The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) will be held in November with a call to member countries to partner in accelerating work for women and girls’ rights.
Over 179 countries that are participating in the Nairobi conference will be working towards mobilizing and galvanizing governments to commit and complete the ICPD’s 94 agenda which is to advance human well-being by placing the rights of individuals at the center of global development.
The Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary (PS), Amb. Macharia Kamau said that the conference, which is marking its 25th anniversary, will focus on key issues about population dynamics, issues between men and women, involvement of youth, Universal Health Care (UHC) and finance.
Kamau, who was speaking during a press conference ahead of the upcoming conference at the KICC on Thursday evening, further noted that the conference whose theme is ‘Accelerating the promise’ purposed towards achieving zero child deaths adding that with proper medical attention and facilities, children should not die at birth.
“A few years ago, we used to have over 500 maternal mortality after every 1000 live births which has reduced to 200 meaning that each day, 200 women are saved out of 1000 who give birth,” noted Kamau.
Kamau noted that they want to get rid of Gender Based Violence since there is rise in women being killed and violated by men, adding that is one of the issues the governments around the world were working hard to reduce.
“Kenya is doing great but we want to get better. We want to eliminate harmful practices such as Gender Based Violence and Female Gender Mutilation (FGM) which are not helping people to live a better life,” he noted.
The Danish Ambassador to Kenya, Ms. Mette Knudsen stated that she strongly believes that a world where women and girls decided about their own bodies, lives and future is possible.
“I strongly believe the Nairobi Summit represents a unique opportunity to finish the unfinished business of the Cairo agenda which is to establish a new normal where women and girls across the globe decide about their own bodies, their own lives and their own future,” Knudsen said.
The envoy further noted that Denmark would make every effort it could to support and defend everyone’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.
“We will strive to ensure that Nairobi Summit becomes a lever for all Government and other partners to reaffirm and redouble their commitments to realizing the internationally agreed goals and target,” Knudsen noted.
On finances, the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) representative for Kenya, Dr. Ademola Olajide noted that the summit would be looking at finances and that they were going to have international financial institutions to speak about what and how they were going to eradicate national and domestic violence to deliver their agenda.
The International Conference on ICPD25 will be held in Nairobi from 12-14th November 2019 at Kenyatta International Convention Centre.
The summit will bring together over 5, 000 delegates who include Member States, local Governments, youth networks, civil society organizations, private sector partners, academicians and communities.
By Lucy Wambui/ Angelina Mutindi
