| UNFPA IN THE NEWS – DECEMBER 13-19, 2003 AFRICA: Africa Invests in Family Planning to Reduce Poverty Xinhua General News Service reported December 17 that UNFPA welcomed the strong appeal of African experts
for greater investments in population programs, commitment to poverty reduction and economic development on the continent.
"This is a clear stand by African experts on the actions that are vital to poverty reduction and development in their continent," said
Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA's Executive Director. "Evidence from Asia and Latin America already shows that countries that invest more
in education and health, including reproductive health and family planning, have advantages that contribute significantly to economic growth,
and reduce poverty," she added. ASIA: Conference on Water and Population Vietnam News Briefs’ December 15 story reported water and population in Asia were the main topics of the 19th Asian
Parliamentarians Meeting on Population and Development held on December 14-15 in Ho Chi Minh City. The conference was attended by
parliamentarians from 19 countries and representatives from various international organizations, including Kayoko Shimizu, Vice President of the
Asian Population and Development Association; Yoshio Yatsu, President of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians for Population and Development;
Shuyun Xu, UNFPA's Asia-Pacific Department Director; and Raji Karim, Director of International Planned Parenthood. Read: Vietnam News Briefs ASIA: KPMG Malaysia Handles Internal Revenue Audit Review The Malaysia Star (Malaysia) reported
December 15 that KPMG Malaysia has won the contract to execute
the internal audit review of UNDP and UNFPA offices in 41 countries
in the Asia Pacific and Arab states. Read: The
Star ETHIOPIA AND UNITED STATES: Global Gag Rule Blamed for Abortion Deaths The San Francisco Chronicle (CA) reported
December 12 that most family planning groups in Ethiopia condemn
the U.S. policy banning abortion referrals and services by federally
funded agencies, the "global gag rule," saying it could not have
come at a worse time for Ethiopian women. "Hospitals tell us they
still see many deaths from illegal abortions," said Amare Bedada,
Executive Director of the Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia.
"If we are going to keep women healthy and alive, we have to provide
abortion-related advice." The story also noted African women have
a 1 in 16 chance of dying while pregnant, according to a report
released last month by the World Health Organization, the United
Nations Population Fund and UNICEF. Read: San Francisco
Chronicle GHANA: Adults Need to Guide Youth The Independent (Ghana) reported December
16 that UNFPA representative in Ghana, Moses Mukasa, has reiterated
the need for adults to help young people to make a healthy transition
to adulthood. He said that would be the only way of increasing
opportunities for education and livelihoods. Mukasa observed that
“this is the most important investment, a society can make in
its future development and the most important long-term strategy
to reduce poverty.” The UNFPA representative made the observation
in a speech read on his behalf at a sensitization workshop for
Family Law Students of the Ghana School of Law dubbed the “Legal
and Policy Framework for Adolescent Reproductive Rights in Ghana.”
Read: The
Independent GHANA: Facts about FGM The Ghanaian Chronicle reported December
17 that UNFPA recently funded a study conducted by Rural Help
Integrated, a NGO providing reproductive health care services
in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The study found that female
genital mutilation or female genital cutting had been performed
on 36 percent of the Upper East Region’s female population and
estimated that between 9 and 12 percent of Ghanaian women nationwide
had undergone the procedure. Read: The Ghanaian
Chronicle INDIA: Monitoring Crimes against Women The Hindustan Times (India) reported
December 15 that a surveillance system for crime against women
in Madhya Pradesh would soon go online, with the police department
deciding to install a special software for registration and monitoring.
The software has already come out successful on the pilot scale
implementation in four districts and is ready to be installed
at all 48 districts of the state. The software has been developed
and is being installed with the technical support of UNFPA, under
the Integrated Population and Development Project being implemented
by the state's Department of Public Health and Family Welfare.
Read: Hindustan
Times PAKISTAN AND UNITED KINGDOM: Britain Extends Funding for Promoting Contraception Use in Pakistan Agence France-Presse reported December 13 that
Britain has extended a grant of 7.5 million pounds ($12.75 million)
for promoting contraceptive use in Pakistan. The grant is meant
to enable UNFPA to acquire contraceptives for a period of five
years and distribute them in Pakistani markets at subsidized rates
to encourage wider use, it said in a statement. Xinhua General
News Service also noted in a December 13 story the grant donated
by Britain is the result of a joint effort by the British Department
for International Development, UNFPA, USAID and the Pakistani
government to increase the use of contraceptives through subsidized
social marketing programs in the country. This unprecedented effort
will contribute to the decrease of maternal mortality and to the
acceleration of the fertility transition process in Pakistan,
where population growth, the highest in Asia, has a major negative
impact on economic development. Read: Agence France-Presse,
Pakistan Tribune
Pakistan Link reported December 17
that Pakistan would welcome international donors' assistance for
its National Program on Population Welfare and HIV/AIDS said Finance
Minister Shaukat Aziz during a meeting with Dr. Nafis Sadiq, Special
Envoy of UN on Population Welfare. Read: Pakistan
Link PAKISTAN: Government Launches Comprehensive Program for HIV/AIDS Prevention Pak News (Pakistan) reported December
18 that Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali said at a meeting
with United Nation's Secretary General on HIV/AIDS in Asia Dr.
Nafis Sadik that despite limited resources, the government has
launched a comprehensive program for HIV/AIDS prevention with
the assistance of the World Bank at a cost of Rs 2.85 billion.
The meeting was also attended by Director Country and Regional
Support team UNAIDS HQ, Geneva, Michelle Sidbie, Director General
Health, Maj. Gen. (R) Muhammad Aslam Khan, UNFPA country representative,
Olivier Braseur and National Manager, National AIDS Control Programme,
Dr. Asma Bokhari. Read: Pak News VIETNAM: Funding to Development Programs Vietnam News Briefs reported December 19 that thirteen UN agencies have
pledged to finance a total of $61 million for Viet Nam's socio-economic development programs next year.
The story mentioned UNFPA has committed $5 million next year for improving the efficiency of reproductive
health services and raising the national capacity in monitoring and evaluating population policies. Apart from working
closely with the Vietnamese Government and domestic non-governmental organizations, the UNFPA
will boost cooperation with international donors and international NGOs. Read: Vietnam News Briefs
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