More than 250 world figures endorsed the United Nations’ call to urge priority funding for health care, education, women and family planning in the “World Leaders Statement in Support of ICPD”.
Signed by 85 prime ministers and presidents as well as 47 Nobel Prize winners and other key leaders in the social, scientific and political sectors, the Statement reaffirms the vision set forth in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held at Cairo in 1994.
“Since 1994, both the public and private sectors have made substantial efforts to transform the ICPD’s 20-year plan into reality. Meaningful gains have been made, but much remains to be done”, the Statement reads.
“We are deeply concerned that the gap between rich and poor is growing and that millions of the world’s people, but especially women and young people, are highly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, sexual coercion and violence, discrimination, and other violations of their human rights”, it continues.
“We call on leaders in every walk of life to join us in reaffirming the ICPD’s vision for human development, social justice, economic progress and environmental preservation. We call on the international community, national governments and private philanthropic organizations, to prioritize and fund the ICPD Programme of Action. By signing this leadership statement, we pledge to do our part”.
A project of the Summit Foundation and the United Nations Foundation, the Statement was handed to United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette on 13 October by Ted Turner, media mogul and founder of the United Nations Foundation. (See related story )