The Government of Ethiopia took stock of progress made and challenges remaining since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo ahead of the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25.
Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde and UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem participated in a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of ICPD and UNFPA's 50th anniversary on 22 May in Addis Ababa.
“Ethiopia has made remarkable achievements in implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action, and targets in terms of policy formulation, programming, development of appropriate legal frameworks, adoption of relevant international instruments, and allocation of required resources and budgets," Ms. Zwede said.
The country, she added, has made women and young people a priority by expanding access to education at all levels to let children so young girls can attend nearby schools, "protecting them from social practices putting them in harm’s way."
“By prioritizing maternal and newborn health through reforms in the health sector, Ethiopia has made and continues to make the reductions in maternal and infant mortalities a reality," Ms. Zwede affirmed.
On the journey to the Nairobi Summit, Dr. Kanem said UNFPA is ready and committed to overcoming any obstacles towards Africa’s progress, said Dr. Kanem. “Over the past five decades, we have been guided by the unwavering belief that people must be at the heart of development," she noted, referring to the ICPD Programme of Action. "Today, people-centred development is the cornerstone of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Agenda."
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