas would it be possible to build the enabling environment necessary for the full realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights.  In many countries, maternal mortality ratios were unacceptably high and not improving.  Unsafe abortions also continued to take a heavy toll on women’s lives.  Meeting the unmet need for contraception would help reduce the number of abortions.

Overall, reproductive health eluded many of the world’s people, he said, because of factors such as:  inadequate knowledge about human sexuality; the high risk of prevailing sexual behaviours; discriminatory social practices; negative attitudes towards women and girls; violence against women; harmful traditional practices; and the limited power many women and girls had over their sexual and reproductive lives.

Within sexual and reproductive health services, there had been good progress in family planning with improved access to, and increased coverage for, the provision of contraceptives, he said.  The increased use of family planning had contributed to the reduction in global fertility, with a consequent decline in the annual population growth rate to 1.3 per cent.  That was a real success, reaping positive benefits for sustainable development and poverty reduction.

At the same time, however, gender inequality was a continuing impediment to implementation of the action plan, he said.  More investment was needed to empower women and enable them to make choices that would influence and improve their quality of life.  A related cause for serious concern was the feminization of the infectious disease pandemics, particularly HIV/AIDS, for which ensuring reproductive choice was an essential element within HIV-prevention programmes.

He said there had been considerable overlap in the strategies and programmes required to fight HIV/AIDS with the promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights.  That fight could not succeed unless there was universal provision of comprehensive reproductive health services.  Those agendas should be integrated.  Prevention of the infection, through the promotion of safer and responsible sexual behaviour and practices, including through condom use, must be the “mainstay” of the subnational, national, regional and international response to the AIDS epidemic.  Prevention, care, support and treatment for those “infected and affected” by HIV/AIDS were mutually reinforcing elements of an effective response and must be integrated.

In the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) region, the Berlin Ministerial Conference on Ageing in 2002 had adopted a Regional Implementation Strategy for the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing 2002, he noted.  The European Population Forum in January of this year focused on key challenges, such as addressing health inequalities and dealing with migration issues.  The critical linkage between ageing and migration had been highlighted by the United Nations Secretary-General in his address to the European Parliament in January.  He had reminded the European Union that, at current birth and death rates, the population of the soon-to-be 25 member States of the Union, would drop from 452 million in 2000 to under 400 million by 2050.  The proportion of people over 65 would double to around one third of the population.  That trend in the European region, which was due to fertility rates well below replacement level, had also been observed in other developed countries.

SICHAN SIV (United States) noted that important progress had been made in such areas as health care and education, and in achieving the goals of the Cairo Programme of Action.  But progress was uneven and gaps had widened between rich and poor.  As urbanization presented new challenges, a need had arisen for stronger and more sustainable infrastructure to provide basic services, including health care, for the urban poor.

To close the gap between rich and poor in health indicators, robust data collection systems were needed, he said, along with assured access to reproductive care and family planning commodities.  National governments, in partnership with non-governmental organizations, must prepare for a phase out in commodity donations in that area. 

He said the United States continued to be the largest bilateral donor supporting the objectives of the Programme of Action, as funding remained stable during the Bush Administration at between $424 million and $446 million per year.  The country was leading international responses to HIV/AIDS with a $15 billion Emergency Plan that would treat and care for millions of people.  Its preventional model focused on abstinence, faithfulness of relationships, and appropriate use of condoms -– the ABC programme.  Stable families and faith-based institutions were two pillars on which that successful approach was built.

He concluded by emphasizing that efforts to implement the programme of action must be designed to reach the poorest and most disenfranchised persons.

VASSILY A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation) said he shared the Secretary-General’s appraisal that the last 10 years had seen considerable progress in implementing the Cairo action plan.  At the same time, progress, both at the international level and among population groups among countries, had been uneven.  National and international programmes in populations should be based on an analysis of the actual state of affairs in developed, developing, and transitional countries.

He commended the theme at this Commission session of building partnerships and capacity, and the mobilization of resources for implementing the action plan.  Given the Russian Federation’s stable population, a priority was to pursue partnerships, in order to create conditions for preserving existing demographic potential for population growth and improving the qualitative characteristics of the population, as well as for creating positive demographic principles.

He said that the European population forum had analysed population processes and trends in the region, and had addressed population problems relevant to all countries of the region, including countries in transition.  He called for a comprehensive analysis of the problems of international migration.  Indeed, the action plan had recognized the positive impacts of international migration on countries of destination, origin and transit, but a key priority issue for the international socio-economic agenda should be mitigation of the negative effects of spontaneous migration and ensuring the full realization of migrants’ rights.  The Secretariat should continue its informative and analytical work in that area.

