WELCOME TO Issue No. 11 of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) ICPD+5 News Bulletin on activities relating to the process of the five-year review of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The News Bulletin is a feature produced on the first Monday of every month for all partners interested in the activities and events associated with the International Forum on ICPD implementation (The Hague Forum), which was held on 8-12 February 1999, the 32^nd session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development (CPD) acting as the preparatory committee for the Special Session, which was held from 24 March-1 April, and the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the review and appraisal of the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action in New York on 30 June-2 July 1999. To receive the News Bulletin, please send us your fax, e-mail or office address and we will add you to the list of subscribers. The News Bulletin is also posted on the UNFPA ICPD+5 web site at: http://www.unfpa.org/icpd/icpdmain.htm, where you can find more information, reports and news on the ICPD+5 review.

32^nd Session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD), acting as the preparatory committee (PrepCom) for the Special Session of the General Assembly

DOCUMENTATION: The PrepCom focused its work on the formulation of proposals for key actions for the further implementation of the Programme of Action of the ICPD, taking as the basis of its work the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General for the special session (E/CN.9/1999/PC/4). Following an exchange of views on the proposed key actions, the PrepCom considered a revised working paper submitted by the Chairman entitled "Proposals for key actions for the further implementation of the Programme of Action of the ICPD" (E/CN.9/1999/PC/CRP.1/Rev.1). Both of these documents are available at the United Nations and UNFPA web sites at: http://www.undp.org/popin/unpopcom/32ndsess/official.htm and http://www.unfpa.org/icpd/reports&doc/chaiman-rev1.htm, respectively.

When the session concluded on 1 April, the committee had discussed paragraphs 9 through 52(e) of CRP.1/Rev.1, which contains 79 paragraphs. The sections discussed by the committee are: II. Population and development concerns; III. Gender equality, equity and empowerment of women; and part of III. Reproductive rights and reproductive health. The PrepCom agreed to convene a resumed session in advance of the special session, at a date to be announced, to continue its consideration of CRP.1/Rev.1.

At the 1 April meeting, a compilation of amendments submitted by delegations to the draft working paper (E/CN.9/1999/PC/CRP.1) was made available for information. Copies of the compilation text may be obtained by request to watanabe@unfpa.org.

Arrangements for the twenty-first Special Session of the General Assembly on ICPD+5

The draft provisional agenda and organizational matters for the 30 June-2 July twenty-first special session of the General Assembly (E/CN.9/1999/PC/CRP.2) was adopted on 1 April with oral amendments. According to the text, the special session will take place under the presidency of the President of the General Assembly, Didier Opertti, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay. The special session will see a plenary for a general debate, and the establishment of an ad hoc committee of the whole. The Bureau of the ad hoc committee will be the same as the Bureau for the PrepCom. The ad hoc committee is charged with item seven of the draft provisional agenda: overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action.

According to CRP.2, representatives of States and Observers may make statements, not to exceed seven minutes, in the plenary. An amendment to the document notes that, given availability of time, and bearing in mind General Assembly decision 51/467, a limited number of NGOs may also make statements in the debate in the plenary, subject to the approval of the Special Session. The President of the General Assembly has been requested to ensure that such participation is on an equal and transparent basis, taking into account the diversity of NGOs. NGO statements should not exceed five minutes.

Arrangements for the accreditation of NGOs to the Special Session

The PrepCom on 1 April adopted with oral amendments a draft decision submitted by the Chairman on arrangements for the accreditation of NGOs to the special session (E/CN.9/1999/PC/L.2). More information about these arrangements is available at: http://www.unfpa.org/icpd/round&meetings/gass/ngoaccred.htm. According to the decision, the following NGOs would be invited to attend the Special Session: 1) NGOs having consultative status with the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); 2) NGOs already accredited to the 1994 ICPD and/or to the 24 March-1 April 1999 preparatory committee; and 3) other interested NGOs, including those that have applied for consultative status with ECOSOC (but were not accredited to the ICPD), provided that they submit to the secretariat the following information: i.The purpose of the organization; ii. Information identifying the programmes and activities of the organization in areas relevant to the subject of the special session, and indicating in which country or countries they are carried out; iii. Confirmation of the activities of the organization at the national, regional or international levels; iv. Copies of annual or other reports of the organization, with financial statements and a list of financial sources and contributions, including governmental contributions; v. A list of the members of the governing body of the organization and their countries of nationality; vi. A description of the membership of the organization, indicating the total number of members, the names of organizations that are members and their geographical distribution; and vii. A copy of the constitution and/or by-laws of the organization. Requests for attendance by these NGOs will be examined by a committee composed of the Bureau of the PrepCom and the secretariat, which will make appropriate recommendations to the PrepCom at its resumed session for a decision on their accreditation to the special session. NGOs will be notified accordingly. The deadline for all NGOs registering for the special session is 30 April 1999. Guidelines for accreditation of NGOs to the Special Session and an application form will be available on http://www.unfpa.org/icpd/round&meetings/gass/ngoaccred.htm by 9 April.

ICPD+5 NGO Coordinators. NGOs wishing to hold briefings and meetings during the special session should provide the ICPD+5 NGO Coordinators the relevant information, copied to Jaya Dayal at UNFPA, Fax: 212-297-4918/E-mail: dayal@unfpa.org, so as to enable the Secretariat to make the appropriate arrangements. Any other queries by NGOs relating to practical and logistical aspects of the special session may be forwarded to the ICPD+5 NGO Coordinators, who may be contacted at the New York-based offices of Population Communications International (PCI): 212-687-3366 (Tel)/212-661-4188 (Fax)/icpd@population.org (E-mail); and the Conference of Non-governmental Organizations (CONGO), 212-986-8557 (Tel)/212-986-0821 (Fax)/ congo@aol.com (E-mail)