Thirty years have passed since the landmark International Conference on Population and Development, where world leaders agreed to put individual rights and dignity at the heart of sustainable development. The Programme of Action from the conference transformed global thinking on population issues at a time of anxiety about a rapidly growing global population, setting the standard for people-centred development.
With the world now facing diverse demographic changes, the thirtieth anniversary provides an opportunity to explore how the values of the Programme of Action can remain a beacon for common, global approaches to sustainable development – today and in the future.
To this end, the Governments of Bangladesh, Bulgaria and Japan, together with UNFPA, are hosting the ICPD30 Global Dialogue on Demographic Diversity and Sustainable Development. The dialogue, which takes place from 15 to 16 May in Dhaka, Bangladesh, creates a platform to discuss the challenges and explore the opportunities of the world’s shifting demographics.
These discussions will be informed by the principles and actions of the Programme of Action on demographic change and diversity, the environment, reproductive health, universality of human rights and gender equality.
Together with representatives of United Nations Member States, UN entities, and regional and intergovernmental organizations, the dialogue aims to:
- Encourage practical responses to demographic change.
- Reinforce human-rights approaches to population policies that promote gender equality and advance SRH/RR.
- Promote the achievement of sustainable development goals in a rapidly evolving world.
Agenda
