WHY THE CAIRO CONSENSUS WAS POSSIBLE
Consensus on the ICPD Programme of Action-both the content and the way it was achieved-is a stunning example of what the nations of the world can achieve together in the post-Cold War era. * The consensus provides the foundation for practical progress toward a number of interrelated sustainable development objectives, which are set out in each chapter of the Programme of Action. Governments were able to agree on such a sweeping new agenda because most were committed to respect and accommodate diverse views and values to reach consensus.Some have asserted that the "dangers" of "population explosion" and the continuing global economic recession prompted this remarkable consensus. When the ICPD was placed on the United Nations' calendar some ten years ago, the motivation was primarily demographic. In the past ten years, however, changes have occurred that resulted in a very different basis for consensus and action.
NEW INSIGHTS-NO MORE QUICK FIXES
During the past decade, the deepening of poverty and inequity within and across countries has been increasingly recognized as a function of inappropriate economic and development policies, not primarily population pressures. Indeed, during the 1980s, the "lost decade of development," services to meet basic human needs, including education and health services, decreased; economic growth stagnated or declined; debt burdens increased; and terms of trade worsened. Continuing abuses of political, civil, social, and economic rights, not "overpopulation," have been the main causes of mass migration within and between countries. Population growth is now agreed to be only one of the multiple and complex factors that have led to global environmental degradation.It has been widely acknowledged that shortcomings in the design and implementation of family planning programs have hampered achievement of improved human welfare and population goals.
Finally, political and religious fundamentalist forces obstruct efforts to reduce and eliminate the severe inequalities that exist between girls and boys, and women and men.
At the same time, women's organizations and movements emerged as part of the wider development of civil society in many parts of the world. These women's groups promoted new visions and strategies for just and equitable development. The combination of these factors led governments in Cairo to redefine population policies recognizing that there is no quick fix.
The concept of rights is the most important...it roots population policies in justice and not just demographic language or targets.
JOAN DUNLOP
"Women's Rights Held Hostage"
Terra Viva, 9/8/94
THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE - STRATEGIES AND ACTIONSNegotiations before and during ICPD required delicate balancing of diverse values, stark political and economic power imbalances, and other significant social and cultural differences among governments. A demographic crisis rationale, arguing solely in terms of the need for population control, far from providing the basis for consensus, would have made consensus impossible. All governments had to recognize and address inequities between countries and reconcile substantially different views on fundamental human rights. They also had to accommodate strong NGO pressure, especially on economic and sustainable development issues, women's rights, and women's and adolescents' sexual and reproductive health and rights. The vast majority of government delegations who wanted consensus had to counter the pressure of those few delegations who oppose reproductive and sexual health and rights as elaborated in the Programme of Action. Ultimately, consensus on the Programme of Action was possible because government delegations:
Avoided "demographic imperative" language: While demographic projections are included in Chapter 6 of the Programme of Action, governments and agencies eschewed such language as "explosion" and "danger" when discussing population. They agreed that the document should not have explicit demographic targets. Rather, given its broad vision, the document establishes goals for reducing maternal, infant, and child mortality; for providing universal access to reproductive health services, including family planning; and for closing the gender gap in education.
Linked population and consumption: Northern * governments and agencies that previously asserted that population growth is the primary or most pressing cause of environmental degradation were willing to recognize that unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, especially in industrialized countries, are an enormous burden on the world's ecosystems, and on the quality of human life. Governments recognized that production and consumption patterns are as important as (if not more important than) high population growth rates. This accommodation was a fundamental political breakthrough.
Recognized the "right to development": Many Northern governments had previously been reluctant to recognize the "right to development" or have been concerned that references to this right not take precedence over the human rights of individuals. In Cairo, some of these governments, notably the United States, joined Southern governments in negotiations to persuade others who did not want strong "right-to-development" language in the document. The amount, as well as the substance, of language on development in the Program of Action goes far beyond previous population documents and bridges the traditional North-South divide on these issues, a divide which has inhibited international consensus in the past.
It is a conference on the human rights of women. It is a conference addressing the emancipation of one half of humanity nothing less.
STEPHEN LEWIS, FORMER CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UN
"Birth Control Divides U N Talks"
Globe & Mail, 9/5/94
If we had paid more attention to empowering women 30 years ago, we might not have to battle so hard for sustainable development today.DR. NAFIS SADIK, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE ICPD
"U.N. Report: To Stem Population, Empower Women"
Washington Post, 9/18/94Addressed women's equality and men's responsibility: The Programme of Action explicitly recognizes that the world must move from rhetoric to action to correct the imbalances between men's and women's rights and opportunities. While there was little debate over the detailed strategies for women's empowerment in the draft document, compromises had to be reached on terms such as equity and equality. Some governments were reluctant to grant equal rights of inheritance, distribution of welfare and other benefits, treatment under the law, and employment and credit opportunities to women.
