International Session on Population and Development - ICPD at 10: Moving Forward

Mexico City

Distinguished colleagues and friends,

I would like to extend my warm appreciation to the Government of Mexico for inviting me to be part of the launching of the 10-year report on the national implementation of the Programme of Action of the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). It is indeed a great honour to be here with all of you to share this very important event. Special recognition is to be made to the National Population Council (CONAPO) for its role in implementing the Cairo agenda and for monitoring what has been a complex inter-institutional and statewide process, which has involved a wide range of civil society stakeholders.

Ten years ago, countries around the world—meeting in Cairo to define an international agenda on population and development for the next two decades—hailed the Cairo consensus as the beginning of a new era in the population field. The ICPD in 1994 was a watershed event and a historic success. Before 1994, population policies and interventions aimed at the reduction of fertility rates and were focused mainly on the reduction of population growth as an end in itself. The Cairo consensus shifted this paradigm centred on the management of human numbers to one focused on human rights. The Cairo Programme of Action states that women’s ability to control their own fertility in conjunction with their partners and to make decisions about reproduction free of violence, discrimination and coercion are cornerstones of population and development policies.

The Programme of Action adopted in Cairo recognized the right to sexual and reproductive health, and the empowerment of women and gender equality as decisive factors in the forces needed to facilitate development, reduce poverty and strengthen the institutions of democracy.

In Cairo, 179 governments agreed on the Programme of Action for the next 20 years, in a visionary effort to establish a balance between the population of the world and the distribution of resources. The right to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of children was recognized once again as a fundamental human right of individuals and couples. The Cairo consensus was a hard-won consensus that emphasizes the linkages between population, sustained economic growth, and sustainable development. It calls for the integration of population trends and dynamics into development plans, and for greater social investment to ensure universal primary education and reproductive health.

Five years later in 1999, the majority of countries of the world reaffirmed their agreement with the principles of the ICPD Programme of Action, in a process known as Cairo+5. Identified during this process was a set of key actions needed to further the implementation of the Cairo agreement, which paid more attention to adolescents and to stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS.

On this important occasion, I would like to congratulate Mexico on the remarkable advances it has achieved in the past 10 years in implementing the ICPD Programme of Action and the key actions agreed at the five-year review. The Citizen Consultative Council, established under the Administration of President Vincente Fox, stands out as an example of transparency and civil society involvement in implementing public policies. The creation of the National Institute of Women is another landmark in fulfilling government commitments with regards to gender equality.

The report on ICPD at 10, which is being presented today, is both comprehensive and inspiring. Before I refer to the report, I would like to pay special tribute to the review process that has been conducted. The review was undertaken with wide participation of recognized scholars, civil society leaders and Government, under the oversight of the Citizen Consultative Council and the leadership of CONAPO. By all accounts, it was a highly professional, open and transparent process, and this in itself is most commendable.

As the speakers before me have stressed, the report documents the many important steps that have been taken in Mexico to apply the recommendations of the Cairo Conference. The report documents the substantial advances that have been achieved in various goals. These include increases in life expectancy, in women’s participation in the labour force, in the voluntary use of contraceptives, greater knowledge and awareness about sexual and reproductive health, a reduction in maternal mortality, advances in education, and increased opportunities for women. Together, these social advances demonstrate the contribution of Mexico’s population policy to the reduction of poverty and the promotion of development, the recognition of reproductive rights, the attention to the necessity of sexual and reproductive health, including that of adolescents, and the elaboration of special policies to confront both the epidemic of HIV/AIDS and violence against women.

The substantial progress achieved is due to the leadership and commitment of the Mexican Government, and the participation of Mexican citizens who have been able to exercise their human rights. Credit also belongs to civil society—to groups that advocate for human rights, for women’s advancement, and for the well-being of families and communities, and social justice.

