ACT Alliance regrets the lack of agreed consensus at the 59th Session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD59). As has happened too often in the recent past, the Commission– whose theme this year was Population, Technology and Research in the Context of Sustainable Development– failed to adopt an outcome document.
Echoing the challenges that occurred during the Commission on the Status of Women last month, the negotiations around CPD took place in a highly polarised environment, culminating in the opposition by several delegations to the text proposed by the Co-Facilitators. Points of contention included objection to crucial concepts like Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and gender equality.
Against a backdrop of regression and distrust, ACT Alliance and its members stood strong to call for a human-rights based and gender-transformative approach to technology, affirm the dignity of gender diverse people, and recognize the diversity of families and lived realities within our communities. This commitment is grounded in a transformative faith lived out in practice through communities striving for justice, inclusion, and dignity for all.
Looking ahead, ACT Alliance will continue to engage with partners from Member States, the feminist movement and communities of faith to push back against regression, against marginalization and against exclusion.
Bodily autonomy is a sacred dimension of human dignity, affirming women as agents with ethical responsibility, endowed with conscience, wisdom, and the capacity for discernment. The historic denial of this autonomy is not accidental, but rooted in patriarchy, colonial theology, and the entanglement of religious authority with state power, which reduced women to prescribed reproductive roles.
Quotes:
Karin Hugsén, Policy Adviser for SRHR, ACT Church of Sweden: “At a time when sexual and reproductive health and rights are increasingly contested, it is essential that faith actors who support human rights are visible in these spaces. Through ACT Alliance, we bring the voices of communities of faith who believe in dignity, gender justice, and the right of every person to access information and services, including comprehensive sexuality education, so they can make informed decisions about their bodies and futures.”
Rev. Amy Johnson, UCC Minister for Sexuality Education & Justice, United Church of Christ: “Now, more than ever, faith voices that support SRHR and gender justice must be in the room and offering statements, regardless of the outcome. We must continue to lift our faithful voices for justice for all people, and for just systems that serve everyone, especially the most vulnerable among us. We will continue to work for a just world for all.”
Elaine Neuenfeldt, Gender Justice Programme Manager, ACT Alliance: “Bodily autonomy is a sacred dimension of human dignity, affirming women as agents with ethical responsibility, endowed with conscience, wisdom, and the capacity for discernment. The historic denial of this autonomy is not accidental, but rooted in patriarchy, colonial theology, and the entanglement of religious authority with state power, which reduced women to prescribed reproductive roles. Faith, however, calls women to accountable decision‑making shaped by prayer, lived experience, and care for life and community, honouring their capacity to make decisions about their own bodies and lives.”
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Media contact:
Simon Chambers
Head of Communications, ACT Alliance
