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LC/L.3697

The first session of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean. Full integration of population dynamics into rights-based sustainable development with equality: key to the Cairo Programme of Action beyond 2014 was organized by ECLAC and the Government of Costa Rica. The first session was held in Montevideo,Uruguay, from 12 to 15 August 2013, and counted on the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

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Contents

Preamble

General principles

Priority actions

Follow-up recommendations

Reservation presented by the delegation of Guatemala

The representatives of the countries participating in the first session of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Montevideo from 12 to 15 August 2013,

Preamble

Bearing in mind that the main focus of this first session has been the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean beyond 2014, the aim being to review the progress achieved in Latin America and the Caribbean over the past 20 years, and to identify key measures for furthering its implementation with emphasis on emerging issues at the regional level relating to population and development, human well-being and dignity, and to their sustainability,

Reaffirming the relevance of the goals and objectives of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, adopted in Cairo in September 1994,

Reaffirming also the key actions for the further implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development adopted by the General Assembly at its twenty-first special session, which was held in New York from 30 June to 2 July 1999,

Recalling the Latin American and Caribbean Consensus on Population and Development, adopted in Mexico City in May 1993; and the Latin American and Caribbean Regional Plan of Action on Population and Development, adopted in 1994 by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean in resolution 536(XXV),

Taking into account resolution 65/234, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 22 December 2010, in which it decided to extend the Cairo Programme of Action and the key actions for its further implementation beyond 2014 and called for an operational review of its implementation in order to respond to the important new challenges that are relevant to population and development and to strengthen the integration of population and development issues in global development processes,

Taking into account also its decision in that resolution that the Commission on Population and Development, should convene an interactive discussion during its forty-seventh session on the assessment of the status of implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action as well as its decision in resolution 67/250 of 2013 to hold the special session of the General Assembly on the follow-up to the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development on 22 September 2014 in New York,

Reiterating the earlier agreements of the Ad Hoc Committee on Population and Development of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, in particular the agreements adopted at its last meeting, held in Quito from 4 to 6 July 2012, which were ratified at the thirty-fourth session of the Commission,

Bearing in mind resolution 60/265, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 30 June 2006, wherein Member States are urged to achieve the goal of universal access to reproductive health by 2015, established at the International Conference on Population and Development,

Keeping in mind the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in October 1995, the Quito Consensus, adopted at the tenth session of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Quito in August 2007, the Brasilia Consensus, adopted at the eleventh session of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Brasilia in July 2010, and the conclusions on the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls, agreed in 2013 at the fifty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women,

Bearing in mind also the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its two optional protocols and resolution 2012/1, adopted by the Commission on Population and Development in April 2012 at its forty-fifth session, in which Governments are urged to protect the human rights of boys, girls, adolescents and youth,

Bearing in mind further the San José Charter on the Rights of Older Persons in Latin America and the Caribbean, adopted at the Third Regional Intergovernmental Conference on Ageing in Latin America and the Caribbean, held in 2012 on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Second World Assembly on Ageing of 2002,

Recognizing the progress achieved by the United Nations Open-ended Working Group on Ageing and welcoming resolution 67/139 of the United Nations General Assembly establishing that the Group shall, as part of its mandate and starting from its fourth session, to be held in 2013, consider proposals for an international legal instrument to promote and protect the rights and dignity of older persons,

Considering the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, resolution 615(XXXI) on international migration, adopted at the thirty-first session of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean , which was held in Montevideo in March 2006, and General Assembly resolution 67/219 of 21 December 2012 on international migration and development, which acknowledges the important and complex interrelationship between international migration and development and the need to deal with the challenges and opportunities that migration presents to countries of origin, transit and destination,

Underscoring the importance of the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, which will be held in September 2013 in New York, and in particular the need for Governments to negotiate and adopt a document for presentation at that meeting,

Taking into account resolution 61/295 of 10 December 2007, wherein the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, article 42 of which states that the United Nations and States shall promote respect for and full application of the provisions of this Declaration and shall follow up on its effectiveness,

Keeping in mind the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, which was adopted at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in 2001, and resolution 67/155, in which the General Assembly decided to launch a preparatory process with a view to the proclamation in 2013 of the International Decade for People of African Descent,

Bearing in mind the recommendations of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, as well as the reports of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,

Bearing in mind also the important contribution of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in incorporating disability-related issues as an integral part of national sustainable development strategies, from a human rights perspective, with equality and without discrimination,

Keeping in mind resolution 2012/1 adopted in April 2012 by the United Nations Commission on Population and Development at its forty-fifth session and the Bali Declaration adopted in December 2012 by the Global Youth Forum, in which Governments are urged to protect the human rights of adolescents and youth to enable them to take control of their sexual health and reproductive health and decide freely and responsibly on such matters, free from coercion, discrimination or violence and to provide them with comprehensive education on sexuality, human rights and gender equality,

Highlighting the integrated approach to development that has marked the thinking of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean since its inception, and the promotion, at the recent sessions of the Commission, of equality as the overarching normative ethical principle and the ultimate objective of development, and recognizing the work of the United Nations Population Fund with respect to adolescents, young people and gender equity,

Having considered the documentation prepared by the secretariat, with support from the United Nations Population Fund, for the first session of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean and, in particular, the lessons drawn from the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development in the region over the past 20 years,[1]

Noting that, notwithstanding the progress towards fulfilment of the targets and goals of the Cairo Programme of Action, considerable deficiencies persist in its execution many of which are linked to the structural inequality characteristic of the Latin American and Caribbean region,

Taking note of the recommendations from the Caribbean Forum on Population, Migration and Development contained in “The Road Map for Population, Migration and Development beyond 2014”, which was endorsed by the Monitoring Committee of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee at its sixteenth meeting, held in Georgetown on 11 July 2013,

Taking into account the United Nations Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, established by resolution 47/189 of the United Nations General Assembly, and reaffirming the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, which reinforced the principles of sustainable development and the relevant commitments embodied in Agenda 21, and recalling the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, adopted at the International Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, held in Mauritius in 2005, pursuant to resolution 57/262 of the United Nations General Assembly, and which served as the culmination of a ten year comprehensive review of the Barbados Programme of Action, and looking forward to the third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, to be held in Samoa in 2014,

Stressing the fact that this agreement reaffirms, complements and expands on the Cairo Programme of Action and the earlier agreements adopted by the Ad Hoc Committee on Population and Development of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean,

Recognizing the important linkages existing between the Cairo Programme of Action, human rights, the Millennium Development Goals and the post-2015 development agenda,

Considering resolution 66/288 adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 11 September 2012, which endorsed the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, entitled “The future we want”, and reaffirming the relevance of the principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development in respect of all issues pertaining to sustainable development, in particular the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities,

Considering also the Final Declaration of the International Forum on Afro-descendent Youth, which contains recommendations on policies for young people in the areas of health, education, decent work, rights, sexuality and social participation,

Underscoring the findings, conclusions and lessons learned at the global and regional levels from the operational review of the Cairo Programme of Action and the Proposed regional agenda on population and development for Latin America and the Caribbean beyond 2014,

Recognizing the region’s progress in designing policies and programmes, establishing institutional structures and allocating the resources necessary and the budgets required for the full implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action and the key actions for its further implementation and their contribution to the Millennium Development Goals in terms of promoting health and protecting human rights,

