| UNFPA
IN THE NEWS – SEPTEMBER 27-OCTOBER 10, 2003 Compiled by Communications
Consortium Media Center
Coverage on The
State of the World Population 2003: Making 1 Billion
Count: Investing in Adolescents’Health and Rights spanned
the world from Mozambique to Bulgaria and from Sri Lanka
to Canada. An October 10 story by Inter Press Service reported
October 8 that the international community is being blamed
for neglecting the social and economic needs of the largest
generation of adolescents in history –about 1.2 billion
out of a world population of 6.0 billion –who will
soon enter adulthood.
UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed
Obaid said that this year's UNFPA report is a "wake-up call" to listen to young people
and acknowledge their needs. "It's a wake-up call to increase
funding and expand information and services to young people.
It is a wake-up call to support them so that they can lead healthy,
productive and dignified lives," she added.
The Jakarta Post (Indonesia) noted that
a lack of knowledge about sex, reproductive health and illegal
drugs has put Indonesian
adolescents at risk, while data by UNFPA shows that 23.5 percent
of the country's adolescents have no idea what HIV/AIDS is.
In
Mozambique, UNFPA representative, Petra Lantz, said that Mozambique
should give full priority to investments in sexual
and reproductive health for young people, pointing out that these
investments "are the determining factors for future development
and progress," according to an October 9 story by the Agencia
de Informacao de Mocambique.
Africa:
East
African Standard (Kenya), The Monitor (Uganda), Addis
Tribune (Ethiopia) This Day (Nigeria), Agencia
de Informacao de Mocambique (Mozambique), BuaNews (South
Africa), SAPA (South
African Press Association), UN
IRIN
Asia:
Japan Economic Newswire, Joong
Ang Daily (North Korea), BusinessWorld (Philippines), Straits
Times (Singapore), Jakarta
Post (Indonesia), The
Economic Times (India) Times
of India, The New Nation (Bangladesh), Matamat (Bangladesh), The
News International (Pakistan), Daily News (Sri Lanka)
Europe:
BBC News, Radio Free
Europe, The Guardian (London), The
Mirror (London), The
Independent (London), Daily
Telegraph (London), Daily
Record (London), Press Association (London), The
Scotsman (Scotland), Edinburgh News (Scotland), Novinite (Bulgaria), Out News (London), NewScientist
North America:
Voice
of America, Marketplace (radio), Toronto
Star (Canada), CTV (Canada), UN
WIRE
Caribbean:
Cubavision (television)
South Pacific:
ABC Online (Australia),
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Newswires:
Associated
Press, Reuters, Inter
Press Service, Agence
France-Presse, United
Press International, CNN, UN
News Centre, Xinhua General News Service
AFRICA: Fistula Campaign Launched
Newsday (NY)
reported October 7 that EngenderHealth and UNFPA are heading
an ambitious campaign to raise awareness about obstetric fistula,
develop services to prevent it and expand medical treatment for
those with the condition in the developing world. Newsday also
noted that earlier this year, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
gave $3 million over four years to UNFPA, EngenderHealth and
the Women's Dignity Project of Tanzania to improve the prevention,
treatment and management of fistula in two to four African countries.
ASIA: Meeting to Address Deep-Rooted and Pervasive Gender
Issues
The Manila Bulletin (Philippines) reported
October 1 that at least 72 Asian parliamentarians from 22
countries gathered
in Manila to discuss a common legislative agenda that would address "deeply
rooted and pervasive gender issues," particularly violence committed
against women in intimate relationships and the reproductive
health status of women. The story mentioned that Imelda Henkin,
deputy executive director of UNFPA was invited as a guest speaker,
while Sen. Rodolfo G. Biazon will deliver welcome remarks. Rep.
Kim Bernardo Lokin (Party-list, CIBAC) will be master of ceremonies.
United News of Bangladesh also reported on this story on October
1.
ASIA-PACIFIC AND UNITED STATES: Conference
Attendees Cast U.S. President Bush as "Villain"
Inter Press Service reported October 6 that the Second Asia
Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health in Bangkok
began with U.S. President George W. Bush being cast as a villain
for his attempt to bully health clinics in the developing world
to follow his conservative political agenda. The White House
is trying to make up for what it cannot achieve domestically
by pushing its policies overseas, Nancy Northup, president of
the U.S.-based Centre for Reproductive Health Rights, said in
her address on the opening morning. In July this year, UNFPA
too became a victim of the new conservative mood that governs
Washington's thinking. The U.S. Congress voted to stop the U.N.
agency from getting its annual contributions for the years 2004
and 2005, amounting to 100 million U.S. dollars.
AFGHANISTAN: Funding for Afghan Census
Etefaq-e Eslam (Afghanistan) reported September 30 that
Gholam Hazrat, the head of the Population Census for Herat, said
that UNFPA provides funds for the financial and technical affairs
of the national census.
