Sixth Regional Review of the International Conference on Population and Development in the Arab Region kicks off in Beirut

Sixth Regional Review of the International Conference on Population and Development in the Arab Region kicks off in Beirut

NNA - To take stock of achievements and offer recommendations on means for placing population issues at the heart of sustainable development, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western (ESCWA), the UN Population Fund Arab States Regional Office (UNFPA ASRO), the League of Arab States (LAS) and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) kicked off today at the UN House in Beirut the Sixth Regional Review of the ICPD in the Arab Region 30 years after the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD30) and 10 years after the Cairo Declaration 2013.nbsp;The Conference is attended by ministers, parliamentarians and high-level officials from the Arab region, representatives from UN agencies, funds and programmes, international and regional organizations, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, youthnbsp;and other stakeholders.In his remarks, Minister of Social Affairs in Lebanon Hector Hajjar warned: ldquo;The lack of plans and strategies that ensure social stability affects vulnerable people and wastes their chance to enjoy a decent life.rdquo; Hajjar also reiterated Lebanon#39;s commitment to the Programme of Action (PoA) of the ICPD given its key role in providing social stability.nbsp;Integrating population dynamics and projections in policymaking processes has become a prerequisite to achieve sustainable development in the Arab