Emphasizing that, notwithstanding the progress towards the fulfilment of the targets and goals of the Cairo Programme of Action and of the Millennium Development Goals, significant gaps persist in the policies and programmes and institutional and financial capacity in the implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action and in the attainment of the Goals, in particular Goal 5, and that these gaps must be taken into account in the implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action beyond 2014 and in the post-2015 development agenda,

Underscoring the important contributions made by civil society, other non-governmental stakeholders, women’s and youth organizations, and social movements to the implementation and follow-up of the Cairo Programme of Action,

Recognizing that, notwithstanding the significant advances achieved in the region in promoting, protecting and guaranteeing human rights over the past 20 years, these advances have not reached the entire population and that, while economic and social inclusion policies have enhanced opportunities and well-being, many people still live in extreme poverty and face inequalities as a result of historically entrenched patterns and new forms of discrimination, and, as such, are unable to exercise their rights fully,

Underscoring the fact that the inclusion of alternative and participatory development models and approaches in the region, such as “good living”, reconciles economic development with human development, human rights and respect for the environment and that these are enriched by the energy, dynamism and creativity of those persons who traditionally were discriminated against,

Recognizing that the Earth and its ecosystems are important for achieving a proper balance between the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations,

Affirming that freedom, capacities and the right to take informed decisions, empower persons to develop their potential and participate fully in the economic and social spheres; that the realization of human potential and innovation depend on guaranteed human rights, physical integrity and protection against violence and that the right to health, education, housing and a livelihood ensures full empowerment and inclusion of all,

Reaffirming that the promotion and protection of sexual rights and reproductive rights are essential for the achievement of social justice and the national, regional and global commitments to the three pillars of sustainable development: social, economic and environmental,

Recognizing that population dynamics —growth and decline, changes in the age structure, urbanization, migration and changing household and family structures— influence the opportunities for human development, are shaped by the decisions that people take and are essential for planning economic and social growth as well as for the three pillars of sustainable development: social, economic and environmental,

Reaffirming that poverty, in all its manifestations, is essentially a denial of rights and that poverty eradication is a moral imperative for the region which Governments must address,

Underscoring that the preparation of public statistics by State agencies must be consistent with an inclusive approach which encompasses the broad range of rights under public policy and that the information generated on Afro-descendent populations, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, gender, social inequalities and gaps, ageing and other issues constitutes a basic input for public policy formulation and is vital for monitoring the objectives established in national and regional agendas.

1 LC/L.3640(CRPD.1/3).

General principles

Reaffirming the principles of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development,

Reaffirming also the principles of the Latin American and Caribbean Regional Plan of Action on Population and Development,

Reaffirming further that every country has the sovereign right to decide whether or not to apply the recommendations contained in the Cairo Programme of Action and in the present document, subject to its national laws and development priorities and in a manner consistent with universally agreed international human rights;

Decide, by virtue of these general principles, to:

1.Reaffirm that the agreements contained herein, the outcome of a series of discussions over time since the International Conference on Population and Development, are an essential point of reference for each country’s resolutions;

2.Highlight the need for a cross-cutting, universal, comprehensive, inclusive and equitable approach, based on equality, solidarity, and respect for dignity and human rights in order to address the needs of all vulnerable groups and related issues in connection with health, education, community, governance and sustainability for the implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action at the regional level and key actions for its further implementation and follow-up beyond 2014;

3.Reaffirm that a secular State is one of the elements fundamental to the full exercise of human rights, the deepening of democracy and the elimination of all forms of discrimination;

4.Reaffirm also the importance of strengthening participatory forms of government as a guarantee for the effective exercise of democracy;

5.Strengthen the role of the State and enhance its capacity for strategic management from a long-term and national development perspective;

6.Recognize that enabling the voices and interests of all men and women is essential in order to advance towards sustainable development and that responsible governance and robust institutions are fundamental for social and economic inclusion and sustainability;

7.Recognize also that population and development issues are closely linked to the economic, social and environmental realities and that, in order to address them, steps must be taken to strengthen international cooperation and forge global, regional and subregional partnerships and to establish agreements between countries as well as innovative approaches, including private initiatives;

8.Reaffirm the importance of international cooperation, including South-South, North-South and triangular cooperation, for the implementation of the Programme of Action on Population and Development beyond 2014 and of a future regional agenda on population and development;

9.Recognize the importance of including issues relating to population in the sustainable development goals and in the post-2015 development agenda;

10.Reaffirm the political will and commitment to adopt immediate measures in response to the expectations of the populations of the region and eliminate existing inequalities, with emphasis on vulnerable groups and those that are subject to discrimination;

11.Recognize that a favourable economic environment where peace and governance prevail at all levels is indispensable for solving population and development problems;

12.Recognize also the adverse impact of unilateral coercive economic measures on the development of countries targeted by such measures and on their populations;

13.Recognize further that effective governance is based on accountability, broad-based participation, transparency and the enforcement of the rule of law, and that strengthening national and local governments is key for achieving the objectives of development, peace and security;

14.Ensure that the support of the United Nations system reflects the priorities contained in the present document and that these are embodied in the strategic plans of United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, and in the agreements to be adopted by these bodies through their respective executive boards and governing bodies for the period 2014-2017, in particular concerning the presence of these entities in the countries of the region.

Priority actions

Decide to adopt the following priority actions identified in the Proposed regional agenda on population and development for Latin America and the Caribbean beyond 2014[1] in order to reinforce the application and further implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action and its follow-up.

A.Full integration of population dynamics into sustainable development with equality and respect for human rights

Recognizing that advances have been made in the region towards integrating population issues into public policies and programmes on a basis of respect for human rights, but that, at the same time, many challenges remain pending in terms of their formulation and implementation,

Agree to:

1.Reinforce the public policies and actions needed to eradicate poverty and break the cycles of exclusion and inequality as a condition for achieving development in the region;

2.Apply a human rights approach with a gender and intercultural perspective in addressing population and development issues, and step up efforts to recognize, promote and uphold relevant goals in order to eliminate inequalities and foster social inclusion;

3.Build and strengthen national and subnational public institutions with responsibility for population and development issues, and ensure that they function in an integral and sustainable manner with the active participation of non-governmental stakeholders;

4.Ensure full integration of population dynamics into sustainable development planning, sectoral policies and public policies and programmes in general —in particular in development and land-use planning— at national and subnational levels, drawing on sociodemographic knowledge and information and harnessing technological advances;

5.Pursue sustainable development as a means of securing now and in the future human well-being for all peoples on an equitable basis, and ensuring that the linkages between population, resources, the environment and development are fully recognized, appropriately administered and maintained in a harmonious and dynamic balance with a thriving biodiversity and healthy ecosystems;

6.Guarantee sustainable production and consumption patterns and avoid exacerbating the undesirable climate change phenomena brought about by human activity.