The action plan, in reaffirming the applicability of norms in the area of human rights, had underscored the importance of universal access to education, taking into account the religious and social conditions, he said.  For Russia, that was relevant to, among other things, the promotion of secondary education, support of the cultural activities of compatriots, and protection of the rights of disabled persons.  Following the demise of the Soviet Union, issues of preserving and maintaining the Russian language for those outside the country had become particularly important, as that reflected the vital interests of millions of people.  He drew attention to the Secretary-General’s conclusion, namely, that the goal of mobilizing $17 billion by 2000 had not been implemented.  Cairo had forged a consensus around a timetable for resource mobilization.  In that regard, he supported the policy to establish effective partnerships between donor and recipient countries.

M. ZAFILAZA, Minister for Population and Social Protection of Madagascar, said that his Government was currently elaborating a national strategy for social protection.  Since 1997, the Government had taken action in health and reproductive health, education and employment, among others.  A national commission was responsible for defining population priorities.  In 1996, a national policy for the promotion of women was adopted.  Also, a national plan of action for gender and development was approved by the Government in 2003 to ensure access to basic social services.  He noted that childbirth deaths were significantly reduced.

HIV/AIDS prevalence was one of the national development priorities, he said.  The national strategic plan of action had made it possible to mobilize all national actors.  The growing involvement of civil society was promoted by a policy of openness.  Bilateral and multilateral cooperation in that regard had increased, but proved inadequate in light of the ever-growing needs.  The population was growing at a rate of 2.9 per cent.  Sixty-nine per cent of the population was living under the poverty level and the literacy rate was 48 per cent.  The challenges to Madagascar continued to be enormous, and included poverty.  He appealed to the international community to support national mobilization efforts.

JOHAN LØUALD (Norway) reaffirmed his country’s strong support for the Cairo Declaration and its Programme of Action.  Reproductive health care was key and also important for achieving many Millennium Goals.  In addition, Norway was deeply involved in efforts to give girls access to education and efforts to fight HIV/AIDS with an emphasis on the vulnerability of women.  Accelerated resource mobilization was needed, however.

The UNFPA was indispensable in promoting the Cairo agenda, he said.  Close coordination with civil society and country ownerships were also essential.  He also encouraged the UNFPA and the Population Division to coordinate closely in their efforts.

TOSHIRO OZAWA (Japan) said that promoting “human security” was one of the pillars of Japan’s foreign policy.  Human security meant the protection of human lives, people’s livelihoods and dignity, and the empowerment of individuals.  It also stressed community empowerment through the enhancement of agricultural production, education, health and sanitation, and the status of women.

His country attached particular importance to the basic education of girls, as that was likely to lead to reductions in the fertility rate and lower population growth.  In addition, he believed that the global HIV/AIDS epidemic was one of the most formidable challenges to human life and dignity today.  His Government was committed to providing international assistance in the area of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.  In that regard, actions to ensure reproductive health were particularly important.  Among other things, his Government had decided to pledge $265 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, of which $230 million had already been disbursed.

He also attached importance to gender equality on matters relating to population and development.  Projects for supporting women in the area of population and development accounted for approximately 11 per cent of Japan’s technical assistance, and approximately 25 per cent of its grass-roots and human security grant assistance.

MARIA LUIZA RIBEIRO VIOTTI (Brazil) reaffirmed her country’s commitment to the Cairo Declaration and its work plan.  Brazil had been concerned with reproductive health and related issues even before the Cairo Conference and has greatly increased access to such health care since then, along with promoting gender equality and other issues addressed in Cairo.

For further progress, greater attention and funding had to be devoted to the subject at the international level, she said.  Brazil was happy to share its experience with developing countries and to assist in other areas.  Consensus at the current session would be a key to reaching the Cairo goals.

CESAR RODRIGUEZ RABANAL (Peru) said his country considered the fight against poverty in its widest sense, including human development that encompassed human rights.  Universal access to health services, education, gender equality and respect for cultural factors were also valued in that respect.

Peru, he said, faced formidable challenges, including high rates of poverty and maternal mortality, especially among adolescent mothers who were not in control of their lives.  Regarding the current session of the Commission, his country renewed its commitment to the Cairo principals and intended to work for their realization.

GEORGE TALBOT (Guyana) reaffirmed his Government’s commitment to the full implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action and the ICPD+5, which were complementary to his national strategy for poverty eradication and sustainable development.  While some progress had been achieved, much more ought to be done.  For instance, it was necessary to recognize and effectively address the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in many developing countries and its negative impact on the productive segment of society and on the process of development as a whole.  It was also necessary to come to grips with the interrelation between health care, including sexual and reproductive health services, and poverty eradication.

