The Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund in Ghana, Dr. Wilfred Ochan has called on key development actors in the country to accelerate the implementation of the recommendations made in the review report on 30 years of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD30) and 10 years of the Addis Ababa Declaration of Population and Development (AADPD10).
“The Ghana National Review Report shows overall progress in advancing results of the ICPD/AADPD commitments. However, the pace of progress is slow in some cases. I am confident Ghana will focus and take accelerated actions in the areas of slow progress orstagnation such as seen in youth unemployment, maternal mortality and teenage pregnancy, unmet need for family planning, Gender-based violence, including Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation, etc. In particular, Ghana’s achievement will be accelerated if it focuses on existing inequalities between and within regions and population sub-groups”. He observed that COVID-19 and climate emergencies could have also affected the rate of progress on implementation of the commitments.
UNFPA Representative, Dr. Wilfred Ochan speaking at the launch event.
Dr. Ochan acknowledged the pivotal contribution the ICPD/AADPD Report plays in Ghana’s sustainable development agenda. He recognized Ghana's strides in promoting dignity and equity through increased female participation in politics, child protection initiatives and poverty alleviation programmes such as free education. The Ghana Statistical Services was also lauded for making available, most data for use in decision-making and monitoring of policies and such commitments.
“The report has indeed placed the centrality of population and development in advancing sustainable development while focusing on the pillars adopted in the AADPD; namely-dignity and equality; health, in particular, the health of young people; place and mobility; governance; data for informed decision making; and partnership and international cooperation,” he added.
Dr. Ochan was speaking at the launch of the ICPD30/AADP10 Review Report at the Accra International Conference Centre. He advocated for high-level political support, scaled-up investments and policy actions that are needed to revive the shrinking momentum and focus on youth and the demographic dividend. He also advised that accelerated implementation should also link people and the megatrends of population dynamics, climate change, urbanization, migration, innovation, and digital connectivity.
The Director General of the National Development Planning Commission, Dr. Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, recounted improvements in key areas of development. For instance, the report recorded increased access to quality education, gender parity at basic and secondary levels, increased promotion of child protection and welfare, and modest progress in women’s participation in politics and public life. The rate of poverty reduction has reduced, although with increasing income and multi-dimensional poverty and inequalities among men, women children, other vulnerable population groups, and geographical areas. He also called for investment in key areas of development and the need to involve all sectors, and national and lower local governments to advance the ICPD agenda.
“Increased investments are needed to expand the scope and effectiveness of population- related programmes, particularly economic growth and employment creation. Child labour, early or child marriages, adolescent pregnancies, and gender-based violence need to be eliminated. “He concluded.
The report highlighted progress, successes, challenges and gaps, and best practices, and has made recommendations towards realizing the fundamental rights and freedoms as outlined in the ICPD and AADPD. The preparation of this year’s review was very consultative with wider coverage than in the previous reviews. Relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, CSOs, Traditional and Religious Leaders, Academia, Youth Groups, the UN system, and the Development Partners, were involved. The launch climaxed with a dialogue session involving various stakeholders across the country on the way forward with the released report.