B.Rights, needs, responsibilities and requirements of girls, boys, adolescents and youth

Recognizing that boys, girls, adolescents and young people are rights-holders and stakeholders in development,

Noting that childhood, adolescence and youth are key phases in the lives and development of individuals and that government action taken from a human rights perspective to address these phases has been limited and that the current demographic situation in the region opens up opportunities for increasing social investment in these age groups,

Noting also that early childhood, including the perinatal period and care for mothers and infants, is crucial, since poverty or vulnerability experienced at this stage of life can cause chronic diseases in adulthood,

Considering that the 15-29 age group in the region now numbers some 160 million persons —in other words, young people account for one quarter of the population— and that the demographic dividend offers a unique opportunity for social investment in adolescence and youth, based on intergenerational solidarity, an investment which is essential for the three pillars of sustainable development: social, economic and environmental,

Reiterating the objective of addressing the specific needs of adolescents and youth, and concerned at the high and unequal levels of adolescent pregnancy in the region, which, especially in the case of girls under the age of 15, is usually associated with forced marriage, abuse or sexual violence,

Expressing concern for the high levels of violence experienced by boys, girls, adolescents and young people in the region, in particular violence by organized groups that perpetrate criminal acts,

Agree to:

7.Guarantee for all boys, girls, adolescents and young people, without any form of discrimination, the chance to live a life free from poverty and violence, and to enjoy protection and exercise of their human rights, a range of opportunities and access to health, education and social protection;

8.Guarantee also the existence of mechanisms for the effective participation, without any form of discrimination, of adolescents and young people in public debate, in decision-making and in all policy and programme phases, in particular on matters that affect them directly, and strengthen institutional mechanisms for youth;

9.Invest in youth, through specific public policies and differentiated access, especially through the provision, without discrimination, of universal, free, public, secular, high-quality, intercultural education in order to ensure that this stage of life is full and satisfactory, to enable them to develop as autonomous individuals with a sense of responsibility and solidarity and with the ability to tackle creatively the challenges of the twenty-first century;

10.Promote and invest in labour and employment policies and special training programmes for youth to boost personal and collective capabilities and initiative and to enable them to reconcile studies and work activities, without precarious working conditions and guaranteeing equal opportunities and treatment;

11.Ensure the effective implementation from early childhood of comprehensive sexuality education programmes, recognizing the emotional dimension of human relationships, with respect for the evolving capacity of boys and girls and the informed decisions of adolescents and young people regarding their sexuality, from a participatory, intercultural, gender-sensitive, and human rights perspective;

12.Implement comprehensive, timely, good-quality sexual health and reproductive health programmes for adolescents and young people, including youth-friendly sexual health and reproductive health services with a gender, human rights, intergenerational and intercultural perspective, which guarantee access to safe and effective modern contraceptive methods, respecting the principles of confidentiality and privacy, to enable adolescents and young people to exercise their sexual rights and reproductive rights, to have a responsible, pleasurable and healthy sex life, avoid early and unwanted pregnancies, the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and to take free, informed and responsible decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive life and the exercise of their sexual orientation;

13.Introduce or strengthen policies and programmes to prevent pregnant adolescents and young mothers from dropping out of school;

14.Prioritize the prevention of pregnancy among adolescents and eliminate unsafe abortion through comprehensive education on emotional development and sexuality, and timely and confidential access to good-quality information, counselling, technologies and services, including emergency oral contraception without a prescription and male and female condoms;

15.Design intersectoral strategies to help young women avoid subsequent pregnancies, including antenatal, childbirth and postpartum care, access to contraceptive methods, protection, support and justice;

16.Guarantee for boys, girls, adolescents and young people the opportunities and the basis for harmonious coexistence and a life free from violence, through intersectoral strategies to address the factors that disrupt harmony in the community and foment violence, to provide education from early childhood that promotes tolerance, an appreciation for diversity, mutual respect and respect for human rights, conflict resolution and peace, and to ensure protection, timely access to justice and compensation for victims;

17.Guarantee also reliable statistical data, disaggregated by sex, age, migration status, race and ethnicity, cultural variables and geographical location, with regard to education, health, in particular sexual health and reproductive health, employment and the participation of adolescents and young people.

C.C. Ageing, social protection and socioeconomic challenges

Considering that older persons are rights-holders who have contributed and continue to play an active role in the many areas of development, and that countries should recognize them as key stakeholders in the formulation of public policies,

Considering also that older persons, by virtue of their age and vulnerability, continue to be subjected to discrimination, abuse and ill-treatment, which ultimately impairs the enjoyment and exercise of their rights,

Concerned that the violence suffered by older persons, in both the public and private spheres, undermines their human rights,

Deeply convinced of the importance of medium- and long-term planning in anticipating the major economic and social transformations that will be generated by the demographic changes taking place in the region, in particular with respect to the age structure of the population,

Considering that most countries are now transiting through the demographic dividend, in which the relative increase in the number of working-age persons provides an opportunity to boost growth and development and to advance with or consolidate reforms in terms of social protection,

Bearing in mind that the change in the age structure of the population will impact on lifestyles, human relationships, patterns of consumption, investment, savings and sectoral demands, mainly due to the significant increase in the proportion of older persons over the coming decades,

Considering that the epidemiological profile of Latin America and the Caribbean is characterized by overlapping stages, with the increasing prevalence of chronic and non-communicable diseases, declining fertility and a growing older population, but that levels of communicable diseases remain significant, as do external causes of disability and death,

Considering also that the increase in the older population is expected to be accompanied by a significant rise in the demand for health care and that a gap has emerged between this demand and the available institutional frameworks to address it, so that States are passing on the responsibility to households, causing situations of greater vulnerability and adding significantly to the burden traditionally borne by women,

Bearing in mind that the feminization of ageing calls for the development of specific policies to address the particular needs of older women,

Reaffirming the San José Charter on the Rights of Older Persons in Latin America and the Caribbean, adopted in 2012,

Reaffirming also that in every decision the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean demonstrate the political will and determination to guarantee the full exercise of human rights, by empowering individuals to be agents of change, and that all older persons should thus be enabled, through the elimination of the barriers to equality between men and women, to have full decision-making power over issues that affect them,

Recognizing that the empowerment of older persons is a key element in enforcing their human rights and in ensuring their full participation in a development model that cannot be sustainable unless it is inclusive,

Considering the significant contribution that older persons can make to society in terms of their acquired knowledge, savoir-vivre and emotional capacity,

Agree to:

18.Formulate policies with a gender perspective to ensure a good quality of life in old age, not only for urban dwellers, but also for those who live in rural and forest areas;

19.Design and implement public policies, plans and programmes —at all political and administrative levels— that take into account changes in the age structure, in particular population ageing, and the opportunities and challenges associated with these changes over the medium and long term;

20.Design policies at the national, federal and local levels to guarantee quality of life, the development of potential and the full participation of older persons, taking account of the need for intellectual, emotional and physical interaction and the different situation of men and women, with emphasis on the groups that are most susceptible to discrimination, such as older persons with disabilities, those without economic resources or pension coverage, or those who live alone or lack a support network;

21.Ensure the inclusion and equitable participation of older persons in the design and application of policies, plans and programmes that concern them;

22.Eradicate the multiple forms of discrimination that affect older persons, including all forms of violence against older women and men, taking into account the obligations of States with respect to ageing with dignity and rights;

23.Establish or consolidate human rights programmes to tackle and eliminate violence against older persons in the public and private spheres;

24.Give the highest priority to older persons in plans for disaster prevention, mitigation and relief, including disaster preparedness, relief worker training on emergency prevention and response and the availability of goods and services;

25.Formulate policies to take advantage of the unique opportunity provided by the demographic dividend and that include coordinated investments in education and health and the creation of decent work on the basis of intergenerational solidarity;