Mexico has made exceptional efforts to fulfil its commitment to the ICPD Programme of Action. There is no other country in the region, or the world for that matter, that has presented as thorough and complete a report on ICPD implementation as Mexico has. The report before us today is a reflection of Mexico’s firm commitment to the international agreement on population and development that was struck in Cairo 10 years ago.

In his report reviewing progress, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan states:

“The decade following the adoption of the Programme of Action has been one of substantial progress. The world is beginning to see the end of rapid population growth, couples are closer to achieving their desired family size and spacing of children, mortality is declining in most countries, and there is evidence that many countries are taking the necessary steps to confront HIV/AIDS and other mortality crises, and Governments are initiating processes to address concerns related to international migration.”

There is widespread agreement that the Millennium Development Goals—to reduce extreme poverty and hunger, maternal and child mortality, and slow the spread of AIDS—cannot be achieved unless greater action is taken to ensure women’s rights, and to ensure universal access to education and reproductive health services. In a world of competing demands and injustices, the Cairo agenda is a vision of hope.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

Today, Mexico is one of the most successful nations in the Latin American and Caribbean region in the field of population. Mexico was one of the first nations, in 1974, to formulate a national population policy by law and to create a National Population Council, CONAPO, charged with implementing the new policy. Today, CONAPO is an outstanding institution, highly recognized for its expertise in data collection and analysis, policy-oriented research, and the formulation of policies on population and gender. CONAPO rightly engages all ministries and federal institutions that are stakeholders in the field of population and development. Mexico has led the way in decentralization of its population apparatus with inter-institutional commissions in each state. This constitutes the most complete government institutional framework in the field of population in Latin America and the Caribbean, and one of the most advanced in the world.

As a global leader, a true pioneer, in population policy and institution-building, Mexico deserves international recognition and praise. Your work over the decades, based on productive relations with academic and research institutions, has enabled Mexican society to understand the relevance of population dynamics to development. This, linked to the Cairo process, has led to an increasing social awareness of gender equality and human rights as a central part of a national population agenda.

Today, as speakers before me have stressed, the population structure of Mexico resembles that of an advanced industrial nation. Mexico is experiencing a deep demographic revolution as families become smaller and citizens survive up to older age. There is an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate economic and social progress in the decades to come. A demographic window of opportunity has opened, many working age citizens have relatively fewer dependents to support, which allows savings and investments, both at household and national levels, to be expanded substantially.

The demographic, social, economic and political changes that have occurred in Mexico since the 1970s are profound. As the report rightly points out, a silent demographic revolution has taken place. Today, the average Mexican woman is having two children, compared to six in 1970. The point worth celebrating is that women and couples are making their own free choices about family size, and more of them are able to turn those choices into reality.

This is due in large part to the National Population Council (CONAPO), which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. If the trends in the 1970s had continued, the population of Mexico would now be 170 million people, 65 million more than those who live in the country today.

The United Nations Population Fund is proud to be a partner with Mexico. The relationship between the Government of Mexico and UNFPA goes back 32 years. It is a relationship that we value highly, one from which we continue to learn and grow. In this context, let me also to pay tribute to the dedicated staff of UNFPA in Mexico. Through our association with Mexican institutions and professionals, our alliance around ethical principles and common areas of action has been increasingly strengthened. Our joint work during the past 10 years has crystallized into a dynamic and innovative cooperation programme. The policies and programmes in Mexico are pioneering in their decentralized design and execution, and in their emphasis on reaching and involving the most marginalized population groups.

As the report rightly points out, much progress has been achieved, and much work remains to be done. Today, the major challenge facing Mexico and most other nations is inequality, both in terms of income and in terms of access to social services, economic and political opportunities and participation. As in other countries in this region and elsewhere, there are deep economic and social disparities that threaten social cohesion and poverty reduction. There are a significant number of households whose members live in exceedingly adverse conditions. In the year 2002, 16 per cent of all Mexican households had incomes that were insufficient to satisfy the daily basic dietary needs of their members. At the same time, one in five households had an income that did not allow them to meet basic standards of food, education and health.

