| UNFPA IN THE NEWS – FEBRUARY 14-20, 2004
GLOBAL: World Leaders Criticized for Failing to Meet Commitments IRIN reported February 19 that at the EU/African,
Caribbean and Pacific group's conference, world leaders were criticized
for falling far below global commitments to spend $17 billion
a year on improving reproductive health care. Thoraya Ahmed Obaid,
the head of UNFPA, said underspending was resulting in hundreds
of thousands of unnecessary deaths each year. "This is of serious
concern, as there are already serious gaps in the provision of
services, and serious shortfalls of contraceptives, condoms and
other essential supplies," she said. Read: IRIN GLOBAL: New Guidelines for HIV/AIDS Testing UN News Centre reported February 17 that in
order to strengthen the global response to AIDS, the United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Planned Parenthood
Federation (IPPF) announced new guidelines on voluntary HIV testing
and counseling. "Linking HIV prevention and reproductive health
provides an opportunity to reach the millions, especially women,
who are vulnerable to infection," said UNFPA Executive Director
Thoraya Ahmed Obaid. Read: UN News Centre AFRICA: International Conference on Bride Price The Monitor (Uganda) reported February
17 that women attending an international conference on bride price
at MakerereUniversity have opposed the practice saying it undermines
their capacity and integrity. The story mentioned the program
is co-sponsored by ActionAid, UNFPA, Amanitare, and the German
Technical Cooperation on behalf of the German government. BELIZE: HIV/AIDS Youth Prevention Project Launched Caribbean Media Corporation reported February
16 that Belize has launched an HIV/AIDS Prevention Among Youth
Project with the government acknowledging the need for a holistic
approach to combating the disease. The $750,000 three-year project
is being funded by OPEC Fund, UNFPA and the Belize government.
In an address to the ceremony, Health Minister Vildo Marin acknowledged
that the war on HIV/AIDS required a holistic approach by government,
non-governmental organizations, the churches and the private sector.
Her views were later supported by UNFPA's representative based
in Jamaica, Hetty Sarjeant, who urged the national community to
do more in its efforts to reduce the number of persons infected
with the virus. BOTSWANA: Government Should Support NGOs The Daily News (Botswana) reported
February 19 that Botswana Family Welfare Association (BOFWA) executive
director Calli Ramalefo said Botswana NGOs needed financial support
from the government to sustain their operations. Ramalefo was
briefing U.S. ambassador to Botswana, Joseph Huggins, Namibian
and Zambian High Commissioners and UNFPA country representative,
Agatha Lawson, during their visit to BOFWA offices in Mochudi.
Read:
The Daily News COTE D'IVOIRE: The Other War In an Op-Ed in Fraternité Matin February
20, Bakayoko Zeguela, the leader of a network of women in media
fighting HIV/AIDS, stresses the importance of the work of UNFPA
in preventing the spread of HIV in a post-conflict situation.
