The Department of Social Development will host the review of the implementation of South Africa’s population policy conference.

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu will address the conference that will get underway on Tuesday at the Maropeng Centre at the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage site in Gauteng.

The gathering will bring together 300 participants representing diverse sectors including young people, the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, civil society organisations and academics.

In a statement on Sunday the department said the conference aims to assess progress made in implementing the policy which was developed to include population concerns in development planning.

The conference will focus on the priorities of the Population Policy approved by Cabinet in 2015.

Held under the theme: “Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities", the conference will evaluate progress made and the relevance of the policy after 25 years and make recommendations to Cabinet in 2024.

The conference will be preceded by the commemoration of the World Population Day, which is globally recognized on 11 July.

“Some of the discussions for the conference will include a panel discussion on the role of young fathers in raising children, why adolescents should be a priority and government support initiatives advancing the 1.8 billion campaign and agenda.

“The Minister will also launch the State of the World Population 2023 report focusing on the empowerment of women and girls,” the department said.

The conference will conclude on Thursday, 13 July.

Source: South African Government News Agency