The Secretary-General”s Envoy on Youth, Ahmad Alhendawi, is currently on his first official visit to Sweden. In addition to meeting with representatives of the Government of Sweden and numerous youth organisations, Alhendawi is in Stockholm to participate in the Sixth international parliamentarians’ conference on the implementation of the ICPD (International Conference on Population and Development; #IPCI2014) Programme of Action.

During the first day of the three-day conference, speakers included Chair of the Swedish All Party Parliamentary Group on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Member of the Swedish Parliament Ulrika Karlsson, Speaker of the riksdag H.E. Per Westerberg, Executive Director of UNFPA Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation H.E. Hillevi Engström, and Baroness Jenny Tonge of the UK’s House of Lords. Professor Hans Rosling also gave a lively “graphic view of the dramatic disparities of global reproductive patterns,” followed by questions and answers from the over 200 gathered Members of Parliament from all over the world.

Group photo of the over 200 MPs from around the world gathered in Stockholm.

Group photo of the over 200 MPs from around the world gathered in Stockholm.

In the evening, the Swedish UN Association together with UNFPA presented the photo exhibit “Too Young to Wed,” hosted by the Photographic Museum in Stockholm. The exhibit, which is currently touring the world with a brief stop in the Swedish capital, illustrates the horrific fact that child marriage affects one in three girls in the developing world (excluding China), predominantly impacting the poorest, least educated girls, the majority of whom live in rural areas. The exhibit, with photos taken by Stephanie Sinclair, remains open until 18 May.

From the exhibit "Too young to wed," with photos by Stephanie Sinclair.

From the exhibit “Too young to wed,” with photos by Stephanie Sinclair.