Human Rights-Based Approach to Programming - UNFPA -

1. Human Rights-Based Approach to Programming- UNFPA - SESSION 7: Population and Development

2. Session Overview • Introduction to UNFPA’s work in population and development • Population and development and culture • Applying a HRBA to population and development • Examples of UNFPA’s work in population and development • Conclusions

3. Introduction (1) • Population and development is a cornerstone of UNFPA’s mandate • An area where it holds strong comparative advantage • Ensuring appropriate collection and use of population and development data is relevant to UNFPA activities and across the UN in general

4. Introduction (2) • UNFPA’s goal in this thematic area is: • systematic use of population dynamics analyses to guide increased investments in gender equality, youth development, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS for improved quality of life, sustainable development and poverty reduction

5. Population and Development and Culture • Population and development work must pay attention to culture • Need for improved appreciation of linkages between population and poverty, and such appreciation requires sensitivity to the cultural context • Culture, religion and tradition can have major impacts on individual reproductive choices, and thus on broader population and development matters • UNFPA understands the importance of culture, and thus promotes a culturally sensitive, gender-responsive human rights-based approach to population and development activities

6. A Human Rights Based Approach to Population and Development (1) • Processes of collecting and using information are in line with human rights principles • Requires taking into account extent to which existing services are available, accessible, acceptableand of high qualityto the population • The principles of participation and inclusion are critical to all population and development activities • The principle of accountability is crucial: through data collection, an evidence base is created for use in shaping development policies and programmes

7. A Human Rights Based Approach to Population and Development (2) • Principles of universality and inalienability, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness can strengthen population and development programmes by emphasizing intersections between human rights. • Principles of equality and non-discrimination can contribute to increasing equity and to improving effectiveness of poverty reduction strategies in the long term.

8. Examples of UNFPA’s Population and Development Work (1) • Strengthen understanding of links between population and development • Supports national capacity to collect and use population data for policies and programmes that will improve reproductive health, reduce poverty and inequality, and contribute to sustainable development

9. Examples of UNFPA’s Population and Development Work (2) • Supports countries to: • invest in censuses and household and other thematic surveys • develop good administrative records and vital statistics, so that information can be collected for analysis and utilization for policy development and for monitoring progress on the achievement of the MDGs and ICPD goals

10. Examples of UNFPA’s Population and Development Work (3) • Plays a major role in bringing population issues to bear in poverty reduction discussions • Concerned with a number of emerging population issues, such as: • international migration (an urgent issue in view of the magnitude of current global migration flows) • urbanization (its root causes, patterns and socio-economic implications) • Changing age structures • Linkages between population and the environment, particularly climate change

11. Population and Development Conclusion (1): Expanding the Census Lessons to Other Population and Development Work • While the importance of making disaggregated data available is clear with regard to ensuring non-discrimination, carefully think about ensuring that the process of gathering disaggregated data is in line with human rights. • In order to determine a population’s needs with regard to services, assess the extent to which existing services are available, accessible, acceptable and of high quality. • The participation of a wide range of stakeholders is critical to all population and development activities, and it is important to recognize that partners and other stakeholders might require capacity-building in order to truly engage in such processes.

12. Population and Development Conclusion (2): Expanding the Census Lessons to other Population and Development Work • The concept of accountability, and especially government accountability, is crucial in the whole area of population and development. • Understanding duty-bearers’ existing capacities and capacity gaps can help you target your technical support or training to where it is most needed. • Advocating for the use of good quality data can help to ensure an informed and appropriate response to all population and development issues.