By Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues
Last month’s meeting of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Population and Development (CRPD) in Santiago, Chile resulted in 17 Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries agreeing on a format for national reports on progress toward implementing the radical Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development [www.cepal.org/en/pressreleases/countries-region-meet-eclac-examine-progress-implementation-measures-population-and].
The national reports are intended to contribute to the newly established Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development and assist in review of regional implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The meeting was hosted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and was tasked with analyzing a proposal of indicators for statistical follow-up to the implementation of the Montevideo Consensus, considered to be the most radical population and development agreement in the world. The promotion of access to abortion and the overturning of pro-life laws are evident in Point #42:
“Ensure, in those cases where abortion is legal or decriminalized under the relevant national legislation, the availability of safe, good-quality abortion services for women with unwanted and unaccepted pregnancies, and urge all other States to consider amending their laws, regulations, strategies and public policies relating to the voluntary termination of pregnancy…”
The final version of the indicators will be adopted by CRPD at its third session, to be held in El Salvador in 2017. With Mexico as Chair, the members of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference are Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela.