Page 14 - 5th APA Conference Program Book Final

pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and deepened the fissures of

inequality and is driving vulnerable households back into poverty. The emerging

challenges of COVID-19 pose significant threats to all sectors. Rising cases and deaths,

surging variants and renewed restrictions indicate that the pandemic will continue to

dictate adjustments throughout all walks of life.

The COVID-19 impacts are not necessarily similar across all countries. In some

countries, there are fears of an escalation in unintended pregnancies and unchecked

fertility, while in others, there is further reduced fertility. Tragically, maternal deaths as

well as COVID-19 related deaths are extremely high in many countries. I urge you to

explore how this unprecedented pandemic has reshaped demographic profiles and

transitions and will impact policies going forward.

Older persons, migrants, people with disabilities, and many women and young

people are particularly vulnerable to being denied access to essential services and

social protection, entrenching poverty and perpetuating inequality. Specific measures

are urgently needed to provide universal access to health care and social protection,

economic safety nets and resilience building. Proactive planning based on population

and vulnerability analyses, and large investments in resilience to protect the

development gains amid a fragile COVID-economic recovery are needed to build

forward better, towards a more resilient, inclusive future; if we are to achieve the

International Conference on Population and Development’s (ICPD) Programme of

Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, of leaving no one behind

and reaching the furthest behind first.

Population issues and sexual and reproductive health and rights are at the heart of

UNFPA’s mandate. UNFPA is committed to supporting the sharing of population

related best practices, innovative research and up-to-date evidence to inform policies

and interventions particularly benefiting vulnerable populations. These must be

informed by high quality data and analysis. We are delighted to be working with APA,

who, as thought leaders in the population field, are bringing together experts from

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