National Commitments of Lao PDR to Nairobi Summit on ICPD25

National Commitments of Lao PDR to ICPD25

By H.E Mme. Bouachanh SYHANATH, Vice President of Lao Women’s Union

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

The Government of Lao is pleased to wish success to the Nairobi Summit and we are delighted to share the commitments of Lao PDR to advance the ICPD PoA.

Since the adoption Programme of Action in the Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), the world has made important progress, especially for women and girls in terms of infrastructures and rights protection.

Despite the progress, the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action has been impeded by challenges and too many people are still being left behind. Many countries are still in difficulty of fulfilling their obligations due to the lack of funds and the threat of several challenges such as natural disasters, war, economies crises, and others. 

Increasing pressure is the deadline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. We will not achieve the SDGs without attaining the goals laid out in the ICPD Programme of Action. In Lao PDR’s progress towards the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals, the pathway to success is through human development.

Lao PDR adopted the ICPD Programme of Action (PoA) in 1994 and the implementation of ICPD PoA has been integrated across planning mechanisms such as the National Social Economic Development Plan (NSEDP); sectoral plans as well as in the localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

To achieve our commitment to the ICPD PoA and 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda especially fully achieve three transformative results (zero MMR, zero Unmet need for modern contraceptives and zero harmful practices of gender-based violence.

The Government of Lao PDR commits to:

1. Use of Population Data in the 9^th FIVE-YEAR NATIONAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN (NSEDP), use the Lao 2030 study on population dynamics to ensure responsiveness to the emerging needs of the population.
2. By 2030, End MMR through the quality of care and the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health Strategy and policies and ensure provision of health services based on availability, affordability and high-quality services.  Accelerate the health sector reform, in particular, the development of human resources in terms of quantity and competencies. Improve the governance and the comprehensive health information system in line with the health financing which aiming to achieve universal health coverage, in order to eradicate poverty.  As included in the RMNCAH Strategy, By 2025:  increase the proportion of women delivering with trained Skilled Birth Attendance to 90 %; increase delivery in health facilities to 70 %; increase modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate to 70%; and that all health centres should have at least one midwife.  
3. End unmet need for family planning among adolescent girls by 2030 through allocation of increased resources and expand quality youth-friendly services including SRH information and Family planning services women, men and unmarried young people countrywide as well as in humanitarian response.  Aim to increase modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate for young people aged 15-19 years to 45% by 2025.
4.  By 2030, End GBV and harmful practices, focusing on early marriage among adolescents through the revised National Action Plan for Prevention and Elimination of VAW 2021-2026 and its implementation through the Essential Service package for women and girls subjected to GBV.
5. By 2030, Comprehensive sexuality education fully integrated into school curriculums nationwide through age-appropriate curriculum in primary, secondary and technical and vocational education and training institutions.
6. Finalize and implement National Population Policy, National Youth and Adolescent Policy and Youth Law with appropriate legal and innovative policy provisions for improving health, education, employment, social protection and participation of adolescents and young people. 
7. Increase investments for adolescents and youth, especially young women through the “Noi framework” and “Noi ecosystem” and adjusting investments in order to reap the potential benefits of demographic dividend. To collect, analyse and use age, sex-disaggregated data for planning, monitoring the national, sector and international development agenda and plan that ensuring that no one is left behind, thus considering the needs of the most vulnerable, including, migrants, those with disabilities and the aged.

I reiterate Lao PDR commitment to the full implementation of the ICPD PoA and 2030 agenda. We have started increasing partnerships including with the private sector and using domestic resources optimizing impact in delivery of the ICPD PoA and SDGs. The Government of the Lao PDR strongly supports the Nairobi statement on ICPD25: Accelerating the promise. On this note, I wish the ICPD 25 Summit a very successful outcome.

I thank you.