| UNFPA in the News: Week of July 5-11,
2003 Africa News reported on July 8th
that it is estimated that about two
million people, in Angola, in the next two to five years will
be
contaminated with the HIV/AIDS virus if young people do not adopt
a
responsible sexual behaviour, said Tuesday an official from the
United
Nations Population Fund Jos Ribeiro. He was speaking at the opening
event to commemorate July 11- international population day, having
informed that at the moment about one million people are HIV
positive,
most of them young and sexually active people.
Read: AllAfrica Stratford Beacon Herald reported on July 10th
that July 11, 2003 is the
United Nations World Population Day. The headline on their Web
site is
One Billion Adolescents are About to Enter Their Reproductive
Years.
Education, which results in more knowledge, more skills and better
income, is a key factor in families choosing to have fewer children.
As
well, education of girls reduces family size, improves family
health,
increases the educational attainment of future generations and
improves
the status of women. On July 11, Business Daily Update reported
on the special events that
were held on July 10 to commemorate World Population Day. Nearly
200
million of the one billion youth in the word live in China. The
events,
held at Renmin University, focused on spreading sexual and reproductive
knowledge. A UNFPA official stated, “many risks could be avoided
if they
had the knowledge and services to make wise choices. Marie Stopes
International opened a special website for young people to openly
discuss emotional problems, sex and reproductive health. Read:
People's Daily On July 11, China Daily and Business Daily
reported on a sexual health
website (www.youandme.net.cn)
targeting young people. The website, believed to be a first in
China, was unveiled at Renmin University
on
World Population Day and is supported by Marie Stopes International.
“It encourages young people to openly discuss love, sex, health
and
responsibility,” said Sang Qing, designer of the website. A UNFPA
representative called on parents and other adults to help in
this
process. Young people need more information and services to improve
their awareness of sexual health.” Most Chinese young people
have
little access to reliable and accurate information on sex because
of
traditional sensitivities about the issue. Read: China
Daily and The Straits Times BBC Monitoring International reported on July
10th that the United
Nations Population Fund has said India's population growth rate
is
declining. UNFPA representative Francois M. Farah told a seminar "
Population Growth and Quality of Life" here Wednesday (9
July) that
India's population growth was lessening as "those coming
into existence
are fewer". "You need a fertility rate slightly above
two to replace
existing population," Farah said, adding that fertility
rate in Kerala
(southern Indian state) had fallen to 1.8 per cent.
On July 11, the Daily Star reported on a UNFPA
sponsored, in cooperation
with the Social Affairs Ministry, gathering for adolescents to
discuss
premarital sex, STI’s and other relevant puberty-related problems.
The
meeting was held to commemorate World Population Day and its
focus on
youth. Roughly 35 teenagers attended the meeting that tackled
issues
that have previously been considered taboo, i.e. procreation
and sexual
diseases. The president of the National Health Program for Procreation
at the Social Affairs Ministry, Joumana Qadi, said “Our job as
local and
public committees is to provide them with the correct information
and
stop them from committing forbidden acts.” Pakistan Press International Information Services,
The Pakistan Newswire
and Xinhua News Agency reported on July 10 that UNFPA has warned
that if
the population of Pakistan keeps increasing with the same pace
the
country would require double resources to maintain the current
life
standards by year 2010. “The relevance of the report to World
Population
Day activities in Pakistan is enormous as it is a comprehensive
review
of the population situation in Pakistan and presents recommendations
for
strategic actions with regard to issues related to population,
reproductive health and gender”, said Mr. Olivier Brasseur,
Representative of UNFPA. The Fund has prepared the report in
consultation with the Government of Pakistan, its stakeholders
and
non-governmental organizations. The Report presents a situational
analysis of the country's current demographic and socio-economic
environment and provides much of the background information for
the
UNFPA, Government of Pakistan Seventh Country Programme document
for
2004-2008, which was finalized early this year. Africa News reported on July 7th that the Social
Development Minister,
Zola Skweyiya, has urged South Africans to join various activities
to
commemorate World Population Day, to highlight the impact poverty,
HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancies and illiteracy have on youth in
the
country. The United Nations Population Fund, the National Youth
Commission as well as other role players are expected to brief
the media
tomorrow about the planned activities for the commemorations.
