Get Involved: Three moments in 2024 to celebrate ICPD progress and inform future solutions

Thirty years ago, at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), the international community put gender equality, women’s empowerment and human rights at the center of development. Since then, great gains have been made, but we still have unfinished business.

In 2024, we not only have three decades of achievements to celebrate, we also have the opportunity to place the ICPD agenda and in particular the issues of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights again firmly in future development agendas.

You can celebrate progress and drive action using your voices and insights during these intergovernmental moments.

1.The Summit of the Future

The Summit of the Future will bring world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how we deliver on a better present and safeguard our common future. This once-in-a-generation opportunity serves as a moment to mend eroded trust and demonstrate that international cooperation can effectively tackle current challenges, as well as those that may yet be over the horizon. It is a critical time to position the ICPD agenda for the future as the Summit takes place on 22 and 23 September in New York. 

What can you do?

• Join the virtual consultation with civil society and other stakeholders on the zero draft Pact for the Future. Save the date 21 February 2024 and register to get meeting information.
• Take part in the informal consultations on the Global Digital Compact planned for 1 March 2024. 
• Plan to submit written inputs to the Global Digital Compact by 8 March 2024.  You can find more information here.
• Monitor the Summit of the Future website for updates and more opportunities to contribute.

  

   

2. UN Civil Society Conference in support of the Summit of the Future

The UN Civil Society Conference is set for 9-10 May 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. The discussions and outcome of this conference will contribute to the Pact for the Future. The conference is organized by the UN Department of Global Communications in partnership with a core stakeholder planning group, including UNFPA.

What can you do?

1. Register for the conference if you represent a civil society organization associated with the Department of Global Communications and/or in consultative status with ECOSOC. Organizations that do not meet this criteria can register with the endorsement of a United Nations entity. UNFPA will endorse a cross-section of civil society partners, particularly those traditionally underrepresented in the global fora, to participate in the conference.
2. Learn more about the conference as details become available.

3.Commission on Population and Development

The fifty-seventh session of the Commission on Population and Development will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 29 April to 3 May 2024. The theme of the session is “Assessing the status of implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and its contribution to the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development during the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development”. 

The 57th CPD session will also mark the 30th anniversary of the ICPD Programme of Action. The high-level General Assembly commemoration event will be held on 29 April and is expected to feature CSOs and youth.
 

What can you do?

1. Participate. NGOs that are accredited to the United Nations ECOSOC may attend the annual session. There will be opportunities for NGOs to address the Commission through written or oral statements, interactive panels and/or side events. A CSOs-dedicated meeting in the context of the Commission is tentatively scheduled for early April and will be led by the Chair of the Commission.
2. Get more information on opportunities to participate.