20TH INTERNATIONAL INTER-MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON SOUTH-SOUTH AND TRIANGULAR COOPERATION IN POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT: SPEECH BY THE DG NCPD KENYA
REPUBLIC OF KENYA
20TH INTERNATIONAL INTER-MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON
SOUTH-SOUTH AND TRIANGULAR COOPERATION
IN POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT:
“A High-Level Thematic Consultation Leading to ICPD30”
Session Two: High-Level Session
Theme: Status of Implementation and the future of the
International Conference on Population and Development
(ICPD) Programme of Action (POA) through the Lens of
South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC)
9th-10th October, 2023
STATEMENT BY DR. MOHAMED SHEIKH, DIRECTOR GENERAL
NCPD, GOVERNMENT OF KENYA,
HONOURABLE PPD BOARD MEMBER
Your Excellency Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic
of Zimbabwe
H.E. Mr. Jakaya Kikwete, Former President of Tanzania
H.E. Gen (Rtd) Dr. C.G.D.N. Chiwenga, Vice President and Minister of Health and
Child Care of Zimbabwe
H.E Honorable Board Chair of PPD, Ms. Lindiwe Zulu
H.E. Mr. Richard Moyo, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution,
Matabeleland North
H.E. Dr. Natalia Kanem, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and
Executive Director of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Your Excellences Ministers
Honorable Board Members
Distinguished Panelists, Delegates, Partners, friends, Partner Country
Coordinators, Ladies and Gentleman,
Good afternoon.
I am greatly delighted and honored to join you today for the annual 20th International Inter-Ministerial Conference on South-South and Triangular Cooperation in Population and Development. This year’s conference is building on the theme on accelerating the move towards ICPD 30.
First and foremost, I would like to extend my profound appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe for their gracious hosting of this significant event. I would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the PPD Secretariat for their commendable efforts in organizing this conference. Additionally, I must acknowledge the invaluable support extended to us by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Your collaboration has been instrumental in bringing us together, and we are truly thankful for your contributions.
Excellences, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
As we gather here today, we do so in a momentous year, on the cusp of the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD @30), and the impending 30th anniversary of the founding of PPD in 2024. These milestones are symbolic of our enduring commitment to addressing population issues and advancing global
development. Our conference takes place amidst a world population that has reached a significant milestone, with a staggering 8 billion people inhabiting our planet. It is a world grappling with multiple crises, including ongoing conflicts and the pressing issue of climate change. These challenges underscore the urgency of our mission and highlight the imperative need for innovative solutions through international cooperation.
Excellences, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The overarching theme of this conference, “Fulfilling the Nairobi Summit Commitments through South-South and Triangular Cooperation,” serves as a clarion call for us to assess the progress made in implementing these commitments. We must meticulously review the gains achieved and the gaps that persist, and chart out future strategies and priority actions to bring the unfinished ICPD Agenda to fruition. It is crucial to emphasize that South-South Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) stands as a potent accelerator for the full, effective, and expedited realization of the ICPD Programme of Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Remarkable progress has been made in the past decades in the context of the ICPD25 and SDGs 2030 agenda. The population growth rate in Kenya has declined over the years from 3.3 per cent in 1984 to 2.2 percent in 2019. The total fertility rate has declined over the years from 6.7 children per woman in 1984 to 3.4 in 2019 and is projected to decline further to 3.0 children per woman in 2027.The crude and infant mortality declined from 10.4 per 1000 population and 54 per 1000 live births in 2009 to 10.2 per 1000 population and 35.9 per 1000 live births in 2019, respectively. Life Expectancy at birth has significantly increased to 67 years in 2019 from 61 years in 2000 while the dependency ratio reduced from 86.6 percent in 2009 to 75 percent in 2019. Equally significant is the increasing use of modern methods of family planning among currently married women in Kenya, which has risen from 18 percent in 1989 to an impressive 57 percent in 2022. Kenya has been among the first Countries that have developed the Demographic Dividend Effort Index which is a robust tool that will help programme implementers and policymakers assess the local interventions in high-impact programs.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the previous 18tt and 19th International Inter-ministerial Conference, SouthSouth Triangular Cooperation was recognized internationally as a key accelerator for achievement of the unfinished agenda of the ICPD and SDGs including the Nairobi Summit outcomes. The government of Kenya has been fostering and promoting South-South Cooperation by providing an enabling environment for greater participation and implementation of policies and programmes for achievement of ICPD and SDGs. In over the last five years through South-South Cooperation, Kenya with support of UNFPA, have provided technical support to a number of African countries in the fields of population policy formulation, population census taking and preparation of various population monographs arising from the population census data, knowledge sharing of demographic dividend modeling, experiences and approaches for galvanizing policy and programme actions in population and development and reproductive health. On the other hand, Kenya like any other PPD member state has benefited from provision of technical assistance, bilateral exchange visits and cooperation, study tours, capacity building, beneficiaries of scholarships, documentation of best practices, sharing knowledge and experience in improving reproductive and family planning services in humanitarian and conflict situation and harnessing the demographic dividend.
