In 1994, 179 countries gathered in Cairo for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The nations agreed that two-thirds of the US$17 billion annually required to provide basic reproductive healthcare to all women should be financed by developing countries. They also agreed that the developed (or donor) countries should finance the other third.

With adequate funding, these governments agreed, during the 1999 ICPD+5 review process, to meet the following benchmarks:

• by 2005, 60% of primary healthcare and family planning facilities should offer a full range of reproductive health services including safe and effective voluntary family planning methods, essential obstetric care including maternal health and assisted child-birthing, prevention and management of reproductive tract infections, including STDs and especially HIV/AIDS, and barrier methods to prevent infection; by 2015, 100% should do so



• by 2005, 40% of all births should be assisted by skilled attendants in countries where the maternal mortality rate is very high, and 80% globally; by 2015, 60% and 90% respectively



• by 2015, reproductive healthcare should be universally available



• by 2005, HIV infection rates in persons 15 to 24 years of age should be reduced by 25% in the most affected countries



• by 2010 reduce HIV infection rates by 25% globally



• by 2005, halve the 1990 illiteracy rate for women and girls



• by 2010, increase to 90% the net primary school enrollment ratio for children of both sexes