United Nations Commission on Population and Development

New York

Mr. Chairman, Members of the Commission, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The closing ceremony of the 37th session of the Commission on Population and Development comes nearly seven weeks later than we had anticipated. Over the course of that period and in the last few days of negotiations, we at UNFPA have been deeply humbled by the dedication, commitment, understanding and overwhelming support that Member States have shown for the great consensus forged in Cairo 10 years ago.

By your individual acts of sacrifice in the face of great odds, working around the clock to reach an outcome that takes forward our common task of making each life count, you turned the process of difficult negotiations into an act of collective affirmation. You proved that this is not about stitching together fine words, but about the destinies of young people, men and women, societies and the quality of health, life and opportunities that all human beings deserve. You showed that the spirit of Cairo is alive as we cross the halfway line in the implementation of the Programme of Action of the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in a challenging global environment.

Mr. Chairman,

I would like to express my deep appreciation to you personally for your leadership of this process and for your dedication to seeing a successful end to this long process. We all feel indebted to the facilitator, Kitty van der Heidjen, whose tenacity, dedication, and enduring faith provided the ingredients of this successful outcome today and for the other results of the 37th session.

I would like to thank Kitty especially for her deep understanding and clarity of expression about the cultural dimensions of development in general and Programme of Action, in particular. I could not have expressed it as well as she has. Kitty is right. We should be fully committed to respecting all cultures, which constitute one component of people’s identity, community cohesion and stability. However, we should all unite in speaking out, and very loudly, against each and every practice that harms women and men, young and old, and deprives them of their basic human right— to live in dignity.

I cannot sufficiently express our deep appreciation to all Member States, whose strong commitment to respecting diversity and to respecting the universally recognized human rights has led to the successful reaffirmation of the ICPD Programme of Action.

Mr. Chairman,

The 37th session of the Commission on Population and Development has shown not only a renewed commitment, but also the degree to which these issues are taken to heart here in this conference hall and also in towns and villages around the world.

All the statements made on item 3 of the agenda, on review of implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action, and on item 4, on national experiences, underscore that countries are making great strides and moving ahead. It shows how the Programme of Action is theirs and theirs alone. It is not for anyone to say what should or should not be done. This agenda is owned by men and women in countries and communities around the world.

Reaching to the grass roots has also been notable in the regional reviews, which express the collective will of their Member States. It is the local ownership of the Cairo agenda that is the greatest achievement of all.

The reports by countries show that huge progress has been made, and also that much work remains to be done. The discussion in this Commission in March underscored the strong linkages that exist among the goals of the Cairo consensus and the Millennium Declaration. Delegates have stressed that implementing the Cairo Programme of Action is essential for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. It is pleasing to note that this recognition is also captured essentially in the resolution you have just adopted.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the very kind words and support that delegations have expressed to UNFPA, both today and in March. Credit goes to the many staff of UNFPA working here in New York and around the world. We would like to extend this appreciation to our partner organizations, both within and outside the United Nations system. It takes teamwork to move ahead.

It also takes resources, as so many delegations have stressed. It is my sincere hope that the 10th anniversary will trigger greater support and increased resources. These are desperately needed to save the lives of mothers and babies, to enable couples to plan their families and to reduce the numbing impact of HIV/AIDS. The benefits of these investments will be repaid many times over in improved lives, stronger and more prosperous families and communities, and enhanced prospects for development, peace and security.

There is no doubt that greater efforts are needed to build local capacity and this is something to which UNFPA is fully committed.

In closing, I would like to express my appreciation to the Population Division and its Director, Joseph Chamie. I am truly looking forward to continued collaboration, which I would like to see strengthened even further.

Last but not least, I would like to thank with all my heart the Bureau of the Commission for its incredible efforts.

Mr. Chairman,

I hope we can view this year not only as a commemoration, but also as a celebration. Cairo was a tremendous success in shifting the focus from human numbers to human beings, and in highlighting the central role of women. What is remarkable is that countries, communities, families and individuals are taking a practical and pragmatic approach to these issues, and moving ahead. The ICPD agenda is responding to their needs and is very much relevant to their daily lives. I have seen this in my travels and, each time, I am humbled and energized to do even more. All of the goals elaborated in Cairo are central to the development agenda, which is an antidote to hopelessness and desperation.

Today, as never before, there is a great need to ensure that life-affirming issues are not sacrificed for political gains. In our turbulent world, finding common ground is both precious and necessary. When women, men, families, communities and nations speak with one voice, extraordinary progress can be made.

Thank you.