Also, Dr
Skweyiya and the UNFPA will be informing the youth and other
stake
holders about government's efforts to alleviate the poverty facing
young
people and other social ills. Read: AllAfrica Vietnam News Briefs reported on July 11th that
efforts to give the young
greater access to sex education are to be intensified following
surveys
that show many juveniles, particularly those living in rural
areas, are
ignorant about reproductive health care. This ignorance had resulted
in
high rates of pregnancies and abortions at an early age. Most
of the
youth, especially those in remote and isolated areas, are not
equipped
with practical skills on self-care and reproductive protection.
The
UNFPA says about one third of adolescents in Vietnam have pre-marital
sex. On July 11, The Salt Lake Tribune ran an editorial
urging people to call
their congressmen and urge them to support international access
to
family planning because “over the past 30 years U.S. funding
for
international family planning has declined by more than 40 percent,
even
as world population has increased by 60 percent. The U.S. Congress
can
reverse this trend by supporting efforts to increase our nation's
commitment to international family planning services and programs
coordinated through United States Assistance for International
Development, and returning funding to UNFPA.”
Read: Salt Lake Tribune Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported on July 11th
that as today is World
Population Day, we should consider the following realities, as
described
by officials from the U.N. Population Fund: "Half of the
6.3 billion
people sharing our planet are under the age of 25. Over 1 billion
are
between the ages of 10 and 19 -- the largest youth generation
in human
history. Only 17 percent of sexually active young people use
contraceptives. With limited knowledge about their bodies, adolescents
are vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections, substance
abuse,
exploitation and violence." Read: Herald Tribune On July 11, LizReport.com reported that UNFPA
held a press conference
devoted to World Population Day. Nesim Tumkaya, UNFPA representative,
spoke about adolescents and youth problems the world and Uzbekistan
face. With limited knowledge about their bodies, adolescents
are
vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections, drug abuse, exploitation
and violence. Both girls and boys suffer when denied access to
needed
information and services. “Reproductive health services and factual
information about reproductive health will also help young people
to
avoid risky behavior, unwanted pregnancy and poor health in general," an
official statement of UNFPA Representation office in Uzbekistan
said. YANGON: Myanmar's Population Reaches 52.4 Million Xinhua General News Service reported on July
11th that Myanmar's
population has reached 52. 4 million with 26.3 million women.
Of the
population, the rural accounts for 70 percent, while the urban
takes up
30 percent. The under-14-year age group of the population represents
32.7 percent, while the age group of between 15 and 24 stands
18.1
percent with dependency ratio showing 68.8, it added. Meanwhile,
the
United Nations Population Fund began supporting population activities
in
Myanmar in 1973. There were also interviews in CNN radio and
television, BBC world
service radio and Voice of America television as well as UN radio
in
several languages. Women's Health Weekly reported on July 10th
that more than 2 million
women suffer from a serious complication of pregnancy that can
easily be
cured, and in Africa many risk being ostracized by their families
because of it. The condition, obstetric fistula, is so unpleasant
that
it isn't discussed in many African countries where it is prevalent,
and
as a result the number of girls and women suffering in silence
has
grown. The U.N. Population Fund and the international family
planning
agency EngenderHealth, called for governments that have remained
silent
for too many years to tackle the problem. On July 7, AIDS Vaccine Week ran an article
on how UN leaders, citing
their deep concern for HIV/AIDS growth in Latin America and the
Caribbean, committed to join and expand efforts to curb the disease. "
...We call for immediate action from countries in the Region
and the
international community to prevent the significant demographic
and
socio-impact of the growing epidemic, which will undermine the
realization of major development goals," said a statement
from the Joint
United National Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and its eight co-sponsors,
which includes UNFPA. As part of the statement, UN leaders called
