| UNFPA IN THE NEWS – September 6-12, 2003 Agence
France-Presse reported September 6 that unemployment in the
Arab states stands at 19.4 percent of their total 90-million
strong active population, according to figures disclosed at an
inter-Arab economics conference. The story also mentioned that
UNFPA says the Arab world's total population is expected to double
from its current level of
about 290 million within 30 years. The Republic of Botswana reported September
10 that Botswana's fertility rate declined from 4.2 to percent
in 1991 to 3.3 in 2001 while the death rate rose from 11.5 to
12.4 percent in the same period says finance and development
planning minister Baledzi Gaolathe. He acknowledged support from
UNFPA, United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) and the Rockefeller
Foundation. He said UNFPA was Botswana's long time partner in
the area of population and development, adding that Botswana
has benefited tremendously from UNFPA funding and technical assistance
since 1971. Read: Republic
of Botswana
The Times of India reported September 8 that
on a sultry evening recently, students from some of Delhi's
high-end schools got together at the India Habitat Centre to
debate this unusual subject. It was organized by Unnati Features
and UNFPA.
Antara, the Indonesian National News Agency,
reported September 8 that UNFPA has yet to reach teenagers living
at the border between Indonesia and East Timor to educate them
about reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, violence against women and
gender equality. "The UNFPA program began in the Indonesian
province of East Nusa Tenggara and East Timor in 2001," said
educator, Petrus Salu. However, it has yet to reach all teenagers
living at the border, especially those in remote villages,
Salu said. To encourage the teenagers to express their views on the importance
of a healthy population and a quality family, UNFPA coordinator for
East Nusa Tenggara, Dr. Agus J. G. Berek, said the UN body has been working
with the National Population Agency in sponsoring a writing contest. UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
reported September 9 that one year after the Ivory Coast erupted
in a political crisis, food and health remain the greatest needs
for thousands of war-affected civilians throughout the country,
humanitarian agencies in the country said. UNFPA collaborated
with government and non-governmental organizations to implement
HIV/AIDS prevention activities and programs to stem maternal
and infant mortality, OCHA said on behalf of UN agencies in the
Ivory Coast. Read: UN IRIN
Nepal News reported September 12 that with
the large number of adolescents falling prey to HIV/AIDS, the
country is going to have to face an alarming situation where
its youthful and energetic population will be vulnerable to killer
disease. Experts argue that Nepal is reaching a very critical
stage of HIV/AIDS epidemic. "If the HIV continues to infect younger
people of productive age groups, it will have direct impact on
infant mortality rate and overall life expectancy," said Dr.
Bhanu Niraula, UNFPA assistant representative. "We are supplying
condoms to prevent HIV infection amongst young people through
expanding access to information, life skills based education,
youth friendly health services and ensure protection, care and
support for orphans and children in families made vulnerable
by HIV/AIDS." Read: Nepal
News
Epsicom Business Intelligence reported September
11 that UNFPA has announced a program for the improvement of
reproductive health in Nigeria. The program will run from 2003-2007,
and will cost $40 million in total. UNFPA will contribute $25
million, with other donors supplying the remaining 15 million.
The program will aim to reduce the high levels of maternal mortality
in the country, estimated at 800 per 100,000 live births. Infant
mortality in Nigeria is also very high, at over 72 per thousand
live births.
New Vision (Uganda) reported September
10 that UNFPA donated equipment, including vehicles and motorcycles,
worth sh1.5b to the Ministry of Health. UNFPA country representative
Dr. James Kuria handed over the donation to the state minister
in charge of primary health care, Dr. Alex Kamugisha, at the
ministry's mechanical workshop in Wabigalo. The donation included
seven double cabin pick-up vehicles, 150 motorcycles, kits for
2,500 community workers and 1,100 traditional birth attendants.
It also included 60 post abortion management kits and five hospital
beds. Xinhua General News Service and Radio Uganda also reported
on this story. Read: New Vision
New Vision (Uganda) reported September 9 that
the poor state of roads has contributed to high maternal and
infant mortality rates in Mbarara district because mothers cannot
easily access professional care to save their lives and their
children. District vice chairperson, Emma Boona, said that Mbarara
still had high mortality rates, which needed to be addressed
by all leaders at different levels. "When a woman gets pregnant
she is at the edge of death because she cannot access the necessary
facilities," Boona said. Boona said this at a leaders workshop
at Rwizi Arch Hotel in Mbarara on Monday. The workshop was organized
by the parliamentary forum on reproductive health, food security
and population growth, supported
by UNFPA and the population secretariat. Read: New Vision
Associated Press reported September 12 that
a group of U.S. religious leaders who spent six days studying
the U.N. family planning agency's work in China said Friday they
found no evidence to back accusations that it supports forced
abortions. They said they would lobby Washington to end its ban
on aid to the agency. "We very much believe that UNFPA is a very
positive force within the Chinese family planning program," said
Frances Kissling, president of Catholics for a Free Choice, which
organized the visit. The nine-member delegation also included
representatives of Muslim, Jewish and Protestant groups - though
not the conservative religious organizations that have supported
blocking money for the U.N. program. Japan Economic Newswire
also reported on this story on September 10. Read: Associated
Press
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