For more than three decades, the Programme of Action from the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) has been a cornerstone for advancing gender equality, promoting human rights, and enabling sustainable development. The ICPD agenda has provided a visionary roadmap that continues to guide global, regional, and national policies to improve people’s health and well-being, particularly that of women, children, and adolescents.
Thanks to sustained commitment and investment, access to quality, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services has expanded across the globe. Maternal mortality has declined significantly, by over 40% globally since 2000, and contraceptive prevalence has reached record levels, empowering millions of women and girls to make informed choices about their reproductive lives. These are not just statistics; they represent real lives improved and saved through collective action and political will.
It is therefore with deep regret that PMNCH notes the Commission's inability to reach consensus on a resolution focused on the theme of “Ensuring Healthy Lives and Promoting Wellbeing for All at All Ages.” The failure to adopt an outcome document on such a vital issue is particularly disheartening given the central role that health, especially sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), plays in human development, social justice, and economic prosperity.
We are living through an era of profound global challenges. Climate change, protracted conflicts, rising inequality, unsustainable debt burdens, and growing threats to democratic and civic space are testing the resilience of communities and institutions everywhere. These forces, coupled with a retreat from multilateralism in some quarters, are reversing progress on gender equality and restricting access to essential health and rights-based services. In too many settings, we are witnessing deliberate efforts to erode long-standing international consensus on SRHR, human rights, and health equity.
Yet the discussions at this year’s Commission also reaffirmed a critical truth: sexual and reproductive health and rights are not a peripheral issue; they are central to achieving development outcomes. SRHR is a foundation for gender equality, a driver of economic empowerment, a linchpin for education and employment, and a prerequisite for fulfilling the human rights of all individuals, especially women and girls.
Moving forward, we must not allow division to deter our collective resolve. We must reaffirm and strengthen our commitment to the ICPD Programme of Action and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. This means scaling up efforts to ensure universal access to SRHR as an integral part of universal health coverage. It also means addressing the social and structural determinants that prevent too many people, particularly those facing discrimination and marginalization, from enjoying their full rights and potential.
To realize this vision, we must work in close partnership with governments, especially those in the Global South, alongside civil society organizations, youth networks, professional associations, academic institutions, and other global health and development partners. These actors are vital to implementing people-centered, context-specific solutions that are inclusive, evidence-based, and rooted in equity. Their leadership has already helped transform the health and lives of millions around the world, and their continued engagement will be essential in confronting the challenges ahead.
PMNCH reaffirms its commitment to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights as a core pillar of universal health coverage and sustainable development. We will continue to advocate for policies and programs that center the rights and needs of women, children, and adolescents; eliminate inequalities; and uphold dignity and justice for all.
For decades, Member States have made bold commitments through the Commission on Population and Development to realize the vision of the ICPD. At this pivotal moment, we call on all countries and partners to defend and renew that vision with ambition, solidarity, and integrity. Let us move forward together—with unity, courage, and a shared determination to build a healthier, more equal, and more inclusive world where no one is left behind
