Established in 1982, the Asian Population and Development Association (APDA) works mainly in the interrelated areas of population and sustainable development.

On 22nd and 23rd February, APDA organized the 23rd Asian Parliamentarians Meeting on Population and Development, under the theme of "Population and Sustainable Development - toward the next 25 Years."

In an opening address, Dr. Gill Greer, Director-General, IPPF, told the assembled parliamentarians that IPPF's rights-based approach to promoting sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and services, and promotion of choice, helped improve the quality of life, and women's participation in governance.

She stated that parliamentarians have a crucial role to play in population and sustainable development, saying that they were the bridge between people and the legislature, while organizations such as IPPF were able to deal with sensitive issues and reach out to the poorest and most marginalized.

An alliance between parliamentarians and IPPF, therefore, was of crucial importance in moving the ICPD Program of Action forward, she said.

Greer receives a letter of thanks on behalf of IPPF
from Dr. Taro Nakayama, Chair, APDA and JPFP

Greer explained that IPPF's strength lay in its network of 151 member associations and the thousands of volunteers who provide a constant local presence, allowing IPPF to think globally and act locally.

Greer finished by reminding the meeting that women's ability to choose the number and spacing of their children was a hard-won right, and that in a climate of falling birthrates and pro-natalist pressure this should be remembered.

She stressed that civil society and parliamentarians must fight together to ensure that SRH rights are understood to be imperative for poverty reduction and sustainable development.

The participants of the meeting assemble
for a group photograph

Low fertility and aging

In a session themed "Low fertility and aging population in Asia; Japanese experience and the future of Asia," countries, including South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, keenly discussed how to create a favorable environment to raise children, including promotion of cultural values.

In addition, developing countries that do not yet have robust social welfare structures are also being presented with the difficulties of an aging population, so Japan's experience as the most-aged country is actively being sought.

In other business, it was announced that Dr. Taro Nakayama, President, JPFP, would step down as chair of APDA and be replaced by Yasuo Fukuda, who is also chair of AFPPD.

Closing speech

In a closing address, Greer said there were many issues across the region still to be addressed, including falling birth rates and aging, the impact of poor RH on productivity, migration and trafficking, and access to information and services.

She emphasized that measures to address both high and low fertility must not be coercive and be based on the principle of choice.

Greer ended her speech by reiterating that NGOs working in partnership with Asian parliamentarians was the ideal way to tackle the region's problems.

Meeting statement

The parliamentarians issued a statement from the meeting, The Next 25 Years, which highlighted important past successes, as well as itemizing current difficulties, such as finite resources under strain from a rising population, and the spread of infectious diseases.

The statement reaffirms the ICPD Program of Action, and, for example, pledges to mobilize government support, promote networks and cooperation, and provide young people with the opportunities to take part in decision making and make informed decisions.