Share-Net member advocating at UN meeting of the Commission on Population and Development (final part)

The UN Commission on Population and Development (CPD) continues to recognise the importance of sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in development. This is one of the conclusions of the CPD meeting that was held in New York last week.

Last week, governments gathered for the CPD meeting in New York, discussing the theme “Health, morbidity, mortality and Development”. After a marathon of negotiations, there was a consensus on the outcome document. Sexual en reproductive health and reproductive rights were again acknowledged, as well as human rights, empowerment of young people and women, comprehensive education on human sexuality for young people on how to deal positively with their sexuality and the right of women to have control over and decide freely and responsibly ion matter related to their sexuality. These acknowledgements were tabled at last year's CPD meeting and government pushed for the same language this year. Meanwhile, the link between SRH and HIV/Aids did not make it into the document, neither did reference to safe abortions. The negotiations were tough and lengthy and not until the final hour they reached a consensus. Next year's theme will be `Fertility and reproductive health' and in 2012 it will be `Young people and adolescents'. These themes and pushing the agenda forward are very important leading up to 2014, the year the Programme of Action will end.