The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) outlined a bold vision that affirmed people, not population targets, are the real wealth of nations, according to a report marking the thirtieth anniversary of the landmark conference. The ICPD Programme of Action asserted that sustainable development depends on every individual having the right to make choices about their body, life, and future, offering a path towards prosperity, peace, and planetary balance.
The ICPD30 report reaffirms that investing in people and protecting rights is more urgent than ever. Three decades after the original conference, the world faces growing inequalities, climate threats, and demographic shifts that make the vision of people-centered development both more challenging and more necessary. The report emphasizes that progress depends on ensuring everyone can exercise their fundamental rights, regardless of where they live or their circumstances.
To build a better future, all countries must maximize investments to reach those furthest behind and bridge divides that stall development and weaken the social fabric. The ICPD30 report identifies six priorities to guide progress towards a people-centered future, focusing on areas where action can have the greatest impact on individual well-being and collective prosperity.
The report comes at a time when many of the rights and principles established at the 1994 conference face renewed challenges. Conflict, displacement, economic crises, and pushback against reproductive rights threaten to reverse gains made over the past three decades. At the same time, demographic changes, including aging populations in some regions and youth bulges in others, create both opportunities and pressures that require coordinated policy responses.
The thirtieth anniversary of the ICPD serves as both a celebration of progress and a call to action. The report stresses that the future cannot wait, urging governments, civil society, and international organizations to renew their commitment to the principles that human rights, gender equality, and individual autonomy are essential foundations for sustainable development and shared prosperity.
