Regional Ministerial Review Conference on Implementation of the Dakar/Ngor Declaration and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development – ICPD+15

Addis, Ababa, Ethiopia

20-22 October, 2009

Introduction

The Experts Group Meeting of the Regional Ministerial Review Conference on Implementation of the Dakar/Ngor Declaration and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development – ICPD+15 was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 20 to 22 October.

the meeting was attended by175 participants. Official delegates of countries, United Nations bodies and specialized agencies  and other countries and CSOs were also represented observers for the meeting.

 The Break-out Sessions

The objective of the breakout sessions was to deepen the discussion on each of the thematic areas indicated in the ICPD +15 review report particularly on the major gaps and challenges; the key achievements or best practices and to identify key recommendations for actions. In addition, each group discussed the factors affecting implementation of ICPD PoA and MDGs and suggested comments.

Participants suggested the following recommendations that Member States and other stakeholders should adopt in order to accelerate and ensure an effective implementation of the ICPD/PoA and MDGs..

1. Poverty, Population and Sustainable Development

2. Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health

3. Gender Equality, Equity and Empowerment of Women

4. The Family, its Role, Rights

5. Youth and Children

Recommendations for the protection and empowerment of young people including children are based on the fact that young people comprise of 70% of Africa’s population.

Recommendations

•           Develop strategies that integrate neonatal and maternal services to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality and institutionalize data collection and audits.

•           Ensure systematic implementation of the African Youth Charter, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and other laws and policies that protect young people.

•           Provide information and youth friendly services in the area of health, education and technology so that they can make informed decisions.

•           Capitalize on the demographic dividend by investing in health especially SRH, education and skills training among the youth.

6. HIV and AIDS, TB and Other Communicable Diseases

8. International Migration

10. Population and Development Data

11. Mobilization of Resources and Partnerships

12. Monitoring and Evaluation

13. Factors Affecting Implementation of ICPD PoA and MDGs

Ministerial Conference

Draft Commitment Statement

The ministerial conference was inaugurated October 24-25. The ministers have passed 6 point commitment statements in which number 5 deals with:

To Ratify, as necessary the African Youth Charter and implement its plan of Action: increase investments and allocate adequate resources for the review, development and implementation of appropriate policies and strategies that are conducive for protecting and empowering youth , including quality education and skills development: access to quality reproductive health information and services: and creation of gainful employment opportunities, and ensure youth participation at all levels, thereby realizing the demographic dividend.

The international Parliamentarian Conference on the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action October 27-28

On this particular meeting there were youth representatives from the Youth Coalition, UNFPA/LO youth volunteers (bringing in the African Youth Position) and also there were young parliamentarians representing their country delegation at the meeting.

There was a parallel roundtable discussion one amongst the other is:

Do the Youth today have better access to Reproductive Health than 15 years ago?

There was a fruitful discussion with the parliamentarians and the youth coming together face to face. They have managed to come up with a one point declaration  to be adopted by the parliamentarians.

Over all, the African Youth position  paper has provided the African Youth Charter to gain a huge momentum and we believe we have worked out the best with both the experts meeting and parilamenterian meetins and we were able to bring  and also push our issue to the tabel and work with others in getting our voice heard becuase:

"EMPOWERMENT IS NOT GIVEN RATHER TAKEN"