Let’s Talk Demographic Diversity and Sustainable Development

On the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD30) and following the ICPD30 Global Dialogue on Demographic Diversity and Sustainable Development, UNFPA hosted a recent conversation on demographic diversity, exploring challenges and opportunities for a sustainable future.

Under the theme “Demographic Diversity and Sustainable Development,” the talk took place on 25 June as part of the “Let’s Talk SRHR!” conversation series. Young people, civil-society partners and demography experts gathered to discuss critical questions for advancing the conversation on rights-based population policies amid an increasingly polarized political landscape. 

The conversation built on the key messages and recommendations of the global dialogue, which explored the challenges and opportunities of the world’s shifting demographics and their intersections with global megatrends, such as rapid urbanization, the rise of technology and the climate crisis. 

Speakers addressed low fertility and more effective policy solutions to address demographic changes of this nature. The conversation considered the gap between population data, research and the concrete steps required to create evidence-based and human-centred policy actions. Further, with a focus on high fertility contexts, the talk highlighted key features of an integrated approach to sexual and reproductive health interventions amid demographic changes and intersecting megatrends. The realities of climate-induced migration and policy approaches to harnessing its benefits were also discussed. 

UNFPA Deputy Executive Director (Programme) Diene Keita delivered opening remarks. Speakers included Tomas Sobotka, Deputy Director at the Vienna Institute of Demography; Dr. Apoorva Jadhav, Senior Demographer and Statistician in the Office of Population and Reproductive Health, U.S. Agency for International Development; and Dr. Ayman Zohry, Founding President of the Egyptian Society for Migration Studies. The conversation was moderated by Priscilla Idele, Chief of UNFPA's Population and Development Branch.

Watch the conversation: