16th International Dialogue

It has been almost a quarter of a century since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo articulated a bold new vision recognising sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights (SRHR), women’s empowerment and gender equality as cornerstones of successful, people-centred development programmes. Leading up to its 25th anniversary, an assessment of progress made in implementing the Programme of Action (PoA) is taking place at national, regional and international levels. In this context, the 16th International Dialogue on Population and Sustainable Development provides a timely opportunity to take stock and discuss how to move the ICPD agenda forward.

This year’s dialogue takes place in a world that is arguably less receptive to SRHR than at the time of the ICPD PoA’s inception. The political climate for SRHR is becoming increasingly hostile, exacerbating the lack of progress on SRHR for the most marginalised, and threatening progress that
has already been made. Despite some tangible advances, such as the global decrease of maternal and child mortality by almost 50 per cent between 1990 and 2015, the overall SRHR situation is still far from acceptable: In developing regions, more than 45 million women have inadequate or no access to antenatal care, and 214 million women have an unmet need for modern contraception.


The report of the Guttmacher-Lancet Commission on SRHR was published in 2018. It offers an integrated definition of SRHR grounded in human rights, and proposes an essential service package as well as strategic priorities. The ICPD Beyond 2014 Global Report – a culmination of a landmark review of progress, gaps, challenges and emerging issues in relation to the ICPD Programme of Action – also continues to shed light on persistent challenges. The 16th International Dialogue will draw on these reports to identify persistent and emerging gaps and challenges in realising SRHR for all.