26.Bring health policies into line with the challenges of the varied and changing epidemiological profile arising from ageing and the epidemiological transition, reinforcing the fight to eradicate communicable diseases and implementing actions for the prevention and treatment of chronic, diseases traditionally referred to as non-communicable, but now known to be strongly influenced by conditions of social and economic vulnerability in the early years of life, and ensure that these policies take into account gender, age, regional, ethnic and socioeconomic specificities;

27.Include older persons as a priority focus of public policy and as fundamental stakeholders in the formulation and implementation of policies aiming to improve the quality of life of older persons;

28.Foster policies to encourage individuals to save during their active, productive life so that in the long run they can enjoy a decent old age;

29.Foster the development of and access to palliative care, to ensure a dignified, painless death;

30.Promote the development of allowances and services relating to social security, health and education in the social protection systems targeting older persons to improve their quality of life, economic security and social justice;

31.Include care in social protection systems, through allowances, social and health-care services and economic benefits that maximize autonomy, in particular for older persons, and guarantee the rights, dignity and well-being of families and older persons, including the right to a dignified death with proper care, without any form of discrimination or violence;

32.Extend social protection and social security systems, with a gender perspective, to include those women who have devoted their lives to productive work, whether as domestic workers, women in rural areas or informal workers.

D.Universal access to sexual and reproductive health services

Considering that sexual rights and reproductive rights are embraced by human rights and that their exercise is essential for the enjoyment of other fundamental rights and for achieving the international development targets and poverty eradication,

Taking into account the fact that progress towards achieving the target of universal access to sexual and reproductive health has been insufficient and uneven, and that education and the quality of health care are fundamental factors for achieving the ultimate objective of improving sexual and reproductive health,

Reaffirming that maternal mortality is an affront to human rights and recognizing that the overwhelming majority of maternal deaths are preventable,

Concerned at the high rates of maternal mortality, due largely to difficulties in obtaining access to proper sexual health and reproductive health services or due to unsafe abortions, and aware that some experiences in the region have demonstrated that the penalization of abortion leads to higher rates of maternal mortality and morbidity and does not reduce the number of abortions, and that this holds the region back in its efforts to fulfil the Millennium Development Goals,

Recognizing that, although antiretroviral treatment is available and vertical HIV transmission has been reduced, challenges persist in terms of increasing awareness of and preventing HIV/ AIDS, encouraging timely, voluntary detection, providing care for persons with HIV/AIDS and eliminating the stigma and discrimination, which continue to be widespread, especially towards lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender persons, sex workers, women living with HIV/ AIDS, drug users and other key groups,

Considering that health gaps are still wide in the region and that average statistics usually mask the high levels of maternal mortality, sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS infection and the unmet need for contraception among the population living in poverty and in rural areas, among indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants and vulnerable groups, such as women, adolescents and young people and persons with disabilities,

Agree to:

33.Promote, protect and guarantee sexual health and rights and reproductive rights in order to contribute to the fulfilment of persons and to social justice in a society free from all forms of discrimination and violence;

34.Promote policies that enable persons to exercise their sexual rights, which embrace the right to a safe and full sex life, as well as the right to take free, informed, voluntary and responsible decisions on their sexuality, sexual orientation and gender identity, without coercion, discrimination or violence, and that guarantee the right to information and the means necessary for their sexual health and reproductive health;

35.Review legislation, standards and practices that restrict access to sexual and reproductive health services, including the provision of comprehensive user-friendly services for adolescents and youth, and guarantee access to full information on all of the service options available to all persons, without any form of discrimination, in order to ensure that the highest international standards of protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms are met in the region;

36.Design policies and programmes to eradicate discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the exercise of sexual rights and the manifestations thereof;

37.Guarantee universal access to good-quality sexual health and reproductive health services, bearing in mind the specific needs of men and women, adolescents and young people, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, older persons and persons with disabilities, with special attention to vulnerable persons, persons living in rural and remote areas and to the promotion of citizen participation in the follow-up to commitments;

38.Promote the prevention and timely detection of and guarantee universal access to comprehensive treatment for HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections and eliminate the stigma and discrimination to which persons living with the virus are often subjected;

39.Strengthen measures for detection of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections in pregnant women and for prevention of the vertical transmission of the virus;

40.Eliminate preventable cases of maternal morbidity and mortality, including, within the set of integrated benefits of sexual health and reproductive health services, measures for preventing and avoiding unsafe abortion, including sexual health and reproductive health education, access to modern and effective contraceptive methods, counselling and comprehensive care in cases of unwanted and unaccepted pregnancy, as well as comprehensive post-abortion care, where necessary, on the basis of a risk- and harm-reduction strategy;

41.Promote prevention and self-care programmes for the sexual health and reproductive health of men;

42.Ensure, in those cases where abortion is legal or decriminalized under the relevant national legislation, the availability of safe, good-quality abortion services for women with unwanted and unaccepted pregnancies, and urge all other States to consider amending their laws, regulations, strategies and public policies relating to the voluntary termination of pregnancy in order to protect the lives and health of women and adolescent girls, improve their quality of life, and reduce the number of abortions;

43.Ensure that all women have effective access to comprehensive health care during the reproductive process and specifically to skilled, institutional, compassionate obstetric care and to the best possible maternal health services during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium, as well as to services that include the termination of pregnancy in those cases where the law provides for such services, and guarantee universal access to assisted fertility treatments;

44.Guarantee effective access to a wide range of culturally relevant, scientifically sound, modern contraceptive methods, including emergency oral contraception;

45.Formulate plans for strengthening mechanisms for detecting problems during pregnancy, including at the preconception stage, improve the quality of antenatal care to include an intercultural perspective, guarantee the provision of a safe supply of blood for care during pregnancy, childbirth and the post-partum and puerperium period, and enhance compassionate care during delivery and birth and comprehensive perinatal care, bearing in mind the needs of women, boys, girls and families;

46.Guarantee sufficient financial, human and technological resources in order to provide universal access to sexual health care and reproductive health care for all women, men, adolescents, young people, older persons and persons with disabilities without any form of discrimination.

E.Gender equality

Reaffirming the validity of the Quito Consensus of 2007 and the Brasilia Consensus of 2010 and the continuing relevance of the commitments contained therein, in particular those relating to the promotion and protection of the human rights of women, the eradication of gender discrimination and multiple forms of discrimination, the elimination of violence, and the building of State structures for promoting the advancement of women and gender equality,

Reaffirming the commitment to ratification and implementation of International Labour Organization conventions 100, 102, 111, 156 and 189,

Reiterating that protecting the rights and autonomy of women, promoting the full exercise of their sexual rights and reproductive rights, gender equality and the elimination of the multiple forms of discrimination and violence, including gender-based forms of such acts, are fundamental to Governments’ commitment to advance towards development with equality,

Recognizing that, in the region, the sexual division of labour, poverty in all its manifestations and unequal access to resources continue to be obstacles to the promotion and protection of all the human rights of women and that the elimination of political, economic, social and cultural inequalities must therefore figure among the principal sustainable development goals,

Bearing in mind that violence against girls, women and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, in particular sexual violence, is a critical indicator of marginalization, inequality, exclusion and gender discrimination against women and affects their autonomy, self-determination, individual and collective health and the exercise of human rights,

Considering that discrimination and violence on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity places lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons in a vulnerable position, preventing their access to equality and to the full exercise of citizenship,

Conscious of the persistently unequal distribution of unpaid domestic and care work between men and women, of the scant recognition and lack of appreciation for the role of women in fulfilling these tasks and of the fact that demographic changes will have an impact on the need for care services,

