DUSHANBE, May 2, 2014, Asia-Plus – The National Council on Population and Development (Council) has been established in Tajikistan.

According to UNFPA Country Office in Tajikistan, the Council was established by the initiative of Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of the parliament.

The Council consists of members of the Majlisi Namoyandagon, top officials from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ministry of Labor, Migration and Employment, Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Committee for Family and Women’s Family Affairs under the Government, and other agencies.

The purpose of establishment of the Council is reportedly to strengthen cooperation on population and development issues between parliamentarians, government institutions, NGOs and civil society to further implement the Program of Actions of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).

The Council also aims to strengthen inter-agency cooperation for the development and implementation of legislation; formulation and accomplishment of common objectives to promote population and development issues; joint monitoring of implementation of the legislation on population and development issues.  Establishment of the Council will also help raising awareness, building partnerships and strengthening parliamentary oversight on the implementation of the ICPD agenda.

Similar national structures are established and operating under the parliaments of other countries in the region, but the National Council in Tajikistan for the first time brought together parliamentarians and representatives of other governing bodies and civil society.  Establishment of the National Council will make an important contribution to the promotion of human rights, especially rights for dignity, equality, and equal opportunities.

“Establishment of the National Council is especially important these days, when the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the ICPD Program of Action celebrated, and global assessment of the key achievements of the Millennium Development Goals conducted” - said Ms. Khairinisso Yusufi, Chair of the Majlisi Namoyandagon Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Family. - National Council for Population and Development will take, together with partners, active steps to contribute to these global goals and national strategies in order to improve the life of every citizen.”

ICPD — International Conference on Population and Development was held in Cairo in 1994 and was a milestone in the history of population and development, as well as in the history of women''s rights. ICPD delegates from 179 governments reached a consensus and accepted the Program of Action, which aimed at alleviating global poverty, ensuring realization of women’s rights and gender equity, access to reproductive health and rights and inclusion of demography to the development policies and strategies.