The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will convene the Seventh Asian and Pacific Population Conference (APPC) from 15 to 17 November 2023.
With 60 per cent of the world’s population living in Asia and the Pacific, the conference will serve as a crucial platform to delve into the intersection of population dynamics and sustainable development, discussing key demographic trends in the region and the required policy interventions to capitalize on these opportunities.
In the wake of significant strides and progress over the past decades - including with regard to health, poverty eradication, sanitation, nutrition and education - the region now stands at a crossroads. Emerging demographic trends, such as population ageing, low fertility and increased migration, coupled with the challenges of socio-economic inequalities and vulnerabilities, and the impact of climate change, disasters, conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic and digital transformation increase the need for countries to take urgent action.
The conference will also provide 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.
NOTE TO EDITOR: Members of the media are invited to attend in-person or via the online webcast. A media engagement session with ESCAP and UNFPA principals will be held on 15 November at 1100 – 1130hrs.
What: The Seventh Asian and Pacific Population Conference
When: 15 – 17 November 2023
Where: United Nations Conference Centre, Ratchadamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok
Register for in-person accreditation: https://indico.un.org/event/1005445/
Multimedia Assets: https://trello.com/b/cvdW1RQk/appc7
Watch online: www.youtube.com/unescap
Key speakers
- Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP
- H.E. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Social Development and Human Security Thailand
- Diene Keita, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director (Programme), UNFPA
- Gita Sen, Senior Advisor and Distinguished Professor Ramalingaswami Centre on Equity and Social Determinants of Health, Public Health Foundation of India
- Naohiro Ogawa, Visiting Fellow, Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), Japan
- Stuart Gietel-Basten, Professor of Social Science, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, United Arab Emirates
- Laisa Bulatale, Team Leader – Gender and Transitional Justice Programme, Fiji Women's Rights Movement
- Sadikshya Aryal, Co-founder, Himalayan Innovations Nepal
- Fingani A. Mphande-Nyasulu, Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Thailand
- Shireen Jejeebhoy, Visiting Distinguished Faculty, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), India
- Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Director General of Health Services Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka
- Paul Ong, Chief Strategy Officer, Tsao Foundation, Singapore
- Sivananthi Thanenthiran, Executive Director, Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women Malaysia
- Balqais Yusoff, Head of Strategy Management, Employees Provident Fund Malaysia
- Rey Asis, Programme Coordinator, Asia-Pacific Mission for Migrants, Hong Kong, China
- Hon. Michael Kirby, Former Judge of the High Court, Australia
- Bandana Rana, Member of the United Nations Committee on the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Nepal
- H.E. Noemí Ruth Espinoza Madrid, Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative of Honduras to the United Nations and Chair, 57th session of the Commission on Population and Development
- Mengjun Tang, Senior Research Fellow, China Population and Development Research Center
- Paata Shavishvili, Deputy Executive Director, National Statistics Office of Georgia, Georgia
- Dorodi Sharma, Senior Advisor - Advocacy and Engagement, International Development Association
- John Wilmoth, Director, Population Division, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
- Pio Smith, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific UNFPA
- Alia El-Yassir, Regional Director, UN Women, Asia-Pacific Regional Office