Bearing in mind that parity is aimed at achieving equality in the exercise of power, in decision-making, in mechanisms for participation and social and political representation and in family, social, economic, political and cultural relationships and that there is still a notable underrepresentation of women in decision-making spheres,

Agree to:

47.Fulfil the commitment to strengthen institutional machineries in order to build development policies with equality that will guarantee the autonomy of women and gender equality, and give these machineries the autonomy and the necessary human and financial resources to enable them to have a cross-cutting impact on the structure of the State, recognizing the strategic role that they play and establishing them at the highest level;

48.Fulfil the commitment to increase and enhance opportunities for the equal participation of women in adopting and implementing policies in all spheres of public authority and in high-level decision-making;

49.Take steps to promote and strengthen the preparation, implementation and accountability of gender-sensitive budgets, in order to achieve equal spending in the public sector, the inclusion of the principles of gender equality in the different stages of planning, budgeting and meeting the specific social needs of women and men;

50.Fulfil the commitment to promote and ensure gender mainstreaming and its intersection with perspectives on race, ethnicity, age, social class and disability status in all public policies, especially in economic and cultural policies, and coordination between branches of government and social stakeholders, including organizations of young, Afro-descendent or indigenous women, to ensure gender equality;

51.Promote parity and other mechanisms to ensure access to power in electoral systems as a precondition for democracy and a target for eradicating the structural exclusion of women in society, which affects mainly those in vulnerable situations, by training women leaders;

52.Adopt legislative measures and institutional reforms to prevent, punish and eradicate political and administrative harassment of women who reach decision-making positions through electoral means or by appointment at national and local levels, as well as in political parties and movements;

53.Develop and strengthen policies and universal care services based on the highest human rights standards, from a gender equality and intergenerational perspective, in order to share the delivery of services between the State, the private sector, civil society, families and households and between men and women and facilitate dialogue and coordination between all the parties involved;

54.Promote legislation and design and strengthen public policies on equality in the labour market in order to eliminate gender discrimination and asymmetries in relation to access to decent employment, job security, wages and decision-making on labour issues, as well as to recognize the productive value of unpaid domestic work and care work;

55.Strengthen the participation of women in high-level and decision-making positions in companies and support the training of men and women during hours that are compatible with their family life, and encourage businesswomen to adopt leadership roles;

56.Establish mechanisms for preventing sexual and other forms of harassment and violence against women and men, especially in the workplace and educational settings, as well as for filing relevant complaints and punishing such practices;

57.Enforce existing policies and adopt, on the one hand, preventative and punitive measures, and on the other measures for protecting and caring for women in order to eradicate all forms of violence, including forced sterilization and stigma against women in public and private spheres and especially the gender-motivated violent murder of girls and women, and ensure effective and universal access to fundamental services for all victims and survivors of gender-based violence, with special attention to women in high-risk situations, such as older women, pregnant women, women with disabilities, culturally diverse groups, sex workers, women living with HIV/AIDS, lesbian, bisexual and transgender women, Afro-descendent, indigenous and migrant women, women living in border areas, asylum-seekers and victims of trafficking;

58.Reaffirm the commitment and political will of Latin America and the Caribbean, at the highest level, to combat and eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women, including domestic violence and femicide/feminicide, and actively promote awareness-raising regarding gender mainstreaming among law enforcement personnel;

59.Broaden the access available to men, including boys, adolescents and young men, to sexual and reproductive health-related information, counselling and services and promote the equal participation of men in care work through programmes for raising men’s awareness of gender equality, and foster the development of new masculinities.

60.Develop and strengthen plans and programmes for addressing disparities in the representation and performance of boys and young men in the education system, especially in the English-speaking Caribbean;

61.Ensure the sharing of responsibility between the State, the private sector, the community, families, women and men for unpaid domestic and care work, incorporating care into social protection systems through allowances, services and benefits that maximize women’s autonomy and guarantee their rights, dignity, well-being and enjoyment of free time;

62.Improve statistical systems, official indicators and administrative records, mainstreaming the gender perspective and advancing towards the full recognition of women’s economic and social contribution to the development of society;

63.Strengthen the capacity of countries to prepare and disseminate the gender statistics needed for the formulation of public policies on gender equality and the empowerment of women;

64.Consider measuring the care economy using specialized accounts and the creation of satellite accounts on unpaid work, and the incorporation of such accounts in the system of national accounts;

65.Implement, with the support of available technologies, multisectoral, comprehensive, integrated, coordinated, interdisciplinary and accessible services, programmes and actions targeting women that are sustainable at all levels, include specialized and confidential care in cases of violence, have sufficient resources available and that bring together sectors such as the police, the judiciary, medical and psychological services and evaluation, including sexual and reproductive health services, as well as opportunities for training and generating earnings, with a view to promoting women’s autonomy in all its forms.

F.International migration and protection of the human rights of all migrants

Bearing in mind that the human rights of migrants are a priority in all initiatives relating to cooperation on migration and that concerns about the protection of migrants are shared by the international community and should be included in all cooperation agendas,

Bearing in mind also that the migrant population in the region is significantly high, currently amounting to approximately 30 million persons, and that migrants make substantial contributions to their home countries as well as to their countries of destination,

Concerned at the impact of the economic crisis on the living conditions of migrants, the increasing complexity involved in migration, with regard to migrants’ journeys and integration as well as during transit and return migration,

Expressing concern at the evident and systematic human rights violations suffered by migrants as a result of racism, xenophobia and homophobia, as well as the lack of guarantee of due process and specific problems that affect different groups, especially women, girls, boys and adolescents, in terms of discrimination, abuse, trafficking in persons, exploitation and violence,

Considering that the full exercise by migrants of their human rights and access by them to basic public services, in particular education and health, including sexual health and reproductive health, should not depend on their migration status,

Bearing in mind that the global economic development process breeds inequalities and asymmetries which, in turn, generate an available workforce that is willing to work for minimum wages and in precarious conditions, and creates demand for highly flexible conditions that seek to extract the productive strength from these workers without respect for their human rights, in particular in the case of persons from less developed economies or living in dire poverty,

Recognizing the consensuses adopted by the Regional Conference on Migration and the South American Conference on Migration, as well as at the first meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States concerning management of international migration, and at other subregional forums and entities which assume approaches associated with the protection of the human rights of migrants, the comprehensive treatment of migratory processes and special attention for the victims of trafficking,

Reaffirming the commitment to redouble their efforts to face the challenges and opportunities posed by migration for countries of origin, transit and destination, from the perspective of human rights, promotion of development and shared responsibility,

Considering that the important role that migrants play in economic growth has not been sufficiently appreciated or matched by any increase in the recognition of their human rights, including their labour rights or the rights of their family members,

Agree to:

66.Ensure that international migration issues, including migration regularization policies are fully incorporated into global, regional and national post-2015 development agendas and strategies;

67.Provide assistance and protection to migrants regardless of their migration status, especially vulnerable groups, with full respect for their rights and in accordance with the provisions of the International Convention on the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families and those of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, highlighting the need to afford them comprehensive attention in countries of transit and destination;

68.Prepare comprehensive global and regional strategies to prevent infringement of the human rights of migrants, as well as to take advantage of the benefits and face the challenges arising from migration, including those relating to remittances and skilled migration in high-demand sectors, as well as the differential participation of men and women and the transnationalization of care;

