Promote Family Planning for Attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Keynote Address at the Opening Session Asia and the Pacific Regional Consultation on a Renewed Focus on Family Planning

By H. E. Mr. GOU Qingming Vice Minister National Population and Family Planning Commission (NPFPC) Peoples Republic of China December 8th, 2010

Bangkok

Respected Participants, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning!

I am delighted to attend the Asia and the Pacific Regional Consultation on a Renewed Focus on Family Planning organized by the Asia and the Pacific Regional Office (APRO) of UNFPA in collaboration with the International Council on Management of Population Programmes (ICOMP). First of all, on behalf of the National Population and Family Planning Commission of the Peoples Republic of China (NPFPC), I would like to extend our warm congratulations on the convening of the meeting and forward to all the participants cordial greetings from Dr. ZHAO Baige, the Chairperson of ICOMP who feel a great pity that she could not attend this important event duo to previously promised engagement.

With 61% of the world population, the Asia Pacific Region always plays a leading role in the world population area. We are delighted to see that this

meeting has chosen A Renewed Focus on Family Planning as its title, which, rarely seen at international or regional meetings on population over the recent years, reflects both the renewed understanding of the international community regarding the importance of family planning and the resumption of family plannings important status in population activities. 2010 marks the 16th year of the ICPD.

Over the years, despite the

remarkable achievements that the world has made in the areas of population, family planning and reproductive health, we regret to see that family planning has not attracted due attention. Actually the proportion of family planning in overall international assistance to population activities declined from 54% in 1995 to 5% in 2008. This is an embarrassing figure. As a result, the unmet needs for family planning in developing countries have impeded the progress of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

This meeting aims at advocating the repositioning of family planning, calling upon the international community and national governments to increase investments in family planning and inject new vitality into family planning, which is of extreme importance to attainment of the ICPD goals and the MDGs, especially to the promotion of universal access to reproductive health by 2015.

The fact that this meeting is jointly hosted by the UNFPA and the ICOMP reflects, once again, the close partnership between UN agencies and international NGOs. We highly appreciate the leading role of UNFPA in

assisting governments of developing countries to promote population and development programs and the relentless efforts by ICOMP, the first international NGO engaged in the management of population programs, in assisting developing countries with their improvement of the management of population programs over the past 40 years. Such

long-term partnership remains very important in our future process of developing a renewed focus on family planning.

Ladies and Gentlemen, China is the developing country with the largest population in the world, with total population reaching 1.3347billion at the end of 2009. Over the past 30 years, China has made remarkable progress in the areas of population and development. Life expectancy in China has risen from 69 in 1990 to 73 at present while maternal mortality ratio declined from 94.7/100,000 to 31.9/100,000 in 2009 and total fertility rate down from 5.8 in 1970 to 1.8 at present. According to the UN Report on Human Development released in November this year, China features the second fastest growing Human Development Index (HDI) in the world, next only to Oman. Chinas HDI progress is also duo to the results of achievement in population and development.

I would like to share with you the following key points of Chinas experience in addressing the issues of population and family planning:

First, Stick to the approach of addressing population issues through comprehensive considerations. Over the past 30 years, we have always upheld the promotion of family planning as its basic state policy, together with the other two basic state policies of gender equality and environmental protection which are only three state policies in China, incorporated

population issues into the outlines of the five-year programs for national social and economic development, with the purpose of promoting long-term and balanced development of population, constructing a population-balanced, resourcing-saving and environment-friendly society, and striving for the harmonious development of population itself, as well as the coordinated and sustainable development between population, economy, society, resources and environment.

Secondly, we have attached great attention to the construction and improvement of a family planning and reproductive health service network that covers all rural and urban areas for provision of standard, comprehensive and quality-of-care family planning and reproductive health services. Traditional family planning exclusive services is being shifted to more comprehensive and extended family care-oriented public services. And consistant IEC activities for family planning and reproductive health have been carried out in both urban and rural areas.

Thirdly, we have Increased government fiscal investment into the population and family planning activities. This is listed in the accountability system with specific objectives and workplans. In the past five years, the growth of running funds for population and family planning always outpaced that of fiscal revenues.

Fourthly, weve encouraged community people to participating in family planning and reproductive health and enable them to benefit from it. By improving the benefit-oriented policy system, we promote priority rights of households practicing family planning to sharing the fruits of reform and development.

Lastly, weve attached great attention to international exchanges and cooperation in population and development. China has been actively engaged in policy dialogue and experience exchange in both South-South and South-North-South Cooperation. We highly value the good concepts, experiences and approaches in population and development within the international community. Hereby, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to UNFPA, WHO, PPD, IPPF, ICOMP, JOICFP, JICA, Ford Foundation, GTZ and many other international organizations and NGOs for their continuous assistance to Chinas population and development.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Despite good progress in the areas of population and reproductive health, developing countries including China are still confronted by a series of severe challenges. To promote family planning for full attainment of the MDGs and

the ICPD goals, I would like to put forward the following recommendations:

First, the international community should pay further attention to the important role of family planning in the process of national development. Both the

international community and national governments need to reposition family planning, inject new vitality into family planning and increase budgetary input into family planning. And Further more we should give great attention to the specific actions that should be adopted for performance of commitments.

Secondly, all countries, especially developing countries, should pay sufficient attention to incorporation of population issues into national development strategies. In face with different progresses and situations in their processes of attaining the ICPD goals and MDGs, different countries should pay special attention to their local key and difficult issues and endeavor to construct indicators and monitoring systems for population and development that cater to their own national situations.

Thirdly, improve development of family planning service networks to ensure commodity securities for family planning. An important component of

universal access to reproductive health by 2015 is to meet the unmet needs for family planning. Provision of safe, effective and appropriate contraceptive methods is the key to quality-of-care family planning and reproductive health services. We hope to promote capacity building for family planning and

ensure commodity security for family planning as priority consideration for South-South cooperation in population.

Fourthly, further enhance South-South and South-North-South Cooperation in population and family planning. In the age of globalization, issues such as financial crisis, food security and climate change are all manifestations of the need to further international cooperation in population and development. All nations shall, on the premise of equality and mutual respect, seek common ground while reserving differences, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and consolidate achievements to avoid development degradation due to new challenges.

Fifthly, proactively promote partnership in population, family planning and reproductive health. Governments, parliaments, NGOs and the private sector

should perform their respective functions and join hands to attain the ICPD goals and the MDGs.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

With only less than five year left before the deadline for the final realization of the MDGs, we are still confronted by arduous tasks and various problems. Moreover, it is high time for us to prepare strategic goals and action plans for population and development for the next coming two decades. Let us avail the opportunity of this meeting to jointly discuss strategies regarding a renewed focus on family planning and exert concerted efforts to promote well being of all humankinds! success! Finally, I would like to wish the meeting a full

Thank You!