KATHMANDU, Oct 23: Expressing its gratitude toward the notable progress made by Nepal in achieving the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) goals, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has pledged support to Nepal in meeting the strategic vision of achieving three zeros by 2030.
The strategic vision of three zeros includes zero unmet need for contraception and family planning, zero preventable maternal deaths, and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices.
On her first-ever official visit to Nepal, Executive Director of UNFPA Dr Natalina Kanem held meetings with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Upendra Yadav and recognized the significant accomplishment made by Nepal in relation to ICPD goals and expressed hope for its full implementation by 2030 AD.
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Kanem expressed her contentment that since the Cairo conference of 1994, access to sexual and reproductive health services along with skilled birth attendants and family planning had remarkably increased in Nepal and as an outcome of this, preventable maternal mortality had lessened by more than half to 239 per 100,000 live births.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Dr Kanem stated that the dissemination of awareness and public education regarding the issues related to reproductive health and rights and the empowerment of women and girls are at the core of UNFPA's mandate.
“We have done well over the past 25 years and we shouldn't wait to finish the unfinished business,” said Kanem. While appreciating the government for introducing the Right to Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Act last year, Dr Kanem said that it is a remarkable piece of legislation. She expressed hope that it will certainly help in accelerating efforts to achieve the goals set in Cairo.
Dr Kanem, who was joined by UNFPA Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Bjorn Andersson and UNFPA Chief of Staff Pio Smith, also invited the government to participate in the 'Nairobi Submit on ICPD25: Accelerating the promise' which will be summoned by governments of Kenya and Denmark, along with UNFPA itself and will be led as a campaign of reproductive rights in November.
With a realization that without achieving ICPD, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that justify the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda cannot be achieved, this summit promises to bring everyone including heads of the state to ministers, civil society organizations, young people, business and community leaders and media partners to vitalize every kind of possible partnerships and supports.
