The year 2019 marks two important milestones in the field of reproductive health: 50 years since UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, began operations, and 25 years since the landmark International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo.

Dr Natalia Kanem will discuss the remarkable gains in sexual and reproductive health and rights since 1969, and point to the remaining economic, social, institutional and other barriers that prevent women, girls and young people from making their own decisions and fulfilling their potential.

Dr Kanem will share her vision for the pursuit of rights and choices worldwide, present findings from UNFPA’s “State of the World Population 2019” report, and offer some examples of progress and challenges in a number of Pacific countries.

This lecture forms part of the Mitchell Oration series, which was created to provide a forum at which the most pressing development issues can be addressed by the best minds and most influential practitioners of our time. The lecture is presented by the Development Policy Centre at Crawford School of Public Policy, with generous support from the Harold Mitchell Foundation, and in partnership with the United Nations Association of Australia.

The 2019 Mitchell Oration will be live streamed. Access to the livestream is available here.

Register Here.