POPULATION CONFERENCE TO BE HELD ONCE IN TEN YEARS FOCUS ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION

BANGKOK (United Nations Information Services)--The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) are convening the Ministerial-level Fifth Asian and Pacific Population Conference from 11 to 17 December 2002 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok.

Held once every ten years, the last meeting took place in Bali, Indonesia in 1992.

The Conference will focus on population and poverty incorporating the challenges set out in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that were agreed upon by 147 heads of State and Government at the Millennium Summit in New York in 2000.

The Conference will be divided into two segments; the senior officials segment from 11-14 December, and the ministerial segment from 16-17 December.

One of the foremost targets of the MDGs is to halve by 2015, the proportion of persons who live in extreme poverty (whose income is less than $1 a day). This has particular relevance for the countries of the UNESCAP region because the overwhelming majority of the world's poor live in this region.

"The relationship between poverty and population trends is significant yet complex. These aspects will be dealt with in all its facets by the forthcoming Conference which will gather Ministers, senior officials, researcher-scientists, and representatives of civil society from numerous countries and territories of the region", said a UNESCAP expert.

Some of the foremost experts in the world will speak on issues relating to population and poverty, present interesting findings that reflect new developments and discussing innovative proposals for tackling the issues.

The Conference is expected to adopt a comprehensive plan of action aimed at further advancing the implementation of the 1992 Bali Conference and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo in 1994, with regard to population and development, gender, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, etc. and their relations with poverty.

The plan of action will seek to highlight the problems and areas that require concerted attention from Governments, international donors and organizations, and civil society during the next 10 years.

NOTE TO EDITORS:
You or your representatives are cordially invited to attend the opening session of the Senior Officials' Meeting on Wednesday, 11 December 2002 at 9:00 a.m. and the inauguration of the Ministerial Segment on Monday, 16 December 2002 at 9:00 a.m. as well as other sessions. An end-of-session Press Conference will be held on Tuesday, 17 December 2002. Further notice on the time and place will be issued in due course.
Due to tight security measures, please kindly bring your accreditation badge; if you do not have it, please get one issued soonest by contacting David Lazarus, Chief, UN Information Services.

For further information, please contact: and media enquiries and requests for media accreditation should be directed to:
Mr. David Lazarus, Chief, United Nations Information Services
UNESCAP, United Nations Building, Rajadamnern Nok Avenue
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel: (+66) 02 288 1864-9; Fax: (66+2) 28810523

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