Dispatches - February 2007
UNFPA’s Executive Director to Discuss Gender, Governance and Growth in Africa at High-Level Conference in Berlin
BERLIN — This week UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid joins a group of distinguished panelists to discuss Gender, Governance and Growth in Africa at the conference ‘Women’s Economic Empowerment as Smart Economics: A Dialogue on Policy Options’. The discussion, which takes place on 22 and 23 February, is organized by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in cooperation with the World Bank Group, the OECD Development Assistance Committee, the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
The organizers have invited leading representatives from finance and industry to discuss ways of achieving the World Bank Group’s Gender Action Plan, which aims to increase women's economic participation and access to key positions in the economy. The Gender Action Plan was launched in September 2006 and is to be implemented over four years.
The conference unites a broad range of high level speakers, including, among many others, Dr Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, European Commission, and Antoinette Sayeh, Minister of Finance of Liberia.
Germany currently holds the Presidency of the European Union (see story).
Click here to read the programme.
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UNFPA’s Executive Director discusses Economic Empowerment of Women in Copenhagen
COPENHAGEN — UNFPA’s Executive Director, Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, and the Danish Minister for International Development Cooperation, Ulla Tørnæs, met today to discuss women’s economic empowerment. The meeting offered a preview of what Denmark and UNFPA will focus on when they meet with other key development actors at the high-level conference: “Women’s Economic Empowerment as Smart Economics: A Dialogue on Policy Options” in Berlin later this week.
- See Also: Invitation (in Danish)
German EU Presidency Focuses on Many of UNFPA’s Priority Issues
BRUSSELS – Germany will preside over the European Union from 1 January until 30 June 2007 under the theme “Europe – succeeding together”.
Germany is the first country to work closely with the two following presidencies: Portugal and Slovenia. The three countries have agreed on an 18-month programme to lend continuity to the work done during their individual 6-month terms.
Their joint programme on development policy, “Strengthening the European Union’s Role as a Global Partner for Development” will address several of UNFPA’s priority issues, including the situation of women and children in armed conflicts, migration, sexually transmitted diseases, and women's rights and gender equality.
In the development cooperation sector, Germany will use its simultaneous G8 and EU Presidencies to sharpen the focus on Africa, especially by strengthening the role of African women in the development process and enhancing gender equality. Regarding the implementation of the EU-Africa strategy, particular attention will be given to HIV/AIDS initiatives.
In order to tackle demographic change and to enhance equal opportunities, the Presidency plans to increase attention on older people as well as youth, including disadvantaged young people on the job market.
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International Symposium on Sexual Violence in Conflict and Beyond |
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UNFPA to Participate in Debate on MDG 6 and Africa
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GENT — On 17 February, Ivan Hermans, Senior External relations and Policy Advisor, UNFPA Brussels Office, will join a range of distinguished Flemish speakers in a debate on Millennium Development Goal 6 and Africa: "Is de Millenniumdoelstelling Nr.6 “Bestrijding van HIV/AIDS, malaria…” in Afrika wel haalbaar?".
The debate, hosted by Mondiaal Nieuws ("MO*"), will take place at the auditorium at I.C.C., Citadelpark, Gent, Belgium, beginning at 14h in the context of the Belgian initiative "Africa Matters". For more information (in Dutch), click here.
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UNFPA Brussels Office |
Experts on Obstetric Fistula meet Members of the European Parliament in Brussels
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BRUSSELS — Véronique Mathieu MEP, vice chair of the Working Group on Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS and Development in the European Parliament (EPWG), hosted the special session ‘Obstetric Fistula – Ending the Silent Suffering’ in the European Parliament. It attracted Members of the European Parliament, as well as representatives from the European institutions, embassies and NGOs, and thus brought the issue to a variety of decision-makers and stakeholders.
In her keynote speech, Ms. Mathieu shared how she first heard about fistula in the context of her field trip to Ethiopia in May 2006. Dr. Gloria Esegbona, a UK-based gynaecologist, who was a volunteer fistula repair surgeon during the Nigerian ‘Fistula Fortnight’, confronted the participants with the cruel physical reality of obstetric fistula and illustrated what it means to the women who suffer from it. The Nigerian student Fatima Lawal Aliyu, who had developed fistula following five days of obstructed labour in 2000, shared her own experiences as a young woman living with the problem. The UNFPA Representative in Ethiopia, Dr. Monique Rakotomalala, presented the global Campaign to End Fistula, launched by UNFPA and partners in 2003. The event concluded with a lively discussion between audience and panellists and presentation of a written declaration on obstetric fistula, that parliamentarians were invited to sign.
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UNFPA’s Executive Director to Meet with Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation
STOCKHOLM — UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid will meet with Ministers from Sweden’s newly elected Government as well as representatives from local NGOs and the civil society on 6-7 February. A meeting with Gunilla Carlsson, the Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation, is scheduled to discuss UNFPA issues, UN Reforms and the important linkage between reproductive health and rights and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Sweden is a generous contributor to UNFPA. The Swedish Government, led by Fredrik Reinfeldt (Moderate Party) considers reproductive health and rights as one of Sweden’s priority areas within development policy, and considers UNFPA to be playing a leading role in relation to issues like young people and sexuality, gender equality and the participation of men in these issues.
Over the past five years, Sweden has doubled its contributions to UNFPA. In 2006, Sweden donated more than $55 million, becoming the second largest donor to UNFPA.
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Sweden’s international policy on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (PDF) |
