Commission on Population and Development, UN Headquarters New York,
April 30th to May 3, 2009

Following is an excerpt from a recent report from Caroline Themm- SI UN Representative to New York

Complications related to pregnancy and childbirth is still the leading cause of death among women in their child-bearing years. The Commission encouraged governments to provide financial and technical support to prevent these causes.

The Commission called on the international community to help governments increase funding to reduce the unmet needs for family planning.

"The Commission urged Governments to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls, including such harmful traditional practices as female genital mutilation and to work more effectively to achieve gender equality in all areas of family responsibility and reproductive life, as well as politics and decision-making. The Commission also urged States to enact and strictly enforce laws that set a minimum legal age for marriage and requires the full consent of both spouses before a marriage contract could be issued."

The special theme for the 44thsession in 2011 should be "Fertility, reproductive health and development" The 43rd session will be a follow-up on the implementation of resolutions accepted this year.