WCC NEWS: WCC participates in 58th Session of United Nations Commission on Population and Development

The World Council of Churches participated in the 58th session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development. 58th Session of United Nations Commission on Population and Development 24 April 2025 The theme focused on health and wellbeing for all ages within the framework of the International Conference on Population and Development. The five-day session included discussions on maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, demographic transitions, and universal health coverage. The commission highlighted the interconnection between population dynamics, sustainable development, and human rights, drawing on the principles established by the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action adopted in 1994. A number of WCC member churches engaged, including through a virtual panel, hosted by the United Church of Christ, that focused on "Our Whole Lives" (OWL), a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum. The panel featured speakers from various regions discussing how religious communities can provide age-appropriate, values-based sexuality education while respecting cultural contexts. Panel participants, including representatives from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, shared about proven methods for adapting educational materials to local settings while maintaining core faith values like dignity and responsibility.  In another session, Pascale Allotey, World Health Organization director for Sexual and Reproductive Health, spoke about how fragmented healthcare service delivery erodes public trust, citing the need to integrate psychological care into postnatal healthcare planning as an example. She concluded, “When people must navigate multiple systems to access care that should be wholistic, they are more likely to disengage altogether.”  Despite constructive dialogue throughout the session, delegates were unable to reach consensus on a final resolution, with disagreements arising over references to sexual and reproductive health rights and challenges to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland