26 October 2023 – The NCPD has come with 14 consensus-based recommendations for accelerating the implementation of the Programme of Action (PoA) of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and  the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will also inform a national statement at the forthcoming 7th Asia and Pacific Population Conference on 15-17 November, 2023.

The first-ever high-level conference in population and development in Lao PDR brought together various government institutions,civil society, private sector and development partners to strategize around key population and development issues and agree on sustainable solutions at a critical juncture for the country. This is because Lao PDR is now experiencing a demographic window of opportunity, which is time-bound and might not re-occur in the history of the country again. This phenomenon happens when a household has fewer children than it needs to take care of, and a larger number of people who have decent jobs, hence the household can save up and invest. When this occurs on a large scale, a country’s economy can benefit from a boost in economic growth and development.

The conference has taken note of progressive policies, strategies, plans and laws related to population and development, adolescents and youth, sexual and reproductive health, gender equality  and addressing violence against women, emphasizing the need for their accelerated implementation and enforcement to make a difference to the lives of people on the ground.

At the opening ceremony of the NCPD, H.E Deputy Prime Minister Professor Kikeo Khaikhamphithoune said: “Since the adoption of the ICPD PoA in 1994, Lao PDR has made significant progress in achieving a decline in proportion of population living below national poverty line from 48 percent in 1990 to 18.3 percent in 2018-2019, a decline in maternal mortality ratio from 530 per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 126 per 100,000 live births in 2020, with 69 percent of births attended by skilled personnel, and primary school enrolment has reached 89.6 percent, among other improvements.” 

Ambassadors of the European Union, Germany, Luxembourg and Turkey as well as senior representatives of USAID and the Embassies of Australia, India and Canada  reaffirmed their government commitments to  advancing gender equity and equality adolescents and youth empowerment, sexual and reproductive health and rights, data for development, and the principle of leaving no one behind. They reaffirmed their continued commitment to ICPD and advancing women's, children’s and adolescent health and well-being, including sexual and reproductive health and rights to achieve zero preventable maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning, and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices by 2030.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Lao PDR, Mr. Bakhodir Burkhanov said “As Lao PDR is expected to graduate from “least developed country” status by 2026, it requires a combination of meaningful policies and their steadfast implementation, backed by the continued collective support of all development partners, in order to rise to the promise of the SDGs. The expected contribution of this conference to the mid-term review of the 9th NSEDP is an opportunity for the Government and development partners for co-creation, for producing evidence-based solutions to address the economic and climate challenges, and for accelerating the implementation of the ICPD PoA and SDGs”.

UNFPA Representative, Dr Bakhtyior Kadyrov said: “With 60 percent of the total population under the age of 30, young people are not only the future, but they are also the present, and we will support our government partners in their efforts to promote young people’s empowerment and leadership today.  This is in line with the following Lao saying: “Young people are the backbone of the nation”. Dr Kadyrov congratulated the government of Lao PDR for the implementation of the National ICPD25 Commitments, reiterating UNFPA’s commitment to advance the progress on rights and choices. He said: “Together with our government partners, we have come a long way in terms of strengthening national maternal health programmes, integrating comprehensive sexuality education in the school curricula, scaling up gender-based violence prevention and response, advancing the “Noi framework” and “Noi ecosystem, and strengthening national statistical system, among others. But we still must continue our journey together with more energy and resolve, considering the unfinished development agenda on the path to achieving SDGs and ICPD PoA”

Participants, who attended the five parallel sessions on population dynamics, climate change, and resilience, health and well-being, statistics, partnership with civil society and private sector, pledged to accelerate implementation of the ICPD PoA and SDGs through establishing a national coordination committee on population and development at a level that effectively steers and facilitates the work of line ministries in support of NSEDP, prioritize and ensure the use of the 2025 Census and the Lao Social Indicator Survey III to inform the 10th NSEDP for 2026-2030, invest in sexual and reproductive health and national administrative data governance systems, among others. Youth and persons with disabilities representatives appreciated the inclusive process of the conference, giving space to everyone to be part of the joint solutions to advance the rights and choices for all citizens in Laos.

In addition, H.E Deputy Prime Minister Professor Kikeo Khaikhamphithoune delivered statement and call  for actions at the National Conference on Population and Development  with 5 key priorities and direction as flowing:

1.     Harness on the demographic dividend.

2.     Develop a preparedness and response plan to respond to the climate change that would have directly and indirectly impacts on health, social protection.

3.     Accelerate the implementation and promote health and well-being of the people including sexual and reproductive health and rights.

4.     Strengthen the population data system and monitor the framework of the National Social Economic Development Plan.

5.     Increase participation and ensure sufficient resources at national and international levels including the private and civil society organizations to support the implementation of Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).

The conference served as an opportunity for the Government of Lao PDR to reaffirm its commitment to accelerating the implementation of ICPD PoA through a call for action endorsed by all stakeholders. The NCPD’s strategic actions and recommendations will contribute to the ongoing mid-term review of the 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP), inform the prioritization of the 10th NSEDP as well as serve in support of the forthcoming ASEAN chairmanship of Lao PDR.

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UNFPA, the UN's sexual and reproductive health agency, works in over 150 countries, including Lao PDR, to achieve zero maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning and zero gender-based violence.

For more information, please contact:
laos.office@unfpa.org