The space is the UN and the moment is now.
We are deeply frustrated and concerned that Member States were unable to reach a consensus on an outcome resolution for the fifty-ninth session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD59) on: Population, technology and research in the context of sustainable development.
However, we also recognise and appreciate the efforts and commitment of numerous delegations in upholding the centrality of this commission towards advancing population and development policies that promote and protect the rights of all people. The CPD remains the primary and most critical space for Member States to monitor, review, and assess the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action (PoA) including the protection of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), particularly and in light of emerging issues and threats to its implementation in a rapidly evolving world. We cannot allow the mandate of the CPD to be undermined; it is precisely the space where these difficult but essential conversations must take place, and where they must lead to concrete, rights-based outcomes that respond to the realities people face.
Despite the absence of consensus based agreement, it is important to realise the pertinence of the theme given the rapidly evolving technological environment and its implications on population and development outcomes. We continue to urge Member States to ensure that human rights remain at the centre of policy making, governance and transfer of technologies - upholding previously agreed and widely supported agreements such as the Global Digital Compact, the 2030 Agenda, the ICPD PoA and the outcomes of its regional review conferences.
A Missed Opportunity for Progress:
Whilst we appreciated the timely circulation of the zero draft, we were uninspired by its lack of ambition and clarity. While far from being the ambitious document we sought, the Rev. 2 reflected an improvement from the Zero Draft and a balanced overview of the priorities raised by Member States during negotiations. Rev. 2 reaffirmed the ICPD PoA, a range of human rights - including the right to development - and called upon Member States to implement commitments to advance gender equality; sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights; right to privacy and consent, sexual and gender-based violence including those facilitated through technology; and technology transfers for a variety of rights and needs.
However, some Member States decided to step back, showing an eventual lack of political will to reach consensus.
Public investments in technology and research is a global public good, however, we have observed the re-emergence of transactional multilateralism that centers geopolitical power, prioritizing competition over cooperation at the expense of global well-being. Whilst efforts were made to protect and advance SRHR, it was not constructive and only exacerbated polarization.
The absence of an agreed outcome on technology and research has implications that extend well beyond procedural considerations and far beyond the halls of the UN. Without clear political commitment, technological advancements risk not only failing to protect, but actively deepening inequalities, leaving individuals, especially those in marginalized communities, with weaker safeguards and greater exposure to harm, both offline and online.
People-centred multilateralism is an indispensable tool to realise progress on the ICPD PoA. We need political will that translates into transformative leadership, strong accountability mechanisms, and the resources to secure clear commitments and create spaces for meaningful participation and dialogue. The priority should be to dismantle structural inequalities and colonial legacies, advance human rights, and place the collective good and universal access to fundamental rights above concentrated economic interests. We call for renewed commitment to negotiate, to compromise, and to uphold agreements that reflect a genuine balance of interests. A commitment to people’s rights everywhere.
Our Call to Action:
In a context of multiple global crises, genocides and wars, this is not just a lack of political commitment. It is a departure from the very mandate of the international system.
We therefore make a clear call to Member States to:
- Uphold ICPD PoA, outcomes of regional review conferences and advance commitments for its implementation.
- Prepare in advance for next year’s theme and be ready to negotiate in good faith.
- Ensure deliberate efforts to protect and open up for meaningful and inclusive engagement of communities.
- Act as true ambassadors of multilateralism.
- Place human rights at the center of their decisions.
Be aware about the common but differentiated responsibilities they carry, including those arising from historical injustices and the need for reparations, and act in consequence.
The space to choose between power and the well-being of people and the planet is the UN and the moment is now. We need you to step up with political courage and moral clarity, and commit to the task.
ISRRC is an alliance of organizations from all regions of the world dedicated to advancing sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice for all since 1999. ISRRC convenes and strategizes around each session of the CPD to advance implementation of the ICPD PoA.
when
