Zambia-chaired UN Commission commences meeting, calls for SDGs implementation

The United Nations Commission on Population and Development, under the leadership of Zambia, commenced its deliberation today with a clarion call for the body to contribute to the attainment of sustainable development.

Officially opening the 49th Session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD49), Commission chairperson and Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Her Excellency Dr Mwaba Kasese-Bota, said 2016 was a crucial year in re-shaping the United Nations system to deliver on its promise of assisting Member States to implement the 2030 Agenda over the next 15 years.

She said the Commission continued with its mandate to support the implementation of the Programme of Action from the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo.

“Both the Programme of Action and the 2030 Agenda place a strong emphasis on the importance of data – both data production and data analysis – as a means of achieving success in implementation. In the Commission this year, we are focusing on the demographic evidence base. That evidence base is built on a foundation of data,” Ambassador Kasese-Bota said.

She the availability of reliable and timely demographic data was essential for planning and implementing interventions to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and to monitor progress towards their achievement.

“Member States have recognized that they can only achieve the ambitious goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda through a revitalized and enhanced partnership of Governments, civil society, the private sector, the UN system and other actors, and by mobilizing all available resources,” the Zambian envoy said. “Millions of people have already engaged with, and can claim ownership of this Agenda. It is an Agenda of the people, by the people and for the people – and for this, we have to work hard and deliver on our promise.”

Ambassador Kasese-Bota said Member States and other stakeholders had a great opportunity to provide effective and evidence-based guidance to the international community on population and sustainable development.

Speaking at the same event, United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon said people were at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and that the CPD had a proud traditionof focusing on people.

“Statistics are essential for tracking progress. When people are not counted, they are excluded. To live up to the commitment to ‘leave no one behind,’ we have to make sure everyone is counted,” Mr. Ban said. He said Governments will have to gather census data and use it to understand demographic change because that would help them develop effective plans.

Mr. Ban said Sustainable development demands securing sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women and young people.

The Secretary General said the world now has the largest generation of young people in history, and to unleash their potential, there is a need to invest more in education, opportunities and services for youth.

“The United Nations is proud to support efforts to put all people at the heart of development. This is the spirit of the 2030 Agenda,” said Mr. Ban.

The week-long deliberations of the 49th Session of the CPD, taking place at United Nations Headquarters in New York, is being held under the theme: “Strengthening the demographic evidence base for the Post-2015 development Agenda.”