UPDATE: ESCAP will be attending the 57th session of the Commission on Population and Development. For more information, please click here.
Report of the Seventh Asian and Pacific Population Conference can be found under “AGENDA AND OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS” tab.
The Seventh Asian and Pacific Population Conference was organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Asia and the Pacific.It was held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok and online from 15 to 17 November 2023.
Mandate and context
Pursuant to ESCAP resolution 74 (XXIII) of 17 April 1967, the Conference is a statutory organ of UN ESCAP and convenes every ten years. The 2023 Conference and its preparatory process will coincide with other important events and developments:
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the 75-year anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human rights
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the 60-year commemoration of the first Asian Population Conference, held in December 1963 in New Delhi, India,
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the 10-year anniversary of the adoption of the 2013 Asian and Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Population and Development.
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the half-way mark to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific.
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The 30-year review of the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development during the fifty-seventh session of the Commission on Population and Development
The Conference provided an opportunity to review the implementation of the Asian and Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Population and Development and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development in the region. It focused on intersecting population and development considerations as they related to sustainable development, both now and in the future.
Population dynamics in Asia and the Pacific
Population and development considerations are of great importance to Asia and the Pacific. The region is home to 60 per cent of the world’s population, and what happens here matters at the global level. Asia and the Pacific has been undergoing a momentous transition from high to low fertility and mortality levels and to increased longevity and migration levels, resulting in older, more urban populations. Within these broad trends, population dynamics differ across subregions and countries. For example, some are already experiencing population decline, whereas others continue to grow, albeit at a declining rate.
The region is at a critical juncture. In recent decades, countries have made considerable progress in overall socioeconomic development in terms of health, poverty eradication, sanitation, nutrition and education, to name a few. They now face both new and residual challenges and opportunities, such as a shrinking labour force, population ageing, and increased internal and international migration. Many people continue to face persistent socioeconomic inequalities – including gender inequality – disrespect for human rights and ageism. Inequalities and vulnerabilities have been exacerbated by climate change, disasters, conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic and digital transformation.
The Seventh Asian and Pacific Population Conference addressed these issues with a focus on placing people at the center of sustainable development.
For additional information, see:
2013 Asian and Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Population and Development;
Midterm Review of the Asian and Pacific Declaration on Population and Development;
2020 Report of the Committee on Social Development on its sixth session, containing the Asia-Pacific indicator framework;
Summary report prepared in follow-up to the Midterm Review of the Asian and Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Population and Development in 2018; and
2021 ESCAP Population Data Sheet;
2022 ESCAP Population Data Sheet;
2023 ESCAP Population Data Sheet.
Outreach material related to the 7th APPC
Video: Overview of the 7th Asian and Pacific Population Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, 15 – 17 November 2023
Blog: Investing in people to build a more equitable future
Blog: We owe it to Aleta
Press release: UN population and development review in Asia and the Pacific urges focus on individual rights and choices
Op-ed: Why demography is key to unlocking a sustainable future for Asia and the Pacific
Blog: The role of data and statistics in advancing the population and sustainable development data
Blog: Safe, regular and orderly migration for inclusion and sustainability
Blog: Promoting intergenerational solidarity for a more inclusive and sustainable Asia and the Pacific
Report: Expert Group Meeting Asia-Pacific Population and Development Report 2023 (13-14 June 2023)
Summary Report: Expert Group Meeting on Population Ageing and Low Fertility (11-12 July 2023)
Watch the history of Asian and Pacific Population Conference here.
Call for proposals of side events
ESCAP member States, relevant stakeholders, United Nations partners, international organizations and others are invited to submit side event proposals by 20 October 2023 at the latest.
Please click here for more information and complete the form.
See full list of side events here
Call for CSOs to participate in the Seventh Asian and Pacific Population Conference
CSOs and youth-led organizations are invited to apply to participate in the Seventh APPC and preparatory CSO and Youth Forums.
Please click here for more information and complete the form. Find a PDF version of the application form here.