Shaheen, Duckworth Introduce First Senate Resolution to Mark 30th Anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, Reaffirming Goals of Achieving Reproductive Health for Women and Girls Across the Globe

(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), the only women on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today introduced a resolution recognizing 30 years since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)—organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)—in Cairo, Egypt, and reaffirming the importance of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care for women and girls across the globe. This effort marks the first U.S. Senate resolution to recognize the landmark conference and calls on the administration to fully implement the National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality. A companion bill is being led in the House of Representatives by Congresswomen Barbara Lee (D-CA), Lois Frankel (D-FL) and Grace Meng (D-NY).

“Reproductive rights are human rights, and the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development is an important reminder of both how far we have come and how far we have yet to go to ensure sexual and reproductive rights for all,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m proud to introduce the first Senate resolution to recognize U.S. leadership for this groundbreaking event that firmly established the intrinsic importance of comprehensive reproductive care.”

“I’m proud to be a strong and consistent voice for protecting reproductive rights and freedom, and for continuing to advance the United States’ leadership in realizing these rights for people around the world,” said Senator Duckworth. “As we’ve seen reproductive freedom ripped from Americans, it’s more critical than ever to recommit to reproductive health and rights for all. I’m proud to introduce this resolution alongside my colleagues to reiterate our support for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health rights and to recognize the 30th Anniversary of the ICPD.”

Full text of the resolution can be found here.

Senator Shaheen is a fierce advocate for women and girls in the United States and around the globe. Shaheen has prioritized issues to empower women, which include advocating on behalf of family planning and women’s global health, spearheading efforts to end violence against women, empowering female entrepreneurs and breaking down barriers to education. Shaheen is also an outspoken advocate for women and girls in conflict settings, including Afghan women and other groups vulnerable and Hamas’ use of sexual and gender-based violence in its horrendous attacks on October 7, 2023. 

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