Expert group meeting on mortality: Priorities for improved survival: ICPD beyond 2014

Overview

The Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) organized an expert group meeting on priorities for improved survival. The meeting took place at the United Nations in New York from 21 to 22 October 2013.

The Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), adopted in Cairo in 1994, was a landmark document that affirmed the inextricable linkages between population, development and human rights. A Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly would be held in September 2014 to assess the status of implementation of the Programme of Action and to renew consensus and global commitment towards its goals and objectives. This expert group meeting brought together experts to reflect on progress and challenges toward achieving the survival goals that were set out in the ICPD Programme of Action. The meeting discussed the opportunities and challenges in further reducing mortality beyond 2014 as well as in the post-2015 development agenda.

Joint with Expert Group Meeting on Fertility, Changing Population Trends and Development: Implications for the Future

Opening session

• John Wilmoth, Director, Population Division. Opening remarks

Overview of  trends in mortality and fertility since ICPD

• Cheryl Sawyer, Mortality Section, Population Division. Overview of world mortality trends since ICPD
• Vladimira Kantorova, Fertility and Family Planning Section, Population Division. Overview of world fertility trends since ICPD

Session 1: a. Priorities for the reduction of child mortality and infectious disease mortality beyond 2014

• Barney Cohen, Population Division. Moderator

• Sara Hertog, Population Division. Decomposing global disparities in life expectancy, with an emphasis on infectious causes of death

• Kenneth Hill, Harvard University. Challenges and opportunities for further reductions in infant and child mortality

• Rene Ekpini, UNICEF. Discussant

b. Priorities in women's health

• Barney Cohen, Population Division. Moderator

• Suzanne Petroni, International Center for Research on Women. Improving the health of women and adolescents: An unfinished agenda 
• Adrienne Germain, President Emerita, International Women’s Health Coalition. Discussant

c. Priorities for reducing non-communicable disease mortality and mortality at older ages 

• Jorge Bravo, Population Division. Moderator

• Sanjay Basu, Stanford University. The changing landscape of non-communicable diseases and associated risk factors

• Alberto Palloni, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Longevity in the twenty-first century: How long is the tug of the past?

• Karen Sealey, World Health Organization. Discussant

d. Effective policy and programme approach to improve health

• Victor Gaigbe-Togbe, Population Division. Moderator

• William Dow, University of California, Berkeley. Incentivizing use of health care 

• Rachel Nugent, University of Washington. Effective policy and programme approaches to promoting health lifestyles

• Jean Christophe Fotso, Concern Worldwide, U.S. Discussant

Closing session of day one

• Barney Cohen, Population Division. Moderator

Joint with Expert Group Meeting on fertility, changing population trends andd development: Implications for the future

Summaries and interactive discussions

• Experts: Alberto Palloni, University of Wisconsin, Madison; and Monica Das Gupta, University of Maryland. Key challenges and opportunities for further progress in improving life Expectancy and responding to implications of fertility trends for the Global development agenda

• John Wilmoth, Population Division. Moderator 

     Interactive discussion

• Experts: Kirsty Newman, DFID, by videolink; and Hans Rosling, Gapminder Foundation. Perspectives on how to improve accessibility and utilization of data and evidence by policymakers    

• Francesca Perucci, Population Division. Moderator

• John Wilmoth, Director, Population Division. Conclusions and future directions

Presentations

• Cheryl Sawyer, Population Division/DESA, United Nations. Overview of world mortality trends since ICPD

• Kenneth Hill (Harvard University). Further Reductions in Infant and Child Mortality: Opportunities and Challenges

• Sara Hertog, Population Division/DESA, United Nations. Decomposing global disparities in life expectancy

• Alberto Palloni, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Longevity in the 21st Century: The tug of the past

• Sanjay Basu, Stanford University. The changing landscape of NCDs & risk factors

• Rachel Nugent, University of Washington. Promoting Healthy Lifestyles: What Works?

• William Dow, University of California-Berkeley. Incentivizing Use of Health Care

• Alberto Palloni, University of Wisconsin, Madison.  Summary: Key findings and implications of mortality trends for the global development agenda 

Expert papers

• No. 2013/10 - The changing landscape of non-communicable diseases and associated risk factors 

• No. 2013/11 – Challenges and opportunities for further reductions in infant and child mortality 

• No. 2013/12 – Improving the health of women and adolescents: An unfinished agenda 

• No. 2013/13 – Incentivizing use of health care 

• No. 2013/15 – Longevity in the twenty-first century: How strong is the tug of the past?