Africa: The Promise of Cairo: Can We Get There from Here?

When the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) met in Cairo, 1994, human rights and choice were put on the agenda and at the centre of policies on population and development. Goals were agreed to improve reproductive health for everyone, meet young people’s needs, and empower women - because it was their right. Reaching the Cairo goals would save lives, build families, fight poverty, and hasten population stabilization. Ten years later, the degree of progress made is variable.