Thirty years have passed since the landmark International Conference on Population and Development, where world leaders agreed to take concrete action to put sexual and reproductive health and rights at the core of sustainable development. The anniversary provides an important opportunity to celebrate young people as changemakers and partners in development, as well as custodians of the conference’s Programme of Action – which affirmed that sustainable development is not possible without prioritizing human rights, empowering women and girls, and addressing the needs and aspirations of individuals to realize their rights and choices.
To that end, the Governments of Benin, Denmark and the Netherlands, together with UNFPA, hosted the ICPD30 Global Youth Dialogue with the theme: “A new generation’s vision for the future.” The event took place on 4 to 5 April in Cotonou, Benin.
The dialogue created a platform for solutions-focused discussions with young people on the continuing implementation of the Programme of Action. Together with representatives of Member States, United Nations entities, and regional and intergovernmental organizations, the dialogue aimed to propel the global agenda on youth rights and sustainable development by:
- Celebrating the achievements of young people and the vision of population-centred development set out by the International Conference on Population and Development.
- Addressing polarization and exploring a deeper understanding of the issues that underpin the International Conference on Population and Development.
- Preparing for the future with key messages and recommendations gathered during the dialogue to help inform global events, such as the Summit of the Future.
Agenda
Participants
The dialogue included young people and partners who were invited following their response to the open call for participants. Interested youth and partners who were not selected to participate in person engaged virtually through the conversation recaps, on youtube and social media.
Opening Ceremony
The Global Youth Dialogue opened with remarks from leaders representing young people and the dialogue co-hosts, Governments of Benin, Denmark, the Netherlands and UNFPA.
Among the speakers were Peter Derrek Hof, Director Social Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands; Ole Thonke, Under-Secretary for Development Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark; Monserrath Lopez, Youth Representative on the Steering Committee and World Scout Bureau Health and Well-being Manager; Gracia Francine Dansi, Young Leader and Cartographer, Benin; and Dr Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director.
Watch the opening ceremony here:
Conversations Recap
Speakers from the five plenary sessions of the Global Youth Dialogue joined Global Citizen’s Lipalesa Morake in conversation. Daily conversation recaps on the main topicss served as a bridge between the discussions in Cotonou and the voices of adolescents and youth engaging virtually. Among the speakers were İlayda Eskitaşçıoğlu, Co-founder of We Need to Talk; Chernor Bah, Sierra Leone Minister of Information and Civic Education; Dr Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director; Simone Diouf, African Union Youth Ambassador for Peace; Ane Breivik, Norwegian Parliamentarian and President of the Young Liberals Party; and Aura Lindo, Youth Coordinator of SisterSong.
UNFPA is collaborating with Global Citizen to amplify the voices of young people and ensure that their valued visions for the future are included. Take action today by downloading the Global Citizen App and leaving a message to advocate for the rights of young people worldwide. Your message will be delivered to the United Nations this September at the Summit of the Future.
Watch the recaps here:
Day 1
Day 2
Closing Ceremony
The global youth dialogue closed with young people presenting their recommendations and inviting key stakeholders to commit to bringing their vision to life.
Key stakeholders who made commitments included Dr.Felipe Paullier, Assistant Secretary General for Youth Affairs; Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, Commissioner, Economic Community of West African States; Sara Bahgat, the Dutch Youth Ambassador for SRHR and bodily autonomy; and Sofie Kallehauge Larsen, the Danish UN youth delegate for gender equality and SRHR. The official closing ceremony included remarks from the dialogue co-hosts, Government of Benin and UNFPA. representatives of the African Union Commission, the Economic Community of West African States, USAID, the UN Youth Office, and the Embassy of Germany in Benin on behalf of the Summit of the Future co-facilitators.
Watch the closing ceremony here:
Frequently Asked Questions about the ICPD30 Global Youth Dialogue
The press release with the key recommendations from the global youth dialogue is accessible here.