The marginalized segments of society do not have access to education and health services, including those for reproductive health. As a result it is the poorest women who have the most children, not necessarily by choice, but due to lack of access to information and services. I am pleased that the population policy of Mexico addresses these issues and aims to close these gaps, meeting the needs and respecting the rights of the most marginalized population groups, including the indigenous population.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

While the challenges ahead are of large proportions, the successes that have been registered are of similar dimensions. Mexico is a global leader in the population field. The success you have achieved is a direct reflection of your leadership and commitment to population and reproductive health issues. Throughout the years, Mexico has also played a leading global role in the achievement and consolidation of international population agreements. As host of the 1984 International Population Conference, Mexico provided a model to showcase its achievements and technical and institutional capacity. Mexico has displayed international leadership not only in 1984, but also in 1994 at the International Conference on Population and Development, in 1999 at the ICPD+5 review and, now, at the ICPD 10th anniversary. This leadership is also evident in the activities carried on by Mexico in the context of South-South cooperation.

It is clear that Mexico has much to offer other countries to help push forward the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action during the next 10 years. By sharing experiences and technical capacity, and using its advanced academic and public institutions in the field of population, Mexico can make a substantial contribution to the development of human resources for the region. Today, there is a need to develop expertise in population in the rest of the region and other parts of the world. Mexico can play a critical and important role in leading the implementation of the Cairo agenda and strengthening capacities in the region. I would like to stress that UNFPA is committed to accompanying and supporting Mexico in these strategic efforts through a South-South cooperation framework.

In closing, let me emphasize that we have, today, a unique opportunity to make greater progress to achieve the goals and objectives of the ICPD Programme of Action. Continued efforts and commitment are needed to mobilize sufficient human and financial resources, to strengthen institutional capacities, and to nurture stronger partnerships. While great progress has been made, the reality is that progress is uneven. At the mid-point of the 20-year Cairo Programme of Action, I would say that the cup is half full, and half empty. All over the world, the overwhelming majority of countries have adopted the Cairo agenda as their own. At the regional reviews that have been organized by United Nations regional commissions, in cooperation with UNFPA, governments and citizens – Mexico among them – have voiced their strong support for, and reaffirmation of, the ICPD Programme of Action. Recently, in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, and Santiago, Chile, all countries in the region strongly endorsed the Cairo agenda as a cornerstone for achieving the region’s development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, within the framework of human rights and gender equality.

Yet, despite its almost universal acceptance, in many respects the promise of Cairo remains a promise unfulfilled. There is still a great need for quality reproductive health services, including family planning. Some 200 million women in the developing world continue to have an unmet need for effective contraception. There is still a tremendous need for information and services to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. Every minute, 10 more people are newly infected. At the same time, the persistence of high rates of maternal mortality remains a global scandal. More than half a million women still die each year from complications of pregnancy and childbirth; one every minute, making it a leading cause of death for women in the developing world. Today, far, far too many girls and women still continue to be victims of rape, beatings and sexual trafficking. All in all, universal and effective action against gender discrimination and violence, towards true equality and women’s full participation, lags behind.

We will report on these findings and more in UNFPA’s The State of World Population report for 2004. I would also like to note that there would be a one-day commemoration of Cairo at 10 in the United Nations General Assembly, which is tentatively scheduled for 14 October. I am sure that Mexico, consistent with its strong adherence to the Cairo Programme of Action, its goals and principles, will lead the international reaffirmation of the Cairo agenda and will again proclaim its commitment and political will to meet the decisive challenges in this development agenda for the next 10 years, as it has done in this report. Now that the groundwork has been laid—and many laws and policies are in place—we must reinforce action to achieve greater results. We must work together to ensure that the promises that we made in Cairo are promises that we keep for the benefits of our peoples.

Thank you.