Creating a New Consensus on Population

In 1994, the world's governments agreed, for the first time, far-reaching and enlightened population policies at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo. The Conference itself, and the many preparatory activities that took place from 1991 to 1994, were characterized by intense, and sometimes acrimonious, debate on the politics of population and development, reproductive health and rights, religion, contraception, and the empowerment of women.

This volume examines the entire ICPD process: in particular, how the various stakeholders (governments, NGOs, academics, religious leaders, politicians and the media) addressed the relevant policy issues, and how a new global consensus was forged, resulting in the ICPD Program of Action. Written from the vantage of a crucial insider by Jyoti Shankar Singh, the ICPD Executive Coordinator, this is the definitive account of the Cairo process and its outcome.