EPF believes that parliamentarians have a duty and a responsibility to promote and defend the sexual and reproductive health and rights of all individuals, including their right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children ; to defend and advance gender equality, gender equity and women’s empowerment; and to eliminate all forms of discrimination, coercion and violence against women. The ICPD Programme of Action and the Key Actions of its five-year review are essential in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

EPF brings largest MP delegation to 4th International IPCI/ICPD Parliamentarians Conference in Addis Ababa/Ethiopia

As one of the four existing regional parliamentary networks worldwide, EPF brought more than 30 European Parliamentarians and Members of the European Parliament to the 4th International Parliamentarians Conference on the Implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development (IPCI/ICPD) that was held in Addis Ababa/Ethiopia from 27-28 October 2009.

Gathering approximately 400 Parliamentarians from 115 nations, representatives of International Organisations and UN Agencies, Ministries, NGOs and CSOs, the conference that is held every 2-3 years since 2002 evaluated the progress that has been made since the formulation of the ICPD Programme of Action (PoA) in 1994 and discussed strategic priorities that need to be addressed in the next five years to fulfill the ICPD PoA.

Participants unanimously adopted the Addis Ababa Statement of Commitment, in which they pledged to exercise their oversight responsibilities to break the silence around gender discrimination and to promote sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. Parliamentarians expressed their determination to increase budget allocations to at least 10 per cent of national budgets and development assistance budgets for population assistance, and to review laws and practices that still restrict access to sexual and reproductive health. They also committed to concrete and systematic actions to implement the ICPD Programme of Action, including empowering young people, strengthening health systems and addressing climate change and emerging population issues. The Drafting Committee working on the Statement of Commitment was chaired by Hon. Chantal Gill’ard, MP and EPF Executive Committee Member.

H.E. Bert Koenders, Minister for Development of the Netherlands presented the Addis Call to Urgent Action for Maternal Health that was adopted during the High Level Meeting on Maternal Health on 26 October 2006 preceding the IPCI Conference. Urging decision-makers to place maternal health high on the political agenda and provide sufficient and adequate funding for MDG 5, the Addis Call to Urgent Action for Maternal Health contains a specific MP section, urging Parliamentarians to break the silence and mobilize colleagues on the right to SRHR, to increase budget allocations for RH services and supplies, to involve young people and to strengthen partnerships with other MPs, donors, NGOs and the private sector.

The Conference was hosted by the Parliament of Ethiopia and organized by the Forum of African and Arab Parliamentarians on Population and Development (FAAPPD) and UNFPA, along with the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF), the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD), and the Inter-American Parliamentarian Group (IAPG).