BANGLADESH: Fistula Affecting Many Women
Xinhua General News Service reported September 29 that 240,000
women suffer from obstetric fistula every year in Bangladesh.
The story noted that the figure was revealed at a workshop by
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of Bangladesh and
UNFPA as part of their joint efforts to develop a set of doctors
to deal with the disease. United News of Bangladesh also reported
on this story on September 29.
BANGLADESH: Doctors Need to
Be More Present in Rural Regions
The Independent (Bangladesh)
reported September 29 that the Finance and Planning Minister
M. Saifur Rahman said the tendency
of absenteeism by the doctors in public health care centers in
rural areas is an obstacle to the improvement of health sector
despite one of the best health infrastructures in the region.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the opening session of
the conference on "Focus on Pro-Poor Health Strategy," jointly
organized by the Bangladesh government, UNFPA and the World Bank.
Country Representative of UNFPA Ms Suneeta Mukherjee and Country
Director of the World Bank Christine Wallich also spoke on the
occasion. The
New Nation (Bangladesh) also reported on this story on
September 29.
CARIBBEAN: More Attention Urged on AIDS
On
September 27, the Caribbean Media Corporation reported that Sir
George Alleyne of the UN secretary-general's special envoy
for AIDS in the Caribbean said the spread of the virus should
be the concern of every citizen of the region. The story noted
that UNFPA, along with Counterpart International, is getting
the media more deeply involved in the battle to turn the tide
of HIV/AIDS in the region. They are arranging a major regional
media competition and awards ceremony in Jamaica in November
to encourage the media to provide more coverage of the disease
and its effects on the population. UNFPA is offering more than
6,000 US dollars in cash prizes for this year's competition that
is open to all Caribbean-based journalists covering "Adolescent
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights" issues in the region.
UNFPA representative in the English and Dutch Caribbean Hetty
Sarjeant said she agreed with Sir George and emphasized that
governments, inter-governmental organizations and NGOs ought
to create strong partnerships with regional writers and editors
to combat the epidemic and address other adolescent sexual and
reproductive health issues.
ENGLAND: Honour Killings
The Express
(India) reported October 1 on an "honour killing" that
took place on the West London. The story mentioned that “honour
killings"are not rare: UNFPA estimates that 5,000 women
and girls worldwide are victims each year.
GAMBIA: Population And Advocacy Session Kicks Off
The Independent (Gambia)
reported October 10 that a two-day working session on operationalizing
publicity and advocacy manual
for population and housing census in Africa organized by UNFPA
recently kicked off at UNFPA offices in Cape point. According
to UNFPA's program analysts, Mr. Ibra Jagne, "the manual has
been published by CST and UNFPA during a recent workshop held
in Addis Ababa, in response to express need of several African
countries in addressing issues and problems, processes strategies
management arrangement, monitoring and evaluation of a census
publicity and advocacy program."
INDIA: Funding for Thane
Mid-Day (India)
reported October 2 to improve selected areas of Thane City, UNFPA
has cleared a grant of Rs 4.99 crore, allotted over a five-year
period, to Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC). “Several
development projects connected to reproductive and child health,
self-employment and empowerment of women will be addressed through
the help of select non-government organizations,"said Anuja
Gulati, the state program officer of UNFPA. Gulati said the UNFPA
sponsored projects, to be executed between Sept 2003 and Sept
2008, will be monitored by the TMC. Read: Mid-Day
JAMAICA: More Women Need to Be Reached
The
Gleaner (Jamaica) reported September 29 that the
Minister of Information, Burchell Whiteman, criticized
Jamaica’s
population growth rate at a UNFPA seminar held in Kingston
recently. The minister noted with alarm that while contraceptive
use was increasing there were some 115,000 women who were
not being reached by the family planning program.
LIBERIA: Displaced Women Dying From Pregnancy Related
Problems
UN
IRIN reported October 6 that the number of displaced Liberian
women who have contracted reproductive tract infections and
those dying from pregnancy related complications that could
be treated is alarming, UNFPA said. "The number of women dying
as a result of treatable complications of pregnancy remains
alarmingly high. More funds are urgently needed to expand services," Deji
Popoola, UNFPA representative in Liberia, said.
NIGER: Urgent Need to Confront Poverty
UN
IRIN mentioned in an October 2 story that with other UN
agencies like UNICEF, UNFPA and WFP, UNDP plans to set up a
more comprehensive poverty eradication program for 2004-07
in Niger.
RUSSIA: Thoraya Obaid to Meet with Russia
Itar-Tass
(Russia) reported October 2 that UNFPA Executive Director, Thoraya
Obaid will arrive in St. Petersburg on Friday, Oct. 3.
