The Nairobi Summit Is about the Future of Humanity and Human Prosperity

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta hailed the strong partnership between his government and UNFPA during a meeting with UNFPA’s Executive Director, Dr. Natalia Kanem in March 2019, which will jointly convene the ICPD 25 from 12 to 14 November 2019 along with the Government of Denmark. Credit: PSCU By Siddharth ChatterjeeNAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 8 2019 (IPS) As we count down the remaining days to the opening of the Nairobi Summit or the International Conference for Population and Development(ICPD), I am confounded by how much humanity has managed to simultaneously empower more women than at any other time in history, while at the same time failing to see that ‘women’s issues’ are actually ‘everyone’s issues’. That countdown evokes memories of my own grandmother, who followed a common trend in India at the time, dropping out of school to get married and give birth to her first child at age 11. In many parts of the world, girls have over the years faced unthinkable obstacles while trying just to get an education, often jeopardizing their personal safety and risking being ostracized by their families and communities. It wasn’t until a mere 25 years ago at the ICPD in Cairo that the world agreed that population and economic development issues must go hand in hand, and that women must be at the heart of our efforts for development. Back then, governments, donors, civil society, and other partners made commitments to reduce infant and child mortality, reduce maternal mortal...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Africa Conferences Crime & Justice Development & Aid Education Featured Gender Gender Violence Global Headlines Health Labour Population TerraViva United Nations Women's Health Source Type: news