The virtual workplace Right To Decide is an initiative that was taken during the conference 'Cairo and Beyond: Reproductive Rights and Culture' that took place in Amsterdam on 7-9 March 2004.

Cairo and Beyond
After two days of intensive discussions Agnes van Ardenne, Dutch Minister of International Cooperation, and Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director UNFPA, reaffirmed their commitment and co-operation to implement the Programme of Action that was adopted at the International Conference of Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo in 1994.

Turning Point
Van Ardenne and Obaid acknowledged that much progress had been achieved during the past decade to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality. However, challenges remain. In the next ten years the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action must be sped up in order to fulfil the aspirations of women, men and adolescents worldwide for better health, education and quality of life. The Millennium Development Goals, particularly the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, cannot be achieved if sexual and reproductive health and rights are not addressed. 'Cairo and Beyond: Reproductive Rights and Culture' is regarded as a turning point.

Exchange of practices and views
One of the agreements of this conference is the development of this website into a virtual work place to enable a global network to continue our conversations on reproductive rights and culture. This virtual work place will provide an open forum for the permanent exchange of best practices and views.

Themes
In order not to approach the wide field of reproductive rights and health all at once the themes that are started with are Youth and Conflict. Over the coming months more themes will be added.