69.Promote the signing of bilateral and multilateral social security conventions to enable migrant workers to accumulate years of service;

70.Incorporate principles of consistency and reciprocity in dealing with the various situations faced by emigrants from the countries in the region, at all stages of the migration process, whether at the intraregional level or outside the region;

71.Achieve concrete results through dialogue and international cooperation relating to migration, human rights and development in regional forums as well as in forums linked to other regions of the world, in particular North America and the European Union, with a view to reducing existing asymmetries in this area and asserting the interests of Latin American and Caribbean countries;

72.Protect decisively the human rights of all migrants, avoiding any form of criminalization of migration, and guarantee migrants access to basic social services in education and health, including sexual health and reproductive health, where appropriate, regardless of their migration status, with special attention to highly vulnerable groups, including unaccompanied minors, displaced persons in an irregular situation, women who are victims of violence, victims of trafficking, returnees and forcibly displaced asylum-seekers;

73.Give priority, in each country, to strengthening coordination channels between sectors and between countries, to reinforcing intergovernmental cooperation mechanisms in order to guarantee the exercise of the human rights of all migrants, regardless of their migration status, from a gender-based perspective;

74.Strengthen cooperation between countries of origin, transit and destination to address the causes and challenges of irregular migration, so as to generate safe, orderly, humane migration conditions through bilateral arrangements for labour force mobility and ensure protection of the human rights of migrants;

75.Ensure that the Second High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, to be held in New York on 3 and 4 October 2013, leads to the adoption of a consensual outcome document and, in that regard, to submit for consideration the question of whether it would be appropriate to propose the contents and guidelines of an international convention on migration.

G.Territorial inequality, spatial mobility and vulnerability

Keeping in mind the importance of agreement 2 relating to population, territory and sustainable development, adopted in Quito in 2012 by the Ad Hoc Committee on Population and Development of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, in particular the appeal to member States to consider territory as a key element in sustainable development and human coexistence, and to reduce territorial inequalities since these exacerbate economic, social and environmental inequities, at the subnational level and between countries,

Bearing in mind that in agreement 2 referred to above, the Ad Hoc Committee on Population and Development of the Economic Commission for Latin America called on member States to advance towards the consolidation of planning systems that will help to build societies that are equitable and free of social exclusion, by designing public policies geared to reducing gaps in the quality of life and in the exercise of the rights of all persons, with emphasis on the living conditions of human beings and their relationship with the territory where they live,

Taking into account the particular challenges facing the countries of the region owing to conditions of poverty, structural processes such as globalization, specialization in extractive production and climate change, and the relationships between these processes and population mobility, spatial distribution, settlement and vulnerability of the poor population,

Taking into consideration the special characteristics of the spatial distribution of the population in the region, such as high rates of urbanization with the attendant opportunities and risks, the persistent rural exodus, the trend towards concentration of population and activities in a few dynamic centres, the limited options for development in rural areas and small population centres and the segregation and vulnerability facing poor people by virtue of their geographical location,

Appreciating the advances achieved and the region’s experience in decentralization, development planning and territorial planning processes at the national and disaggregated levels and, especially, the successful experiences arising from the incorporation of population features and trends in development and territorial planning exercises,

Concerned at the high cost in human life, infrastructure, persons affected and economic losses caused by natural and socioenvironmental disasters in the region in recent years, which expose the human settlements of the poorest populations to the highest levels of vulnerability,

Agree to:

76.Develop more closely coordinated, integrated and cohesive territories by designing and executing territorial and urban management plans, policies and instruments, administered in a participatory manner and based on a people-centred approach with a gender and human rights perspective and a vision of sustainability and environmental risk management;

77.Promote the development and well-being of people in all territories without any form of discrimination, and provide full access to basic social services and equal opportunities for populations whether they live in urban or rural areas, in small, intermediate or large cities or in isolated areas or small rural settlements;

78.Expand and improve the processes of decentralization, deconcentration and participatory planning at the subnational and local levels, with emphasis on availability, accessibility and the quality of basic services, education and health, including sexual health and reproductive health and the prevention of violence against girls, adolescents and women;

79.Design programmes to promote peaceful coexistence, continuing education, creative leisure pursuits, mental health and citizen security for the population in their territories in order to prevent the current social problems associated with issues such as poverty, social exclusion, the abusive use and trafficking of drugs, and gender-based violence;

80.Formulate development strategies for city systems to encompass territorial planning and environmental sustainability, promoting energy transition and sustainable production and consumption processes, taking into consideration social and environmental externalities, within a human rights framework, in order to promote sustainable and inclusive urban development, and strengthen all segments of such systems, including intermediate and small cities;

81.Plan and manage territorial and urban development, from a human rights and gender perspective, by formulating mobility, population settlement and activity location policies that contemplate, among their objectives, avoiding the use of vulnerable and protected areas and preventing and mitigating the impact of socioenvironmental disasters and combating the environmental vulnerability of those living in poverty and ethnic and racial groups who are subject to discrimination, as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation;

82.Formulate and implement strategies and policies that respond fully to situations of vulnerability to natural disasters, with a multidimensional protection focus before, during and after such events;

83.Promote inclusive development of natural resources, avoiding the social and environmental damage that this may cause;

84.Promote the use of georeferenced, sociodemographic analysis, disaggregated by sex, race and ethnicity, to improve territorial planning and environmental risk management.

H.Indigenous peoples: interculturalism and rights

Considering that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognizes and reaffirms that indigenous individuals are entitled, without discrimination, to all human rights enshrined in international law, and that indigenous peoples possess collective rights which are indispensable for their existence, well-being and integral development as peoples,

Reaffirming the contribution that the indigenous peoples of the region make to development and to the conservation of the planet and that all peoples contribute to the diversity and richness of civilizations and cultures, which constitute the common heritage of humanity,

Concerned at the sharp inequality that affects indigenous peoples and individuals as a result of historical injustices and structural discrimination, which are expressed in higher levels of material poverty, exclusion and marginalization, as well as to their more limited participation in decision-making in power structures and in citizens’ representation mechanisms, which undermines their human rights,

Conscious of the urgent need to respect and promote the territorial rights of indigenous peoples, as a prerequisite for the development of their identity and autonomy as peoples and for the challenges that this implies in the context of globalization, especially given the increase in the exploitation of natural resources and the pressure on the territories of indigenous peoples, including the peoples living in voluntary isolation,

Concerned at the high levels of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality among indigenous peoples, particularly among women, girls and adolescents living in rural areas,

Recognizing the need to protect and respect the collective rights of indigenous peoples, as well as the need for greater protection for their development and against the forms of violence to which indigenous boys, girls, adolescents, young people, women and older persons are subjected,

Highlighting the importance of the high-level plenary meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, to be known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, to be held on 22 and 23 September 2014, pursuant to United Nations General Assembly resolution 65/198 of 21 December 2010,

Agree to:

85.Respect and implement the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as well as Convention No. 169 of the International Labour Organization on indigenous and tribal peoples —and call on those countries that have not already done so to sign it and ratify it— adapting legal frameworks and formulating the policies necessary for their implementation, with the full participation of these peoples, including indigenous peoples that live in cities;

86.Consider the special demographic dynamic of indigenous peoples in public policy design, with special emphasis on indigenous peoples threatened with extinction, those who have no contact with the outside world, those living in voluntary isolation or that are in a phase of initial contact, and respect their right to self-determination;