on
increased dialogue, coordinated efforts to mobilize resources,
and
enhanced cooperation. Moreover, they called on leaders in the
region to
strengthen their national responses to the disease and reduce
the
vulnerability of specific populations, i.e. youth. Xinhua General News Service reported on July
8th that the Economic and
Social Council of the United Nations began its general debate
on
coordination Tuesday, where speakers highlighted its pivotal
role in
collaboration and in implementation of major UN goals. The
Vice-President of the Council said increasing the impact of ECOSOC's
work would help advance the achievement of the internationally
agreed
upon development goals. Representatives of the UN Population
Fund and
the International Labor Office also addressed the issue of coordination
at the meeting. Panafrican News Agency reported on July 9th
that Nigeria has shifted its
next population census from 2004 to 2005 due to financial constraints
and other logistic problems. It is the second time the census
would be
shifted after the postponement from 2001 to 2004. Niangoran Essan,
the
UN Population Fund Representative in Nigeria, said in Lagos last
month
that the international community would assist the country with
20
million US dollars for the head count. BBC Monitoring International reported on July
10th that the Korean
Family Planning and Maternal and Child Health Association will
invigorate the provision of family planning and reproductive
health
information and services. Since its inception, it has received
an active
support from the government and regular financial assistance
of the IPPF
from 1995 when it obtained a full membership of the federation.
It has
also been assisted by other international organizations including
the UN
Population Fund. On July 7, PNG Post Courier reported that distributors
of condoms at the
South Pacific Games are selling 20,000 packs a day. The 2003
Safe Games
Campaign is a joint effort by 11 agencies, including UNFPA, to
promote
safe sex. Both the public and the athletes have responded well
to the
campaign. On July 9, All Africa reported that President
Kabbah launched the Sierra
Leone National Youth Policy and Programme of Action. “The launching
of
the National Youth Policy and Program of Action is a clear manifestation
that the government of President Kabbah is determined to create
a level
playing field for youths to actualize their fullest potentials
and to
contribute as good responsible citizens to the development of
the
country.” UNFPA believes that an integral part in national recovery
and
peace building is empowering youth. Read: AllAfrica On July 8, Vietnam News Brief reported that
a recent survey showed that
20,000 Vietnamese teenagers have abortions each year, the highest
in the
world. It also showed that 2.5-8% of youths have sexual relations.
According to a UNFPA report, the use of modern contraception
is very low
among unmarried youth because most women have heard rumors that
the pill
is harmful. Moreover, “the survey stated that young people believe
that
modern contraception is associated with promiscuity and sexual
exploitation, while not using contraceptives, or using traditional
methods of contraception, are associated with trust and true
love.” A
reproductive health program has been approved but the Ministry
of
Education and Training is apprehensive to have the program in
schools. On July 10, 2003, Agence France-Presse reported
that the U.S. Senate
voted to repeal his ban on assistance to international family
planning
groups that fight for the availability of abortion. Senators
rejected a
motion to kill the Boxer Amendment, which has thus been allowed
to
stand. It is attached to a 27-billion-dollar State Department
foreign
aid bill being debated by the chamber. An elated Boxer stated "the
global gag rule" would be unconstitutional if it applied
to family
planning groups in the United States.” Population Connection
President
Peter Kostmayer said "even if you are against abortion,
the fact that we
have been dictating reproductive health policies for women in
developing
countries, without regard to their laws or customs, should demonstrate
just how wrong this policy was," he said. The bill is facing
an uphill
battle in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives
and the
White House warned that the administration would "strongly
oppose" any
amendment that would allow the government to fund abortion advocacy.
The
bill also has a provision restoring 50 million dollars in funding
to the
United Nations Population Fund over a two-year period, according
to
officials.
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