"After the war, there is the other war - and the only war worth
fighting: to stop the spread of the disease", she writes, urging
every political party and every citizen to understand that "there
really is only one enemy". ETHIOPIA: Family Planning Talks with EU and UNFPA ENA Web site reported February 17 that Prime
Minister Meles Zenawi held talks with the EU commissioner for
Development and Humanitarian Aid, Poul Nielson, and UNFPA executive
secretary, Dr. Thoraya Ahmed Obaid. During talks with UNFPA executive
director, Dr. Obaid, Meles stressed the need that the civil society,
non-governmental and governmental organizations should work together
to expand family planning services in the country. The executive
secretary told journalists that UNFPA would continue to assist
Ethiopia in its efforts to curb population-related problem. He
mentioned that UNFPA has earmarked a 24.5m US dollar budget for
the implementation of reproductive health program in Ethiopia
from 2003-2006. GHANA: Inclusion of Population and Social Issues Urged in Development Plans Ghana News Agency reported February 17 that
the Upper East Regional Minister, Mahami Salifu has urged District
Assemblies in the region not to overlook the dynamics of population
and social issues when formulating their development plans and
budgets.The Regional Population Officer, Sylvester Agangmikre,
said the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) commended the
Bawku East, Bawku West and Bongo districts for taking the lead
to create separate budgets for population activities and urged
the others to follow suit. Read: Ghana News Agency LIBERIA: Training in Socio-Economic Development Planning The News (Liberia) reported February
18 that the Institute for population studies at the University
of Liberia is expected to train local government and traditional
leaders in socio-economic development planning. The story noted
the training program was initiated through the request of the
Ministry of Internal Affairs to the University of Liberia. It
is being sponsored by the UNFPA. Read: The News
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: UN Agencies Move to Central Location PNG Post-Courier (Papua New Guinea) reported
February 18 that UN agencies in Papua New Guinea have moved to
a new location into the 14th floor of the Deloitte Tower in downtown
Port Moresby, which has enough room to accommodate the office
of United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nation Development Fund
for Women (UNIFEM). Representatives from the Police and Foreign
Affairs Departments, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNIFEM and business
organizations toured the news UN offices. PHILIPPINES: Muslim Leaders to Support Family Planning Mindanao Times (Philippines) reported
February 19 that about 200 Muslim leaders in the Philippines are
expected next month to express their support for family planning,
according to a press statement from the Commission on Population
(Popcom). This will be the first time in the history of Islam
in the Philippines that the ulama or Muslim religious leaders
will endorse a national fatwah on reproductive health and family
planning. The declaration of support follows the approval in November
of the official ruling on reproductive health and family planning,
a result of the debates, consultations and training among influential
leaders on reproductive health as facilitated by the Popcom, the
United Nations Population Fund and the Academy for Education Development.
Read: Mindanao Times UNITED STATES: New York Times Columnist Corrected on Anti-Feminist Misinformation In the March 2004 issue of The Nation, columnist
Katha Pollitt responded to New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof’s
accusations that feminist groups neglect issues of sexual slavery
and the trafficking of women and children for commercial sex.
Pollitt wrote, “The Times got a lot of letters (and published
some, including one from me) pointing out that feminists, in fact,
were behind numerous efforts to combat fistula and other maternity-related
health problems in Africa, including the work of the UNFPA, praised
by Kristof, whose funding was eliminated by the White House to
please its right-wing Christian base.” UNITED STATES: U.S. Funding for UNFPA In a February 18 letter in The Columbus Post
Dispatch (United States), Karen Linn responded to the recent letter
from Jacqui Racine, who said she has the utmost respect for President
Bush because he signed into law a ban on so-called partial-birth
abortions. Linn urged: “Perhaps she and other abortion opponents
won't be so proud when they consider the following: In July 2002,
Bush refused to release $34 million budgeted by Congress for the
United Nations Population Fund, even after being assured by his
own State Department that absolutely no money would be used for
abortions.” VIETNAM: UNFPA and EC launch Second Phase of Youth Project On February 16 the Vietnam Economic Times reported
the United Nations Population Fund and the European Commission
jointly launched the second phase of a $2.6 million reproductive
health initiative in Ha Noi. The project, for Youth in Asia, Viet
Nam, focuses on sexual and reproductive health for adolescents
and youth. Read: Vietnam Economic Times ZIMBABWE: Emergency Obstetric Equipment Donated to Save Lives The Herald (Zimbabwe) reported February
18 that the Zimbabwe government received emergency obstetric equipment
worth more than $600 million from the United Nations Population
Fund (UNFPA), which will help in reducing the number of reproductive
health associated deaths in the country. The equipment, which
includes blood pressure apparatus, delivery kits, weighing scales
and vacuum extractors, would be sent to central, provincial and
district hospitals. UNFPA representative Dr Bruce Campbell said
the increase in maternal deaths had prompted the UN agency and
the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare to provide obstetric
care equipment at health centers in the country. Read: The
Herald
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