The Second Dialogue and Retreat of the Alliance of Southern Civil Society in Global Health to review progress on the implementation of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) has opened in Accra.
The initiative would host an African Regional Civil Society Stakeholder Consultation on ICPD Beyond 2014.
It intends o engage civil society and youth networks in Africa to contribute to the review of the ICPD Programme of Action.
In addition, it would provide a platform to work with partners to identify strategic areas and directions for capacity enabling, institutional strengthening, advocacy and accountability actions for Southern Civil Society at country and global level.
The event on the theme “Access, Effectiveness, Results and Accountability: Deepening Southern Engagement in Global Health” brought together participants from Africa, Middle East and the Mediterranean, Latin America, South East Asia, Europe, North America and the Pacific as well as Central and Eastern Europe.
It was organised by the Centre for Health Sciences Training, Research and Development (CHESTRAD), and co-sponsored by the Governments of Ghana and Nigeria.
Mr Chris Kpodo, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, tasked participants to develop strategies to create the necessary environment for the emergence of a report which would depict Africa’s progress and peculiar circumstances in the implementation of the 1994 ICPD.
He said it would be important to adopt a constructive and evidence-based approach to ensure regularly assessment of results made.
“In this connection, it is our hope that come 2014 and beyond, we would be able to concretely identify progress made, especially in the implementation of some of the projected outcomes,” he said.
Mr Kpodo commended United Nations Population Fund and Centre for Health Sciences Training Research and Development for their efforts in bringing together stakeholders to deliberate on population and development problems facing the African continent.
Representatives from African Union Commision, UN Economic Commission for Africa and International Planned Parenthood Federation suggested that more platforms should be created for the youth in population and development, health, education to help them participate in decision making for national development.
