Special Report 47th Session of the Commission on Population and Development


The 47th session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD), which took place at UN Headquarters in New York last April 7-11, focused on assessing the progress made in implementing the  Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). 

Parliamentarians from AFPPD’s national committees were active participants in their country delegations at this five-day global forum aimed to identify key issues for further implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development’s Programme of Action post-2014. The recent CPD session was also integral to the crafting of the post-2015 Development Agenda.

This year marks the twentieth year of ICPD’s Programme of Action, which called for governments to address population growth while supporting human rights and sustainable development through equal access to education, universal family planning, sexual and reproductive health services, and gender equality among many others.

Citing steps to stamp out violence in the home, maternal mortality and sexually transmitted diseases, representatives of small island developing States (and members of their respective AFPPD national committees) shed light on their respective national schemes to implement the 1994 landmark population and development accord, during their official country reports.

The ICPD Beyond 2014 Global Report, which was used during the 47th CPD session, was released in February. The report evaluated the progress of the ICPD Programme of Action and identified work that remains to be done and actions that need to be taken.

The active participation by parliamentarians in delegations, both in open and closed sessions, at CPD proved the value of sustained capacity building and ICPD workshops conducted by AFPPD and UNFPA in the preceding 18 months.

As at the Asia-Pacific regional precursor meeting, the Sixth APPC in September 2013, 13 Pacific nation states became one of the first country groupings to deliver a combined, progressive pro-CPD statement. At CPD, this was again delivered on behalf of the united Pacific nations by AFPPD champion MP and Cook Islands Health Minister, Nandi Glassie. 

Progressive Asian nations later joined forces with the Pacific group to deliver another strong regional statement from Viet Nam (also on behalf of Australia, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Japan, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu).

Papua New Guinea MP and chair of AFPPD national committee, the Parliamentary Group on Population and Sustainable Development, Hon. Malakai Tabar, delivered the AFPPD’s official statement to the CPD, in the first major speaking spot at CPD for civil society organisations.

The official CPD meeting record stated: “Asian Pacific Forum on Parliamentarians on Population and Development, said its members had acknowledged and were committed to address in their respective Parliaments persistent and pervasive gender-based violence, including laws and practices that discriminated against women and girls; the damage caused by natural disasters and environmental degradation; ageing in Asia; and social protection for migrants.  Without intensive support, some nations in the Asia-Pacific region would show no major improvement in achieving many of the Cairo aims.  The Forum’s members were committed to reviewing and amending existing laws in order to promote a rights-based approach and good governance to advance the Cairo agenda.”

The Asia-Pacific parliamentarians who were present at the UN during the CPD were:
1. Hon. Nandi Tuaine Glassie MP, Cook Is Health Minister 
2. Hon. Tangata Vavia MP, Cook Is Chair of Parliamentary Group on Population and Sustainable Development
3. Hon. Sunia Fili MP, Tonga
4. Hon. Lord Tu’i’afitu MP, Tonga Health Minister
5. Hon. Malakai Tabar MP, PNG 
6.  Hon. Charles Kauvu Abel MP, Papua New Guinea’s Minister for National Planning
7.  Hon. Rialuth Serge Vohor, Minister for Health of Vanuatu 
8.  Hon. Mrs. Zakia Shahnawaz Khan Niazi, Pakistan
9.  Hon. Ms Gulalai Noor Safi, Afghanistan
10. Hon. Mrs Mahtab Akbar Rashdi, Pakistan.
11. Hon. Cong. Rodel Batocabe, Philippines
12.  Hon. Toshiko Abe, Japan
13.  Hon. Ms Damira Niyazalieva, MP, Kyrgyzstan 
14.  Hon. Ms Irina Karamushkina, MP, Kyrgyzstan 
15.  Dr. Nova Riyanti Yusuf, MP, Indonesia

AFPPD’s Director, Ramon San Pascual, and Deputy Director, John Hyde, also attended CPD providing support to parliamentarians in delegations.
Ms Damira Niyazalieva, MP of Kyrgyzstan. Click here to access copy of her statement.
Dr. Nova Riyanty Yusuf, MP of Indonesia. Click here to access her keynote address.

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