International Conference on Population and Development
Also called: ICPD, Cairo conference · Topic: World Population: Distribution, Density, Growth and Migration · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was a UN conference held in Cairo, Egypt, in 1994. Its Programme of Action changed the focus of population policy. Instead of chasing numerical targets for births or sterilisations, countries were asked to focus on reproductive health, rights and women's empowerment. It marks the shift from "population control" to "choice".
Example
In line with Cairo, India dropped its method-specific family planning targets in 1996. Health workers no longer had to meet fixed quotas for particular methods such as sterilisation.
Don't confuse with
- Bucharest conference (1974): This earlier world population conference is known for the slogan "development is the best contraceptive". Cairo (1994) is the one that put rights and women's empowerment at the centre.