UNFPA Executive Director's Remarks at the ICPD 30th Anniversary Reception, UN House Barbados

I greet you in peace, my wish for all the people of this beautiful country. Peace in our homes, peace in our communities and peace in the world, the noble purpose of the United Nations.

I thank the Government of Barbados for its strong partnership and my colleagues at UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, for organizing this reception.

I am delighted to be back in Barbados and grateful for the opportunity to join you for this momentous occasion. As a Panamanian, with roots in the Caribbean, I feel a special connection to the Caribbean region – the vibrant energy of this island makes me feel right at home. 

That sense of connection is what brings us together tonight. 

Your presence today is a testament to our collective commitment to accelerate the ICPD agenda and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals – a promise to achieve a more equitable, prosperous and sustainable future for all, especially for women and girls. 

Thirty years since ICPD put women and girls at the centre of development, we celebrate three decades of progress, of collaboration and of commitment to the ICPD Programme of Action.

In this region, particularly in Barbados, we have much to celebrate.

Since 1994, many more women in this country have been able to exercise their reproductive choices through modern contraceptives. And Barbados has since met Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.1 on the reduction of maternal mortality.

These are positive trends. Yet the region still has one of the highest adolescent fertility rates in the world, and gender-based violence remains stubbornly high. The good news is we know what works and what is required to implement lifesaving and life-transforming interventions at scale.

Because it’s clear: investing in women’s and girls’ health, education, rights and agency lays the foundation for gender equality, drives progress within communities and accelerates prosperity.

It is heartening to see efforts in Barbados to protect and promote the core principles of the ICPD agenda: sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, and the empowerment of women and young people. This is thanks to your leadership – government, civil society, development partners, and young activists – challenging us to go further and faster.   

UNFPA is determined to work with you to keep the spirit of the ICPD alive. 

This past September, I attended the Caribbean Forum on Population and Development in Antigua and Barbuda. There, Caribbean countries reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of the ICPD and created new pathways for regional collaboration. 

The region is at a critical juncture, dealing with emerging crises and megatrends, including shifting population dynamics. The Caribbean and its Small Island Developing States are dramatically affected by climate change and natural disasters, with women, girls and other vulnerable groups suffering the most. 

We are building on our experiences to increase resilience to current and future challenges.

With the critical support of development partners, we are investing in data-driven policy solutions. Through the SDG Joint Fund, for example, we are helping strengthen the Barbados Government’s capacity to use population data for informed decision-making.

We are also forming strategic regional partnerships. Together with UN Women and with the support of Canada, UNFPA runs the programme ‘Build Back Equal’, which puts the empowerment of women and sexual and reproductive health and rights at the centre of economic development in four countries in the Eastern Caribbean[1]. 
     
We look to you to help us further foster cooperation and dialogue, to deepen partnerships, and to share successful strategies. You understand the cultural, social and economic context on the ground. Your efforts have been instrumental in driving change.

Let us continue to explore new avenues for collaboration, leveraging our respective strengths to overcome challenges and create sustainable impact for all.

Let us amplify the voices of the most marginalized communities – women and girls chief among them – and shape a future where everyone can lead a life of dignity, choice, and opportunity.

There is a Bajan saying: “Yuh can’t plant yam and reap eddoes”.

In other words: Your reward is commensurate with your actions.

Let us redouble our efforts and be rewarded with progress, transformative change, and a brighter, more equitable and prosperous future for all.

[1] Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines