Countries to discuss challenges and opportunities to
ensuring healthy lives at all ages
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WHAT:           58th session of the UN Commission on Population and Development

WHEN:           7-11 April 2025, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm EDT

WHERE:         Conference room 4, UN Headquarters in New York
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WHO:              Heads of government, ministers, senior UN officials, experts from academia, the private sector and civil society organizations.

The opening segment on Monday, 7 April, will include statements by:

  • Mr. Guy Ryder, UN Under-Secretary-General for Policy
  • Mr. Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs
  • Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director
  • Ms. Katja Lasseur, Chair of the 58th session of the Commission on Population and Development
  • H.E. Ms. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (via video link)

WHY: Over the past decades, much progress has been made in improving people’s health and well-being, including by reducing child- and maternal mortality and strengthening HIV prevention and treatment. Since 2000, life expectancy at birth has increased by more than 10 years in Africa and more than nine years in South Asia. Mortality due to tobacco use and road traffic accidents has also declined.

The Programme of Action adopted in 1994 at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) highlighted the importance of a population’s health for its development. This perspective is advanced by Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Global health and well-being have improved thanks in part to strong international commitment to the ICPD and the SDGs.

Despite earlier gains, progress has slowed or stalled in many regions over the past decade. This is reflected in levels of service coverage for reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health and in deaths from non-communicable diseases. Maternal mortality rates have declined globally by 34 per cent from 2000 to 2020, but have largely stagnated since 2015, progress in reducing under-5 mortality has slowed, and the adverse impacts of obesity, diabetes, dementia and mental disorders are on the rise. Many still lack access to essential health care, including for sexual and reproductive health.

To address these challenges, Member States will share best practices, address pressing issues and learn from experts at the Commission on Population and Development, taking place under the theme “Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.”

The session will offer an opportunity for the international community to express its continuing commitment to the ICPD Programme of Action and to advancing efforts to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

More details, including the programme and list of side events, may be found here: https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/events/CPD58

Media Contacts:

Francyne Harrigan, UN Department of Global Communications | [email protected]

Karoline Schmid, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs | E: [email protected]

Helen Daun Rosengren, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs | E: [email protected]

Eddie Wright, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) |E: [email protected]