ICPD: Key Highlights, Implications & Limitations

Table of Contents

Introduction

The ICPD (International Conference on Population and Development) was held in Cairo in 1994 where 179 Member states and 11000 participants participated to ensure rights-based people centered approach to population and development.
ICPD sets out a visionary plan for progressing human welfare that places the human privileges of individuals, rather than statistical population aims, at the focal point of the global improvement agenda.
ICPDs Programme of Action (PoA) set out goals of 20-year period (1994-2024).

Key Highlights of ICPD

ICPD shifted the global focus from population and demographics to individual rights, Reproductive Health (RH) and gender equality.
A 20-year long term and holistic Programme of Action (PoA) was adopted to promote universal access to reproductive healthcare, gender empowerment, family planning and education.
ICPD clearly defined reproductive rights as fundamental human rights.
ICPD made a clear linkage between reproductive rights and sustainable development.
ICPD was first conference of its kind which addressed issues of the young people mainly related to sexuality.
It ensured global commitment to integrate Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) into health and development.
It gives emphasis to the significance of advancing in women and girls, both as an end in itself and essential to improve the quality of life for every person.
In addition, ICPD supports the significance of sexual and reproductive health, comprising family planning, as a prerequisite for women’s empowerment.
ICPD appeals for termination to gender-based violence and risky customary practices, including female genital mutilation.
The Programme of Action emphasizes the essential relations between sexual and reproductive health and rights with nearly every aspect of population and development, from growth, migration, and aging to exchanging family structures and the significance of addressing the rights of the active population.
It called for responsiveness to the ways in which capitalizing in women and youth, specifically in their sexual and reproductive health, can influence environmental sustainability and population dynamics.
On the 2019 Commission of Population and Development, government legislatures settled that the principles of the ICPD Programme of Action are crucial to accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals.

Results/Implications of ICPD

Poverty reduction has progressed in different regions faster compared to other parts of the world.
Several countries have extended the scope of essential health-care services to further than two-thirds of the population. Various have done as a result free of charge and others via low-cost public health insurance. Thus, People’s out-of-pocket expenditures on health care have decreased around the region.
Additional women have access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, enabling them to make self-choices regarding their physiques, their existence, and their relations. Adolescent fertility has decreased thru the region.
Ever since 2013, maternal mortality rates have reduced or stabilized in every single state in the region, determined by important progress in maternal care, mostly antenatal care and skilled attendance at birth.
Young people have benefitted from improved access to schooling and are further involved in judgments affecting their coming futures.
Likewise, life expectancy and healthy life expectancy improved in most of the Asia-Pacific region between 2000 and 2024.
ICPD streamlined discussions on SRH and gender equality into global, regional and local policy agendas.
It also created an enabling environment where governments of different countries dedicated specific ministries or departments for reproductive health and gender development.
UN agencies, NGOs and other development partners also significantly contributed in the implementation of ICPD Programme of Action.

Limitations of ICPD

Informal and risky occupation continue high, causing for more than half of those employed in many countries. Women’s labor force involvement has deteriorated in South-East Asia and dropped in South Asia, due to gender inequality.
Cultural and religious tolerance in conservative societies rejected the notions of reproductive rights and SRH.
Inadequate funding as per the Programme of Action led to funding gaps and full-fledged implementation of programs in different countries.
Ensure access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, which is a fundamental constituent of the Programme of Action and the human rights-based approach. Whereas several countries in the region have improved in this area, inequalities persist, mainly concerning rural and urban areas and income parties. These loopholes are prerequisite to ensure that entire women can use their reproductive rights, irrespective of the situation.
Gender-based violence exists, threatening the wellbeing, security, free will, and at times the actual existence of women and their families.

Critical Analysis of ICPD

Major Achievements of ICPD

Governments of the world started integrating sexual and reproductive health rights in its health policies and plans.
Increased use of modern contraceptives to avoid the unintended pregnancies.
Remarkable improvement in access to contraception, HIV prevention and maternal health services.
SRH education and advocacy increased throughout the globe.
Different laws and regulations were implemented to protect adolescent health of a person.
Goals of ICPD were also incorporated into Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
Integration of SRH rights into global development agenda
Many countries removed coercive population control practices from its acts, regulations and rules.
Increased political commitment and international agreement to SRHR

Gaps/Shortcomings of ICPD

Only high- and middle-income countries could implement the ICPD Programme of Action (PoA) in a full-fledged model.
Low-income countries lagged adequate resources, laws and infrastructure for full implementation of ICPD.
Millions of women lacked access to modern contraceptives increasing the unmet need for family planning.
South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa continued to face high maternal mortality rates due to poor health system and lack of strong emergency obstetric care services.
Lack of adequate resources with the government and development partners led to plateaued growth and success
The inclusion of LGBTIQA+ issue was not fully prioritized by many countries and remained neglected in national policies as well.
Continued gender-based violence, early marriage and maternal deaths in different countries of the world.