Sustainable development, demography and sexual and reproductive health: inseparable linkages and their policy implications

This article focuses on efforts to address and harness demographic changes for sustainable development, which are largely outside the purview of the current debate. Efforts to this end must be based on the recognition that demographic changes are the cumulative result of individual choices and opportunities, and that demographic changes are best addressed through policies that enlarge these choices and opportunities, with a focus on ensuring unrestricted and universal access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, empowering women to fully participate in social, economic and political life, and investing in the education of the younger generation beyond the primary level. The article provides a strong argument for why the Programme of Action that was agreed at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) 20 years ago continues to hold important implications and lessons for the formulation of the post-2015 development agenda, which is expected to supersede the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).Résumé: Le principal enjeu aujourd’hui est de répondre aux besoins des générations actuelles et futures, d’une population mondiale importante et qui s’accroît, sans imposer de pressions catastrophiques sur l’environnement naturel. Relever ce défi dépend de changements politiques décisifs dans trois domaines : une croissance économique plus intégratrice, une croissance économique plus écologique et des politiques démographiq...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Source Type: research