MONFEMNET Shares Mongolia’s Experience on SRHR Education at the ICPD+30 Regional Seminar

The MONFEMNET National Network participated in a regional seminar held in Beijing on 25 April 2024 to mark 30 years since the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and to reflect on the role of civil society in advancing its Programme of Action.

Adopted in Cairo in 1994, the ICPD Programme of Action marked an important shift in global population and development policy by placing people, human rights, wellbeing, and individual choice at the centre of development. It also recognised the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality, and sustainable development.

The regional seminar was jointly organised by the China Family Planning Association (CFPA), the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The event brought together civil society organisations and other stakeholders to reflect on progress made over the past three decades, identify continuing challenges, and discuss how civil society can contribute to advancing the ICPD agenda.

At the seminar, MONFEMNET presented “Breaking the Silence: Empowering Communities through SRHR Education under ICPD.” The presentation shared findings from Mongolia’s country monitoring work on comprehensive sexuality education, including key gaps and recommendations for improving access to inclusive, accurate, and rights-based information.

MONFEMNET highlighted the importance of comprehensive sexuality education in enabling people, particularly young people and those from diverse and marginalised communities, to make informed decisions about their health, bodies, relationships, and rights.

The discussion also reinforced the continuing role of civil society in monitoring implementation, bringing the lived experiences of communities into policy discussions, and advocating for stronger commitments to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

MONFEMNET extends its appreciation to UNFPA Mongolia for supporting our participation in this regional event and enabling us to contribute Mongolia’s experiences and perspectives to the ICPD+30 discussion.