He believed further attention should be accorded to the question of international migration and development.  Also, he recalled the fundamental requirements for implementation of the Cairo Programme, which were also integral to the achievement of the Millennium Goals:  political will; international cooperation for the provision of resources; and the development of genuine partnerships at the national, regional and international levels.  As it had been recognized, failure in any one area could negatively affect implementation and ultimately the ability to succeed in overcoming the critical challenges faced in ensuring people-centred sustainable development.

MARC BICHLER (Luxembourg) said that among the factors standing in the way of development in the developing countries were infant mortality, the unsatisfactory state of maternal and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.  As members of the Commission, the United Nations and the international community at large, it was the job of Member States to ensure maximum coordination and coherence to attain the objectives contained in the Programme of Action.  Next year, the United Nations would undertake the five-year review of the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.  The period from now until then could be used to optimize the international community’s response to both those sets of objectives.

Education and professional training were key sectors in the area of population matters for development, he said.  Partnerships could be forged easily if the ready availability of instruments for analysis existed.  Better coordination among national and international actors was also needed.  In addition, expenditure should be in line with the commitments undertaken by the international community, such as those agreed to in Monterrey.  For its part, his country was committed to increasing its official development assistance to one per cent of gross national product.

AZANAW TADESSE ABREHA (Ethiopia) supported the views of Qatar presented on behalf of the Group of 77 and expressed satisfaction in the progress that had been achieved in the wake of the Cairo Conference.  However, he said that the success of the implementation of the Programme of Action was not universal and many areas needed greater international cooperation.

He said that population growth and fertility rates were highest in the least developed countries, who were likely to miss many of the goals set by Cairo.  Infant and maternal mortality and the gender gap continued to be severe problems in those countries as well, and HIV/AIDS had grown as a threat.  The global response remained far below what it should be in that area.

In meeting the targets of the ICPD, he said, Ethiopia was challenged by land-use problems, low school enrolment, water problems, and many of the other problems addressed by the Cairo Declaration.  He regretted to note that international resource mobilization to counter such problems had fallen short.  He hoped that the international community would now redouble its efforts in those areas.

NASROLLAH KAZEMI KAMYAB (Iran) said that improvements in the health sector, particularly in the provision of primary health care, had led to many improved indicators.  For example, the rise in life expectancy was attributable to improvements in the health sector, as well as nutrition.  It was also connected to increased access to water and sanitation and the expansion of public services.  According to official figures, the HIV infection rate in Iran remained low and was related primarily to injection drug use.  Currently, efforts were under way to enhance the awareness of adolescents of reproductive health issues through both formal and non-formal education, as well as the efforts of non-governmental organizations.

Education was another area of importance in the Cairo Programme of Action, he said.  Iran spent 4 to 5 per cent of its gross national product on education, and more than half of that was spent on primary education.  Designing and implementing literacy programmes for girls had helped to remove gender disparities in education.   While the population had increased sharply following the Islamic Revolution, a number of factors had led to a reversal of the growth rate, which was now 1.4 per cent.  During the last decade, Iran was the world’s largest recipient of refugees, mainly from Afghanistan and Iraq.  Part of the challenge in that regard was to bring those populations the opportunities for development that they did not have in their own countries.  Iran faced the challenge of improving the conditions for the long-term refugee populations.  Their presence underlined the need to meet other national challenges, such as speeding economic growth and creating employment.

JIN XIAOTAO (China) said that the Millennium Development Goals had provided a more favourable environment and a stronger impetus for the realization of the objectives of the Programme of Action.  The key was population and reproductive health.  Only when those issues were addressed could dire poverty be alleviated, the spread of AIDS be curbed, women be empowered and investment in education and health care be increased.

Family planning was at the core of the population policy, and also an indispensable part of reproductive health, he said.  He expressed appreciation that the Secretary-General’s report recognized China’s efforts in contraceptive prevalence.  To further realize the Programme of Action internationally, partnership, political will, and resource mobilization needed to be reinforced.

HUSSEIN SABBAGH (Syria) supported the statement made by Qatar on behalf of the Group of 77 and said that one of the most important features of the Cairo Declaration was its harmony with human development needs, as expressed in the Millennium Development Goals.  The Cairo agenda also respected cultural and religious differences.  There was a need to meet the financial objectives that had been set at the ICPD, and for international organizations to assist developing countries in their efforts.  He supported greater attention to the issues of migration, refugees and displaced persons and a renewed focus on the right of refugees to return to their homes.

Mr. MARTIN (Switzerland) said he shared the views on the importance of the ICPD review already expressed.  The Cairo agenda, specifically the Programme of Action, remained the guide for work in that area and for setting priorities at the national level.  Among his country’s priority concerns were mainstreaming a gender perspective in all development processes, addressing violence against women and girls, fighting HIV/AIDS, and the role of men and boys in society.  He also noted that several Millennium Development Goals contributed to the attainment of the Cairo objectives.  Fighting poverty and maternal and child mortality, supported by political will and resources, were important to the Cairo objectives.  Turning to the UNFPA, he added that developing countries could count on a committed and competent partner in the Fund, whose work was complementary to that of the Commission and particularly crucial at the country level.