87.Guarantee indigenous peoples’ right to health, including sexual rights and reproductive rights, and their right to their own traditional medicines and health practices, especially as regards reducing maternal and child mortality considering their socio-territorial and cultural specificities as well as the structural factors that hinder the exercise of this right;

88.Respect and guarantee the territorial rights of indigenous peoples, including those of peoples living in voluntary isolation and those in the initial phase of contact, with special attention to the challenges presented by extractive industries and other major global investments, mobility and forced displacements, and design policies that facilitate free, prior and informed consultation on matters that affect these peoples, pursuant to the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;

89.Adopt, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, the measures needed to ensure that indigenous women, boys, girls, adolescents and young people enjoy protection from and full guarantees against all forms of violence and discrimination, and take measures to ensure the restitution of rights;

90.Guarantee indigenous peoples’ right to communication and information, ensuring that national statistics respect the principle of self-identification, as well as the generation of knowledge and reliable and timely information on indigenous peoples through participatory processes, with reference to their requirements and international recommendations relating to these issues;

91.Participate actively and at the highest possible level, with provision for the inclusion of indigenous peoples in national delegations, in the United Nations General Assembly high-level meeting entitled the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, to be held in September 2014, as well as in other relevant international forums.

I.Afro-descendants: rights and combating racial discrimination

Reaffirming that the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, provide a comprehensive human rights framework for the well-being and development of Afro-descendent persons and a solid foundation for combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,

Convinced that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance occur on the grounds of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin and that victims can suffer multiple or aggravated forms of discrimination based on other related grounds, such as gender identity, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, social origin, economic status, birth or other situation,

Underscoring the contribution that Afro-descendent populations make to the development and well-being of humanity as a whole and that cultural diversity should be valued, enjoyed, genuinely accepted and embraced as a permanent feature which enriches societies,

Deeply concerned at the disadvantaged position of Afro-descendent persons and communities in the areas of education, employment, health, housing, child mortality and life expectancy, in particular when the inequality is due to racism and racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance,

Agree to:

92.Respect and implement the provisions of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, by adapting the legal frameworks and formulating the policies necessary for their implementation, with the full participation of Afro-descendent persons;

93.Address gender, racial, ethnic and intergenerational inequalities, bearing in mind the way these dimensions overlap in situations of discrimination affecting women, especially young Afro-descendent women;

94.Consider the special demographic and sociocultural dynamics of Afro-descendent populations in the design and implementation of public policies, ensuring their full participation and the development of disaggregated statistics;

95.Ensure that Afro-descendent persons, in particular Afro-descendent girls, adolescents and women, can exercise the right to health, especially the right to sexual health and reproductive health, taking into account the specific socioterritorial and cultural features and the structural factors, such as racism, that hinder the exercise of their rights;

96.Promote the development of Afro-descendent populations by implementing public policies, establishing standards and creating institutions to guide and carry forward affirmative action policies, plans and programmes at the sectoral level, whereby the principles of equality and non-discrimination can be incorporated into all levels of government, with organized civil society participating throughout the process of design, implementation and evaluation of those instruments;

97.Ensure that policies and programmes are in place to raise the living standards of Afro-descendent women, by fully enforcing their rights, in particular their sexual rights and reproductive rights;

98.Generate knowledge and reliable and timely information with a gender perspective and disaggregated by sex, age and socioeconomic status, among other variables, on Afro-descendent populations through participatory processes, paying attention to the international requirements and recommendations relating to the issue.

J.Frameworks for the implementation of the future regional agenda on population and development

Reaffirming the strategic role that the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean is called upon to play in the review of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and in the definition of priorities for its implementation beyond 2014,

Underscoring the need for operational instruments, monitoring systems and resources for action in the area of population and development in the region to address the emerging challenges in this sphere,

Agree to:

99.Reiterate the appeal to establish or strengthen a national coordinating mechanism, with the participation of civil society organizations, to facilitate the implementation and follow-up of the Cairo Programme of Action beyond 2014 and to act as a permanent liaison with the Regional Conference;

100.Adopt a regional agenda on population and development for Latin America and the Caribbean fully respecting the Cairo Programme of Action and the key actions for its further implementation beyond 2014;

101.Generate regional and national machineries to oversee the fulfilment of this regional agenda on population and development for Latin America and the Caribbean beyond 2014 and ensure its accountability;

102.Improve data sources, particularly population censuses, administrative records, vital statistics and specialized surveys, promoting the full independence of national statistical systems and ensuring, by means of legal and institutional frameworks, that users and producers apply the fundamental principles of official statistics at both the national and international levels as well as harmonized methodologies to ensure comparability between countries;

103.Ensure sufficient financial and human resources to develop integrated systems that provide reliable, timely, good-quality, gender-sensitive information, disaggregated by territory, sex, age, race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, to facilitate decision-making and the formulation, follow-up and appraisal of development policies and programmes;

104.Promote cooperation between national statistical offices and the relevant bodies in the field of statistics to aid in the production and improvement of those statistics, as well as in the use of health-sector administrative records for statistical purposes;

105.Ensure sufficient financial resources and the mobilization of international cooperation resources for Latin America and the Caribbean, in order to expedite the implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action beyond 2014 and the measures agreed upon herein, putting in place at the same time clear and effective transparency and accountability mechanisms;

106.Design and implement training strategies in the area of population and development that cover the various issues, territorial levels and course formats, using the academic establishments in the region and available technological advances, with the support of the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations system;

107.Guarantee the effective participation of civil society and social movements in the implementation, oversight and appraisal of the Cairo Programme of Action beyond 2014, incorporating the measures agreed upon herein;

108.Submit a proposal to the Statistical Conference of the Americas, at its next meeting, on the harmonization of health indicators, in particular sexual health and reproductive health, for the region, including small island developing States, in order to facilitate the comparison and analysis of regional trends.

1 LC/L.3641(CRPD.1/4).

Follow-up recommendations

109.Resolve that these agreements represent the input of Latin America and the Caribbean for the report reviewing the status of implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action which the Secretary-General will present to the Commission on Population and Development at its forty-seventh session, to be held from 7 to 11 April 2014, and for the special session of the General Assembly on the follow-up to the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development beyond 2014, to be held on 22 September 2014 in New York;

110.Request the secretariat, within the framework of the existing links between population and development, to continue to give priority to the following issues from a gender perspective: determinants and consequences of demographic trends; sociodemographic inequities; maternal and child mortality; sexual health and reproductive health; youth; ageing and older persons; indigenous peoples and Afro-descendent populations in Latin America and the Caribbean; international and internal migration; sources of sociodemographic information (population censuses and vital statistics), and human resources training in the fields of demography and population and development;

111.Request also the secretariat to continue providing support for countries in affording statistical visibility to the indigenous peoples and Afro-descendent populations of Latin America and the Caribbean by seeking to develop specific and innovative indicators, including the exchange of best practices, and providing accessible training opportunities for national personnel, and to continue to monitor regionally the issues relating to these population groups in Latin America and the Caribbean;

112.Commission the secretariat to provide all necessary support for the implementation of the regional activities to be held in preparation for the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, which will take place on 22 and 23 September 2014;

113.Also commission the secretariat to provide technical assistance for the activities relating to the preparatory process of the International Decade for People of African Descent;

