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Africa must speak with one voice on desires - APC
The African Population Commission (APC) has called on its member states to negotiate for what they desire for themselves and the continent in the future during the forthcoming 47th session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development (CPD) to be held in New York.
The commission has therefore urged its members to speak with ‘one voice’ at the negotiation that would go on at the CPD, to make sure that issues that are critical for its development are captured in the post 2015 global agenda.
Existing Agreements
At a Special Session of the Bureau of the APC held in New York, Dr. M.S Kaloko, Commissioner for Social Affairs of the AUC, entreated the members to support international documents that their countries have signed onto.
Key among these documents, he said, are the African Charter of the rights and welfare of the child, which calls for the elimination of harmful social and cultural practices affecting the welfare, dignity, normal growth, and development of the child, and in particular those customs and practices prejudicial to the health and life of the child, such as child marriage.
The African Youth Charter, which promotes non-discrimination is also critical in the negotiations, Dr, Kaloko emphasised.
He stressed that among its many aspirations, African states must desire “An Africa whose development is people-driven, especially relying on the potential offered by its youth and women.”
Negotiate as one
Briefing the members on the process of Negotiation and harmonization of Africa’s position on the CPD, Dr. Benoit Kalasa, Director, UNFPA West and Central Africa Regional Office said African has gained a lot in the 20 years of the implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action.
“There has been substantial improvement in health; nearly all countries have population policies and programmes; women empowerment and gender equality and increasing collection and uitilisation of population data through census and survey.
But more importantly, Dr. Kalasa said, “the continent has much more to lose if ICPD beyond 2014 is not strong, comprehensive and inclusive,” as an alarming high proportion of people continue to live without access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRH&R)
He emphasised that despite significant gains, many, particularly women, girls, youth and people with disability, have been left behind lacking fulfilment of basic needs, meaningful work and access to social protection, health and education.
Dr. Kalasa pointed out that it was possible for the 54 African countries to speak with one voice at the conference because there are existing continental agreements, documents and frameworks to support their arguments.
These include the Common African Position (CAP) on Post 2015, The Addis Ababa declaration on ICPD beyond 2014, the African Protocol on human and people’s rights, the Maputo Plan of Action and the African continental framework for Sexual and reproductive health and right adopted by African Ministers of Health in 2005 and endorsed by the African Union heads of states summit in 2006 in Sudan.
It was important, he pointed out that women, girls, and young people’s health and rights issues as well as issues of non-discrimination as expressed in the various documents, are upheld and promoted, Dr. Kalasa added.
Fact Sheet:
.The African Population Commission (APC) is currently chaired by Kenya
. The bureau of the APC has five members with Ghana being the Rapporteur
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Written by Rosemary Ardayfio, NEW YORK (Courtesy: UNFPA)