Ms. ZUNIGA HERRERA (Mexico) said that the consensus reached at the Cairo Conference was a reference point for her Government, which had incorporated the Programme of Action into its national programmes, including the national population programme and the national programme for non-discrimination against women.  Mexico’s population programme was 30 years old and considered an inseparable part of the country’s development policy and an inextricable link in its social policy.  Many successful experiences had confirmed the need to continue to implement that Programme in her country.  In addition, she welcomed the consensus which existed in Latin America on the importance of the Cairo Programme of Action.

JYOTI SHANKAR SINGH, observer for Partners in Population and Development, said that the broad-based, comprehensive definition of reproductive health that was agreed to at Cairo had been increasingly adopted at the national level, with much effort on the part of non-governmental organizations and the private sector.  There was still, however, a huge, unmet need for family-planning information and services.

There had been progress in child survival, he said, but the lack of sanitation and safe water was inhibiting further progress.  On HIV/AIDS, funding was increasing, but still remained inadequate.  In many other areas the record of action taken in response to Cairo and Beijing conferences could only be described as mixed and patchy.

More funding was needed, he stressed, saying resource estimates must be updated.  In addition, further implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action must be placed within the Millennium Development Goals.  Partners in Population and Development, set up during the ICPD, now included 19 developing countries working on South-South cooperation.  He expressed optimism that support would continue to be provided to fulfil its mission of sharing expertise and the mobilization of technical expertise and other resources.

Dr. VILLAREAL, representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said that the tenth anniversary of Cairo was a major milestone in the international community’s efforts in the field of population and development.  It was worth recalling that its title distinguished it from its two predecessors.  The need to stimulate economic growth to fight poverty and the right to development as a human right were among the features of the Cairo Programme of Action.  It was clear today that the solution to population problems could not be found without a development perspective.  The nature of population challenges had changed.

The main conclusion emerging was that rural policy interventions must pay attention to factors such as population mobility and the empowerment of people, and have a clear focus and understanding of inequality and its causes.  One of the gravest challenges facing humanity was hunger.  Countries that had succeeded in reducing hunger were characterized by slower population growth and greater political will to combat hunger, among other factors.  Today’s population challenges had less to do with isolated problems than with how societies were able to cope with the dramatic social and economic changes they faced.  The FAO was committed to establishing partnerships to more effectively fight hunger and poverty.

JASPERS FAIJER, of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), said that ECLAC’s ad hoc special committee on population and development monitored the implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action in his region.  A system of indicators was drawn up to follow up on Cairo and Beijing, to facilitate the task of national reporting in compliance with the documents adopted at those two conferences.  To strengthen the capacities of countries, the Population Centre had been carrying out technical assistance and training activities.  He also informed the Commission that a meeting, organized together with the UNFPA, of the Caribbean cooperation and development committee, took place in 2003 to address implementation in the Caribbean region.  That meeting adopted a declaration reaffirming the region’s commitment to, among others, the Cairo Programme of Action and the provision of services related to sexual and reproductive health.

JUAN CARLOS ALFONSO (Cuba), Chairman of ECLAC’s sessional Ad Hoc Committee on Population and Development, reported on the meeting of his Committee.  He read out a document that had been adopted by his Committee that urged that the least developed countries be the focus of further ICPD action, and related the issues addressed by the Cairo Declaration to many other social and economic problems.  It requested that ECLAC and UNFPA draw up a paper on the implementation of ICPD in Latin America and the Caribbean, and appealed for the allocation of greater resources for that purpose.

Mr. HAUG (Switzerland), as host of the European Population Forum, said that the Forum was a high-level expert meeting jointly organized by the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) and the UNFPA.  The participants included high government officials, officials from international agencies, scientists, parliamentarians, representatives of non-governmental organizations and youth.  The goals were to contribute to the 10-year review of the Cairo Programme of Action and to consider specific regional trends.  Europe was at the forefront of a new demographic scene, highlighted by low population growth.  While that was positive from a global perspective, it created new challenges, constraints and opportunities for the countries concerned.

The Forum reaffirmed the region’s commitment to the Cairo Programme of Action, he said.  It noted with concern that pledges for IPCD financing were never fully met and recognized that additional resources were now required.  However, it underlined that it was necessary to look for new approaches for funding, considering the severe budget constraints in a number of countries.  The Forum included sessions on three topics, namely low fertility, health issues in the region and issues of international migration.  Among other things, the Forum recognized that the Programme of Action remained an important agenda not only for the developing world, but also for the developed world.

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