For the first time, a governmental document elaborates specific recommendations for encouraging men to take responsibility for their own sexual behavior, fertility, and the health and well-being of their partners and children.
Specified actions to improve people's lives and national circumstances: Governments could not ignore the relationships between families' desires for more than two children and such factors as deepening poverty, erosion of basic health and education infrastructure and services, shortcomings in family planning polices and programs, and the failure to substantially improve the opportunities and position of women. Governments that had previously promoted a narrow, technology - centered approach to population control agreed to recognize that these broader issues must be addressed. Governments that wanted even more ambitious changes in current approaches to population curtailed their demands so that consensus could be achieved.
Negotiated universally acceptable language on reproductive and sexual health and rights: These issues, among the most contentious at the conference, were resolved by careful definition of terms such as "unsafe abortion," "fertility regulation" (a technical term that includes abortion), "sexuality," and "adolescent access to services." This was possible largely because of a negotiating environment in which respect for differences in values and circumstances prevailed. Almost every government involved in the negotiation made accommodations to conflicting points of view. The Programme of Action thus includes far more progressive language than previous international population and development agreements.
Balanced individual human rights and national sovereignty: The Cairo document mandates that population programs and policies respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. It does not, however, go as far toward reinforcing the universality of human rights, over specific national cultural and religious, circumstances as many at the conference would have liked. Nonetheless, it has far stronger language on human rights than previous population documents. Consensus was achieved by balancing cultural values and beliefs, as well as national sovereignty, with existing human rights standards.
This conference is not about language. It is about our lives, the lives of millions of women.
ANASTASIA POSADSKAYA, HEAD
Moscow Center for Gender Studies
"U.N. Population Plan Empowers Women"
St. Petersburg Times, 9/12/94Recognized that separate budget allocations, administrative structures, and personnel are part of the problem to be addressed: For 30 years the population field has sought and protected funds specifically segregated and allocated for family planning services and related research and policy. Other sectors, such as child survival and maternal and child health, similarly segregate funds. Segregating funds in this way has discouraged cross-sectoral collaboration and comprehensive programs around the world. Though the issue receives little public attention, this was and remains one of the more challenging aspects of the Cairo debate.
In Cairo, many delegations argued for changes in resource allocation that would reflect the comprehensive reproductive health concept of the Programme of Action, within the context of broader health and development policies. In the end, compromise was reached by retaining separate budgetary allocations for the various components of reproductive health, but acknowledging that the service delivery system provided under the family planning component should be available to deliver the entire package of reproductive health services. Similarly, governments agreed that family planning is not the core component or "spine" of reproductive health. Rather, a strong service delivery system-which accounts for 65% of the resources allocated -- is the core.
Because views also varied on the amounts of resources needed, the budgetary estimates contained in the Programme of Action will be reviewed and updated by the international community as it evaluates the implementation of the Programme of Action.
WOMEN IN ACTIONThe underlying basis for consensus was created by the constituency most concerned --women. For the first time, a wide range of representatives of women's organizations from every region of the world were central to the negotiation of an international population document. Working together with a common purpose, women engaged at every stage of conference preparations and at every level to gain access to negotiations. Gradually, throughout the conference preparations, governments and international agencies recognized women as legitimate players. Women served as members of many government delegations, and led NGO efforts to lobby governments both during preparatory sessions and at the conference in Cairo. This involvement, along with governments' consultation with women's groups in many countries and at the UN throughout the ICPD process, gives the Cairo Programme of Action a legitimacy and a political base of support that previous government policies and programs have never had.
At numerous points throughout the process of drafting and finalizing the document, when language accepted by the majority of governments and NGOs was threatened by a handful of delegations, women were the ones who mobilized to promote and protect the emerging consensus. Because women have been most affected by population policies and programs, they emerged as an unassailable moral force.
*In the end, only 17 nations expressed final reservations, each reservation being on specific chapters or paragraphs of the Programme of Action. No delegation reserved on the entire document.
*We use the terms "Northern" and "Southern" to refer to the country group blocs that are a feature of negotiations in the United Nations system. Donor countries (predominantly in the North) coordinate their positions, as do most developing countries (predominantly in the South).
IWHC HOME PREVIOUS INDEX TOP OF PAGE FORWARD