Twenty Caribbean countries and territories recently reaffirmed their unequivocal commitment to the
Programme of Action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). They also declared that implementation of the Programme is essential for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals including the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger.

Meeting to assess their progress in carrying out the ICPD Programme of Action nearly 10 years after its adoption, the countries pledged to ensure reproductive rights and health, gender equality and the empowerment of women. During the two-day summit held in mid-November at Port-of-Spain, the
capital of Trinidad and Tobago, they also recognized the rights of adolescents to youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health information, education and services. Calling HIV/AIDS a major threat to the region’s economic and social structures, they vowed to fight the pandemic through prevention, treatment and care in the context of reproductive health programmes.

Turning to broader issues, the Caribbean countries stated that their populations, economies and societies had been hurt by structural adjustment programmes, heavy debt repayments and
inequitable trade practices. They called on international donors to increase financial support for implementation of the ICPD programme.

At the start of the two-day meeting, Camille Robinson-Regis, Trinidad and Tobago Minister of Planning and Development, hailed the 1994 Cairo Conference as evolutionary in its thinking and concepts.
“No longer was the issue of population only about numbers, it was and is about living, breathing human
beings facing life’s daily challenges”, she said. “It is about gender equality and equity, and the rejection of all forms of gender-based violence. It is about preparing for a wanted baby and providing for its healthy childhood. It is about improving the quality of life of all mankind”. Trinidad and Tobago national policies on population and development are guided by the Cairo Programme and its objectives of sustained economic growth, reduction of maternal and child death, and universal access to reproductive health services, Ms. Robinson-Regis stated.

Mariselo Padron, Director of the Latin America and the Caribbean Division of UNFPA, commended Caribbean countries’ efforts to implement the ICPD Programme despite limited financial resources. While they have cut infant and maternal deaths, she said, much remains to be done to ensure equal access to reproductive health services for all.

The meeting outcome will contribute to an assessment of the implementation of the Cairo Programme throughout the Latin America and the Caribbean region.
(Source: UNFPA Press Release, 12 November)