The linkages between the COVID-19 and gender inequality, food insecurity and obstacles in access to healthcare and reproductive rights were discussed at the Economic and Social Council’s 54th session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD54) this week. The primary role of the Commission on Population and Development, established by the UN Economic and Social Council, is to monitor and review the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development at the national, regional and international levels.
At the CPD54, Turkmenistan reinforced its commitment to advance progress towards gender equality, reproductive health and rights, demographic dividend and using population data for evidence-based decision-making.
“I was privileged to lead the delegation of Turkmenistan at the first International Conference on Population and Development, which was held in Cairo, Egypt,” said H.E. Mrs. Aksoltan Ataeva, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the United Nations in her statement. “The Government of Turkmenistan was delighted to attend the Nairobi Summit in November 2019 as part of the 25th Anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development and announced a number of commitments at various levels - financial, policy, legislative, structural.”
The global consensus of the historic ICPD Programme of Action established that sexual and reproductive health and rights, women’s empowerment and gender equality were fundamental to the well-being of nations and its citizens; its implementation is key to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
“The Nairobi Summit on ICPD, reiterated the importance of rights and choices for all, re-energized the reproductive health and rights, as critical for achieving sustainable development and the Government of Turkmenistan continues to put necessary efforts to accelerate these promises to transform the lives of people – women and men, young people, including the most vulnerable populations,” said Mrs. Atayeva.
The Permanent Representative noted the recent endorsement of the National Action Plan on Gender Equality for 2021-2025, the approval of a new State Programme on Youth Policy 2021-2025, preparatory work for the 2022 housing and population census and finalization of the first ever survey on domestic violence. She also highlighted the financial commitment taken by Turkmenistan to ensure access of up to 80% vulnerable women to free contraceptives by 2025.
Resources on CPD54: https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/events/commission-population-and-development-fifty-fourth-session
For more information, please contact:
Ene Tuyliyeva,
UNFPA Communications Analyst
www.instagram.com/unfpa_turkmenistan
imo: +99362 833158