Her meetings will focus on the demographic situation in Russia,
reproductive health problems and AIDS prevention, UNFPA sources
said. "Ms. Thoraya Obaid's visit to Moscow and St. Petersburg
will facilitate the expansion of cooperation with this organization.
The talks will focus on aid to the UNFPA in solving the demographic
problem in Russia and fighting AIDS," the sources stressed. Itar-Tass
reported October 7 that the Orthodox Church and other main religions
in Russia should take an active part in the HIVAIDS prevention,
said Obaid. She referred to South Africa where a Catholic archbishop
called on clergymen two years ago to advocate safe sex. Obaid
said that the AIDS rate in South Africa had dropped by several
percent.
TURKEY: Partnership to Reaches Women through the Media
Turkish
Daily News reported October 6 that the Fifth Local Media Seminar,
sponsored jointly by the General Directorate for Statutes
and Problems of Women, UNFPA and the Journalists Association,
opened on Saturday in Antalya, the Anatolia news agency reported.
State Minister for Women Guldal Aksit said: "The General Directorate
for Statutes and Problems of Women has been conducting projects
for the past nine years to increase the number of educated women
and create employment for them. Similar projects have been carried
out with governorships to help children who are living and working
on the streets."
UGANDA: UNFPA Funds Projects on Population and Development
New
Vision (Uganda) reported September 29 that UNFPA
has handed over a check worth sh90,865m to the Uganda Parliamentarians
Forum on Food Security, Population and Development to convene
workshops and hold dialogue with local leaders in 17 districts,
on population and development issues. Mutebi Kityo, the secretary
for the Forum and MP for Mawokota south, received the check
from James Kuriah, UNFPA's country representative. This was
the second time for the parliamentarians to receive funds
from UNFPA to carry out a nationwide dialogue on population
and development activities. "UNFPA is very happy to learn
of the very encouraging outcome of these workshops," said
Kuria. Read: New Vision
UNITED STATES: Rejoining UNESCO
The
Washington Post ran a September 30 story on the U.S.
rejoining UNESCO after 19 years. It also mentioned when President
Ronald Reagan withdrew the United States from UNESCO in 1984,
the organization had come to symbolize for many U.S. critics
their view of a failed United Nations — overly bureaucratic,
costly, wasteful and imbued with an anti-Western, anti-capitalist
bias often directed against U.S. foreign policy. Critics
also applauded the decision to withdraw because the organization,
through links with the U.N. Population Fund and its non-governmental
partner, International Planned Parenthood, supported abortion
and other programs the critics considered to be "anti-family" in
developing countries.
UNITED STATES: 34 Million Friends Campaign
The
Tennessean ran an October 2 column by Dwight Lewis
on the 34 Million Friends Campaign. Lewis wrote, "All
they're asking for is $1. That is $1 from 34 million people,
or 34 million friends, as they put it." Jane Roberts
urged, ''We want 34 million people to give $1 to show the
Bush administration it made a terrible mistake'' [in cutting
off a $34 million contribution to the United Nations Population
Fund in July 2002]. Lewis concluded, "So, $1 is not
an insignificant amount of money. Not when it's coming from
34 million friends."
UNITED STATES: Support for UNFPA Funding Urged
In
response to Sen. Lamar Alexandar’s October 3 op ed, "Go
to Africa, Mr. Tobias" that ran in The Washington
Times, Adrienne Germain, President of the International
Women’s Health Coalition, wrote an October 4 letter that
offered 10 alternative suggestions for Randall Tobias to get
a strong start in his post as AIDS czar. One of the suggestions
listed was: "Restore funding for the U.N. Population Fund,
a pivotal agency needed to address this crisis."
UNITED STATES: Restricting Funding for AIDS Organizations
A September 28 editorial that ran in The
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) mentioned that the Bush
administration has been quick to withdraw funding for some
organizations providing health care to poor women and children
in Africa and Asia. Late last month, it cut off funding for
a program that works with the United Nations Population Fund
in China, where the government enforces a one-child policy.
That, the administration insists, constitutes support for
forced abortions, a position sure to please his conservative
base. In fact, both programs are working to reduce abortions,
and deliver badly needed health care to poor women and children.
ZAMBIA: Take Care of the Aging Population
The
Times of Zambia reported October 1 that UNFPA representative
Margaret O'Callaghan said it is necessary for both Government
and the community to provide for the aged. Speaking during
commemoration of the international day for elder people in
Lusaka, Ms O'Callaghan said many elderly people were faced
with the burden of supporting orphans due to the HIV/AIDS
phenomena. "This is an extraordinary burden to elderly people
who deserve rest. It is for this reason that Government and
the community should be encouraged to put in place social
and economic measures to reduce and soften this burden," she
said.
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