As my colleague Emily Kadar very graciously gave me my very own "Blogging 101" session, I couldn't help but kick myself. Why didn't I start my blog last month?? With so many exciting events on global reproductive health and rights kicking off in March, including FMF's own rockstar leadership conference, there was no shortage of events to blog about. Kadar assured me it's never too late to reflect on some of the amazing events I have attended in the last month on one of my favorite subjects: women's health.
If I could choose one event to start off my blogging career, it would without a doubt be the the 42nd Session on the Commission of Population and Development! Before you ask yourself, "Huh, what is that about?" let me enlighten you ;).
Out of my two trips to the UN in New York last month, one really stands out. The Commission on Population and Development (CPD) is the United Nations' Commission that pretty much changed how we talk about population policies. Does the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, Egypt, ring a bell? Commonly referred to as "Cairo", the ICPD marked a real "Ah-hah" moment in the formulation of population policies. Cairo is when population policies shifted from being about controlling population growth, to focusing on real efforts to empower women. The basic idea: if women have equal access to higher education and better salaried jobs, they would choose to have smaller families, thus lowering fertility rates.
This year's CDP was unbelievable! The US Delegation's reproductive health, women’s empowerment, and family planning language seemed like the Feminist Majority Foundation had written their script! They offered very strong support for women and women’s health and renewed commitment to women’s empowerment and gender equality around the world--pointing out that Cairo is very clear in its commitment to women’s empowerment, and that is the framework they would be sticking to.
Before heading to New York the International Family Planning Coalition (IFPC) in Washington was invited to the State Department (which I attended on behalf of FMF), affirming that we're the experts who they rely on for input and language. Last year, the US delegation didn't even utter the words reproductive health services or family planning, and totally shut out groups like FMF. What a change!
Once in New York, the US delegation briefed us again before reading their statement to the UN Commission. The IFPC was assured that the goals set out in Cairo 15 years again would be reaffirmed by the US, something not heard in the past 8 years.
The US delegation noted that funding to the UNFPA had been reinstated, GGR repealed, and that US funding to IFP was much higher this year than any other year in US history, (despite still being drastically lower than what is needed). They assured us that more action reaffirming Cairo would be seen and taken as the Obama Administration got under way!
As anyone who has met me can tell you, I can always go on and on, but I'll stop here for now. I highly recommend you take five minutes to read the amazing statement made by the US Delegation to the UN Commission. It is music to our ears and a testament to the fact that the new Administration supports and encourages our work. The US leadership on global reproductive health and rights just made a few huge steps forward!
Yay for FMF's Global Campaign! :) And more from me soon.
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