ICPD+20 Review Process
Nepal Government urged for a special action on Maternal Health and Sexual and Reproductive Rights in the eve of International Conference on Population and Development’s twenty years (ICPD+20). In the program organized by Amnesty International (AI) Nepal in managerial support of AI Nepal Group-80 and Joseph Youth Network, Kathmandu on 24th August 2013 people from different walk of lives urged the Government calling to fulfill commitment that made in ICPD.
The main objective of the signature collection campaign is to hand over the signatures to government of Nepal calling it to act more forcefully to strengthen both commitments and action in the area of Sexual and Reproductive Rights. The program was organized to draw the attention just a couple of week ahead of Asia – Pacific regional review process of the ICPD being held from 16-20 September 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand.
ICPD +20 operational review process is taking place against the backdrop of an increasingly well-funded and organised attack on gender equality and sexual and reproductive rights from various religious and faith-based groups and conservative governments. Mobilization and allying of all progressive forces in the international arena is required in order to combat the backlash and ensure the existing commitments are not watered down and that the ICPD+20 review process is not used to undermine women’s and girls’ rights.
Amnesty International has prioritized engaging with the ICPD+20 review process in view of its ongoing work on Maternal Health and Sexual and Reproductive Rights with the goal to ensuring that the outcome of the process affirms a comprehensive and integrated approach to sexual and reproductive rights for all.
AI Nepal is lobbying and advocating to draw the attention to the government of Nepal to review of the Programme of Action of the (ICPD) and take into account the need for a systematic, comprehensive and integrated approach to population and development issues. For this purpose AI Nepal has conducted various activities like signature campaign, interaction program and media works to pressurize the government to act more forcefully to strengthen both commitments and action in the area of Sexual and Reproductive Rights for all in the review process of ICPD+20. During the campaign AI Nepal is also focusing to raise awareness about the importance of preserving and strengthening international human rights standards on sexual and reproductive rights.
Till now AI Nepal has collected more than 20,000 signatures through online and offline campaigns. In this latest program more than 750 petitions were signed.