114.Further commission the secretariat, through the Latin American and Caribbean Demographic Centre-Population Division of ECLAC, to continue to head cooperation efforts to assist the Latin American and Caribbean countries in the area of international migration, in particular in generating information and knowledge, preparing regulations and formulating and assessing policies using a human-rights-based approach, respecting the commitments established in resolution 615(XXXI) on international migration, which was adopted at the thirty-first session of the Commission;

115.Request the secretariat and the United Nations Population Fund to continue generating information and knowledge and to provide technical assistance to the countries for following up implementation of the San José Charter on the Rights of Older Persons in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as for other activities aimed at protecting the human rights of older persons within the purview of the United Nations;

116.Encourage the secretariat and the United Nations Population Fund to continue, through the inter-agency groups, to coordinate efforts with other international and multilateral agencies in order to implement priority activities relating to population and development for the benefit of member States; and urge it to promote and expand South-South, triangular and extraregional cooperation and sharing of best practices;

117.Resolve that the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, with support from the secretariat, shall hold a meeting in 2014 in preparation for the second session of the Regional Conference;

118.Invite member States to propose the creation of working groups on issues agreed upon herein to the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, for adoption at the second session of the Conference, which will be held in 2015;

119.Requests the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations system, including the United Nations Population Fund, to include in their strategic plans for 2014-2017 the priority areas of the Cairo Programme of Action adopted at the first session of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, and to allocate funds according to the indicators of need as required in each of the priority issues proposed by this Conference;

120.Further request the secretariat and the United Nations Population Fund to strengthen scientific and technical cooperation activities, including North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation, and reiterate the importance of developing human resources through training, the exchange of experiences and specialized knowledge, knowledge transfer and technical assistance for capacity-building, which entails strengthening institutional capacities, including planning, management, follow-up and evaluation capabilities;

121.Ask the secretariat of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean to lend technical assistance, through its Division for Gender Affairs, in coordination with the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, to provide technical support to State machineries and regional forums for the advancement of women in the management of cooperation and technical assistance resources with a view to enabling the implementation and follow-up of the Cairo Programme of Action and these agreements;

122.Also ask the United Nations Population Fund to strengthen cooperation activities with the Governments of the region in the framework of their commitment to strengthen investment in youth and, in particular, to intensify efforts to coordinate actions relating to access to quality education, including comprehensive sexuality education, gender equality, decent work for youth and their access to quality health care, including sexual health and reproductive health services, in conjunction with other cooperation agencies and other bodies in the United Nations system;

123.Further ask the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and the United Nations Population Fund, in consultation with the Governments and in coordination with the relevant organizations in the United Nations system, to foster South-South cooperation in order to continue to advance towards the goals and objectives of the Cairo Programme of Action beyond 2014;

124.Thank the United Nations Population Fund for its technical assistance and financial support for the operational review of implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 65/234, as well as for its support for the organization and holding of the first session of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, which has facilitated the formulation of the agreements adopted herein;

125.Ask the secretariat to report to the Regional Conference on Population and Development, at its second session, on activities carried out in the substantive areas referred to in the foregoing paragraphs;

126.Thank and congratulate the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and the Government of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay for organizing the first session of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean and the Latin American and Caribbean Demographic Centre (CELADE)-Population Division of ECLAC for preparing the corresponding documentation, particularly the reports “Implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean: Review of the period 2009-2013 and lessons learned. Summary and overview” and “Proposed regional agenda on population and development for Latin America and the Caribbean beyond 2014”; and thank the United Nations Population Fund for its collaboration;

127.Thank also the Commission for the support provided to the countries of the region, through the Latin American and Caribbean Demographic Centre-Population Division of ECLAC, in the implementation, follow-up and evaluation of the Cairo Programme of Action and for the activities carried out between July 2012 and July 2013, which are described in the document “Report on the activities conducted by the Latin American and Caribbean Demographic Centre (CELADE)-Population Division of ECLAC during the period 2012-2013”;[1] and thank the United Nations Population Fund for its collaboration;

128.Express appreciation to the civil society organizations and social movements for monitoring implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action, in particular for their contributions to the first session of the Regional Conference;

129.Thanks the Government of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay for hosting the first meeting of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean and for providing all the support needed for the event;

130.Welcomes the kind offer of the Government of Mexico to host the second meeting of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

1 LC/L.3643/Rev.1.

Appendix 1

Reservation presented by the delegation of Guatemala

The delegation of Guatemala presents the following written statement:

My delegation wishes to state that, for reasons of interest to our country, Guatemala issues the following reservations and requests that they be incorporated in the final report of the first session of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean:

a)Guatemala has the sovereign right to implement the recommendations contained in the Agreement issued at the first session of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, which was held in Montevideo, Uruguay, from 12 to 15 August 2013, subject to the provisions of our Political Constitution and national laws, and those of the international treaties and conventions to which it is a party, wherefore none of the provisions or recommendations emanating from this session may or should be interpreted in a manner inconsistent with those legal instruments. Moreover, the decision of whether to implement these recommendations will be adopted in the light of our country’s development priorities and with full respect for the various ethical and cultural values and the philosophical conviction of our multi-ethnic, multilingual and pluricultural people and in a manner consistent with universally recognized human rights;

b)The reservations of Guatemala relate in particular to the issues, terms, conditions and provisions contained in the present agreement with reference to the following:

•Unqualified respect for the right to life from the moment of conception, as well as unqualified respect and the right that parents have to choose the education to be provided to their underage sons and daughters. It ratifies and guarantees social, economic and legal protection for the family on the basis of the legality of matrimony, equality in the right of persons to decide freely on the number and spacing of their children and the dignity of motherhood; in accordance with the ethical, moral, legal, cultural and natural criteria espoused by the Guatemalan people.

•The concept of gender, which is interpreted as meaning only the female gender and male gender in reference to women and men, and reservations are expressed as regards the interpretation of the expression “sexually diverse groups”, “sexual orientation” and “sexual diversity and gender identity”.

The reservation entered by this delegation is based mainly on the following:

Paragraph 1.15 of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, which states that it “does not create any new international human rights”, but “affirms the application of universally recognized human rights standards to all aspects of population programmes.”

“The Programme of Action will require the establishment of common ground, with full respect for the various religious and ethical values and cultural backgrounds. The impact of this Conference will be measured by the strength of the specific commitments made here and the consequent actions to fulfil them, as part of a new global partnership among all the world’s countries and peoples, based on a sense of shared but differentiated responsibility for each other and for our planetary home.”

As regards the issue of youth, three objectives were established and there is no reference to their reproductive rights:

6.7. The objectives are:

(a)To promote to the fullest extent the health, well-being and potential of all children, adolescents and youth as representing the world’s future human resources, in line with the commitments made in this respect at the World Summit for Children and in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child;

(b)To meet the special needs of adolescents and youth, especially young women, with due regard for their own creative capabilities, for social, family and community support, employment opportunities, participation in the political process, and access to education, health, counselling and high-quality reproductive health services;

(c)To encourage children, adolescents and youth, particularly young women, to continue their education in order to equip them for a better life, to increase their human potential, to help prevent early marriages and high-risk child-bearing and to reduce associated mortality and morbidity.

Table of Contents

Maintitle

Copyright

Contents

Preamble

General principles

Priority actions

Follow-up recommendations

Reservation presented by the delegation of Guatemala