Excellences, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Kenya re-committed to advance the goals of the ICPD Programme of Action at the Nairobi Summit on ICPD. The National Council for Population and Development was tasked with the crucial responsibility of tracking and monitoring the implementation of the ICPD25 Nairobi Summit Commitments and reporting on the progress of these commitments at the national level. I am proud to highlight some of the remarkable achievements of the Kenyan Government in implementing the Nairobi ICPD25 Commitments:
1. A National Task Force of a wide range of partners across various government ministries and non-governmental departments was established to report annually on implementation of the country commitments. The progress reports are launched annually and strongly Promote South-South Cooperation as accelerator in achieving ICPD and SDGs. A National Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation online System (e-NIMIS) was also developed to integrate ICPD25 indicators;
2. To eliminate preventable maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity, we have invested in training 175 EmONC mentors, an additional 130 midwives, the operationalization of national and county referral protocols for maternal and child health, and the training of an additional 3250 Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs)’;
3. To tackle the triple threat of teenage pregnancies, new adolescent and HIV infections, and harmful practices, we have adopted a multi-pronged approach. This includes strengthening coordination and multi-stakeholder collaborations, intensifying education and awareness campaigns, and targeting community gatekeepers at all levels;
4. Kenya has taken decisive steps to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) by strengthening coordination in areas such as legislation and policy frameworks, communication, advocacy and evidence generation;
5. In addressing gender-based violence we are committed to ensuring universal access to quality reproductive health services, including prevention and management of GBV, even in humanitarian and fragile contexts;
6. Looking forward, our government is committed to enhancing the integration of population, health, and development programs into Medium Term Plans (MTPs) and the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). This approach will ensure that budgetary allocations are aligned with the efficient implementation of programs and projects, both at the national and county levels. The fourth generation MTP IV (2023-2027) policies, programs, and projects align with the five core pillars of the Government Manifesto, the Sustainable Development Goals, Africa’s Agenda 2063, and other regional and international economic development frameworks;
7. Last but not least, the government is committed to improving the employability and life-skills of our youth by enhancing the quality and relevance of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in partnership with industry and the private sector.
These accomplishments reflect our commitment to advance universal sexual and reproductive health, demographic diversity, universal education, gender equity, integration of population issues in policies and plans and sustainable development.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Despite the great progress made there are some challenges that have undermined the efforts: –
1.Trajectory of socioeconomic and health impact of pandemics;
2. Emerging population issues; youth unemployment, migration, rapid urbanization, humanitarian crisis, climate change, war and conflicts;
3. Insufficient national budget allocation and donors’ priority funding for SouthSouth Cooperation in reproductive health, population and development;
4. Institutionalization of South-South and Triangular Cooperation as a modelfor development in achieving ICPD and SDGs global agendas; and
5. Scarcity of Centres of Excellence on South-South Cooperation on population and development in developing countries.
Excellences, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Looking ahead the next five years of ICPD and beyond – the changing global crisis present significant opportunities for harnessing the potential of 21st Century South-South Triangular Cooperation: by strengthening the critical role of SouthSouth Triangular Cooperation as a key accelerator in global advocacy, knowledge exchange, technical cooperation and capacity development towards achieving ICPD
and SDGs.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
The government of Kenya remains committed to promoting South-South Cooperation for acceleration of the achievement of national, regional and globalgoals and commitment on all matters related to population and development and reproductive health which also aims to transform the country into an industrialized country by offering a high quality of life to all its citizens as envisioned in our vision 2030.
THANK YOU
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