South Africa has called for renewed global cooperation to advance dignity, equality and sustainable development, as world leaders gather to address the challenges of a rapidly changing global landscape.
Delivering the country statement at the 59th session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development (CPD59) in New York, Steve Letsike, Deputy Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, stressed the importance of collective global action in addressing the complex interconnectedness of population dynamics, technology and development.
“We are working together and convening this important session, guided by the Program of Action and the Living Global Compact, which advances our shared pursuit of dignity, equality and sustainable development,” Letsike said on Monday.
Held under the theme: “Population, Technology and Research in the Context of Sustainable Development”, the session provides a platform for countries to share national experiences and policy approaches.
Letsike highlighted that demographic shifts, inequality and rapid technological change are reshaping development pathways globally and within South Africa.
He said these challenges are deeply rooted in lived realities shaped by enduring legacies of apartheid, patriarchy and economic exclusion.
South Africa is characterized by a young population, with a median age of 28 years, and an increasingly aging demographic underscoring the need for inclusive, life-cycle-based development strategies, he said.
“It reminds us that development cannot be fragmented – it must be based on human dignity across the entire life cycle,” he said.
The Deputy Minister described South Africa's response as well-thought-out and inclusive, based on intergenerational justice, which reflects the country's constitutional commitment to genuine equality. This includes addressing inequalities related to race, class, gender, culture, disability, geography and sexuality.
He stressed that population issues are closely linked to broader questions of governance, knowledge creation and access to technology, and the risk of exclusion in an increasingly digital world.
“Our response as a government is focused on investing in human capacity and capital, while ensuring that no one is left behind,” Letsike said, highlighting initiatives to increase women's participation in science, technology, innovation and research.
South Africa is also using technology to improve service delivery, strengthen governance and expand access to essential services.
Letsyke pointed to legislative frameworks such as data protection and cybercrime laws aimed at protecting users, especially vulnerable groups, in an increasingly digital world.
The Deputy Minister warned about the dangers posed by harmful online trends, calling for coordinated, human rights-based responses to protect users while pursuing development.
He reaffirmed that sexual and reproductive health and rights are at the center of the country's population agenda, which he described as “non-negotiable.”
“We consider bodily autonomy, access to information and reproductive justice fundamental to development,” he said.
Contributing to global development efforts under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa continues to share its development experiences both domestically and across the African continent.
In closing, Letsike called for renewed investment in research, data and innovation, universal access to sexual and reproductive health services, urgent efforts to bridge the digital divide, and ethical governance of technology to protect human rights.
“We are committed to working with all partners in the spirit of solidarity, equality and sustainability to ensure that technology serves humanity and that no one, no community, is left behind,” he said.
The week-long CPD59 is led by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which is co-hosting a series of high-impact signature side events focused on how innovative technology and data-driven research are revolutionizing approaches to population dynamics.
The expected outcomes of the session include the adoption of key resolutions, determining the theme for CPD61 and finalizing the CPD60 agenda. – sanews.gov.za