To capitalize on the momentum generated by the Cairo Declaration of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in the Arab States, held in 2013, ESCWA, through this project, focused on strengthening the capacity for a cohesive, multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder approach to initiating and shaping population and development policies in selected countries in the Arab region.

The project contributed to policy changes that resulted in a national multi-stakeholder dialogue on a draft migration strategy in one country, and commitment at the highest political level for the inclusion of a strategy on ageing and older persons in the government programme of another. In a third country, the project led to a better understanding of the socioeconomic needs of older persons and work on the development of a cohesive and integrated policy for older persons. In a fourth country, the project provided support for work on reforming school curricula and materials to encourage vocational education, innovation and entrepreneurship among young people as a means to address youth unemployment.

Project implementing entities also focused on encouraging peer learning at the regional level. In that regard, and in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund and the League of Arab States, ESCWA organized the Arab Regional Conference on Population and Development: Five Years after the 2013 Cairo Declaration, which served to review the progress made with regard to the objectives of the Declaration.