UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMMEMORATES ICPD+15

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001002 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV SMIG SOCI PREL PGOV PRM USAID SUBJECT: UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMMEMORATES ICPD+15 ¶1. SUMMARY: The United Nations held a plenary session of the General Assembly to commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The October 12th session saw nearly forty countries speak on a variety of issues related to the explosive demographic trends of the world over recent decades and the connection of these trends to long term development efforts. The central themes of the debate included health concerns (especially HIV/AIDS eradication and neonatal and maternal care),education (particularly that of women), gender equality, family planning, and climate change. The overall focus remained fixed on achieving major development objectives - particularly the Millennium Development Goals - with population and demographic change seen as having a direct impact on the lives of the world's most needy. END SUMMARY. ¶2. HEALTH ISSUES: Many countries noted the importance of reinforcing and creating new efforts to maintain the sexual and reproductive health of women. The need to combat the high number of deaths related to improper neonatal and maternal care was a key concern, with statistics and country-specific situations emphasized to drive home the urgency and magnitude of the issue. Other health concerns that appeared regularly in speeches included the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS, warding off the spread of other infectious diseases, preventing the practice of female genital mutilation, and providing greater access to preventative health care. On a broader policy level, some countries advocated in favor of providing universal access to basic health services with some asserting that such access is a fundamental right. ¶3. EDUCATION: Many countries stressed the need to provide greater education - particularly to women - in order to alleviate poverty. Argentina argued that education must be viewed by the international community as a basic right. Sudan, speaking on behalf of the G77 and China expressed concern over disparities in education between boys and girls, remarking that "the target of eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005 in developing countries was missed." Guatemala drew attention to its efforts to reduce illiteracy and suggested that this is an essential element in reducing poverty writ large. India, stating that children should be at the center of development, discussed its own efforts to improve national education for India,s youths, particularly girls. ¶4. FAMILY PLANNING DEBATE: Norway suggested that abortion options ought to be made available, but with necessary measures taken to assure the safety of the mother. The Permanent Observer of the Holy See stressed its opposition to abortion, commenting that "too often in addressing the role of the ICPD on maternal health, attempts are made to promote a notion of sexual and reproductive health which is detrimental to unborn human life." Norway pointed out the need to properly educate youth in advance, particularly girls, in order to prevent unwanted pregnancies in the first place, commenting that "A stronger focus on young girls would also reduce teenage pregnancies. Burkina Faso suggested that men are key to this issue, arguing that "there is also a need to strengthen the involvement of men, to increase their awareness of the importance of reproductive health services for the health of their wife, children, and themselves." ¶5. GENDER EQUALITY: Gender equality was a key theme of the debate, with the majority of countries noting the links between gender equality and long term development trends. While there was a broad consensus that many important steps had been taken, there was a wide feeling that women continue to face many obstacles beginning with childhood education that impede their advancement and therefore that of society on a whole. Brazil emphasized its own national efforts based on the "empowerment of women through education and the promotion of women's participation in all areas of decision-making." Sweden, on behalf of the European Union, welcomed the United Nation,s new gender entity, but warned that progress on achieving gender equality overall has been too slow. The importance of gender equality was especially underscored in discussions of health and education. Jordan noted that it had taken steps to increase the minimum age for marriage and thereby extended greater freedom to women. Indonesia, similarly, discussed its efforts to promote gender equality through education, employment, health, and counter-trafficking measures. ¶6. CLIMATE CHANGE: The relationship between climate change and development trends was highlighted by a number of countries. Finland explained that "the impacts of climate change are already apparent, from droughts and floods to destabilized livelihoods, and they are being felt most by those who are already impoverished." Micronesia, speaking on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum, warned that climate change is quickly becoming an urgent challenge to sustainable development. Many speakers noting the inter-connections between population, development, and climate change and emphasized that those in poverty are most likely to bear the greatest negative impacts of the current climate trends. ¶7. LINKING DEVELOPMENT AND POPULATION: Japan emphasized the connection between development and population, noting that the ICPD "focuses on meeting the needs of individuals rather than on achieving demographic targets." As a general rule, many other countries took a similar approach to the Japanese, focusing primarily on ways of improving the lives of the world's most vulnerable with demographic concerns addressed as a means to this end. Many countries referenced the Millennium Development Goals seeing these targets as the ultimate objective rather focusing on strict demographic objectives. ¶8. OTHER ISSUES: FOOD SECURITY, NARCOTICS, CUBA EMBARGO AND MORE: A number of other issues cycled through the debate including food security and the ongoing malnourishment problems faced by many. Delegates pointed out the need to slow the urbanization process and create development opportunities in rural areas. The plight of migrants - presumably including refugees and the displaced - was noted by some as a particularly vulnerable group that should be remembered in discussions of population and development. The need to fight narco-trafficking was also articulated as central to development efforts.Cuba took an opportunity to criticize the U.S. economic embargo, arguing it had hindered its development and harmed its population. Rice