2004 marked the tenth anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), a landmark meeting at which 179 governments agreed to a comprehensive set of actions to ensure universal access to reproductive health, uphold fundamental human rights, alleviate poverty, secure gender equality, and protect the environment. This document is known as the ICPD Programme of Action (Click here for an overview of what the Programme of Action really says). The ICPD’s tenth anniversary offers an opportunity to assess progress made on this 20-year Programme, and identify the challenges that lie ahead. Many countries have been able to translate the commitments they made at Cairo into successful policies and programs, but much remains to be done. more>>

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Regional Updates>>

Asia and the Pacific
In December 2002, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and UNFPA convened the Fifth Asian and Pacific Population Conference, the first regional event in preparation for the ICPD's tenth anniversary. Read IWHC's feature on the conference, including information about the U.S. delegation’s attempts to undermine the consensus, and key documents and speeches. more>>

Africa
The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) convened a ministerial-level meeting on June 11, 2004, in Dakar, Senegal. The meeting resulted in a declaration that affirmed Africa’s commitment to the ICPD goals, stressed their importance in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and identfied key areas for increased attention. For more information on the meeting or to access the Regional Report and the Declaration, visit's UNECA's website here.

Latin America and the Caribbean
Since late 2003, several meetings have taken place across Latin America and the Caribbean to review regional progress on ICPD, culminating in the passage of a resolution that resoundingly reaffirmed the Programme of Action. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) passed the resolution on July 2, 2004, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, resisting sustained pressure by U.S. government representatives to roll back the ten-year global consensus. more>>