| UNFPA IN THE NEWS – FEBRUARY 21-27, 2004
GLOBAL: Catholic Church Criticized for Stance against Condoms in HIV/AIDS Fight Pretoria News (South Africa) reported
February 24 that at an international AIDS conference in Dublin,
Ireland, the Catholic Church was the target of criticism by Anglican
Archbishop Desmond Tutu for its disapproval of the use of condoms
as a way of preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. Health and development
ministers from 55 countries took part in the conference organized
as part of the Irish European Union presidency in co-operation
with UNICEF, UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, the World
Bank, UN Population Fund and the UN office for Drugs and Crime.
Read: Pretoria News INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: AIDS Has a Woman’s Face Cameroon Tribune reported February
26 that the United Nations Press Club held its first meeting of
the year, which focused on gender and HIV/AIDS for International
Women's Day. Representatives of Sub-regional Centre for Human
Rights and Freedom, United Nations Population Fund, United Nations
Aid (UNAIDS), UNICEF and the Ministry of Women's Affairs (MINCOF)
gave a brief talk on how its organization is working to fight
HIV/AIDS. Read: Cameroon Tribune WEST AFRICA: Ministers Recommend States Adopt Gender Policy Panafrican News Agency reported February 21
that ministers responsible for Women Affairs in ECOWAS member
states have recommended the adoption of a regional gender policy
to accelerate the integration of women in national development
and address their development needs. In a declaration at the end
of their ninth meeting at the ECOWAS Secretariat in Abuja, the
ministers expressed concern at the increasing gender inequality
in most member states, particularly in the socio-cultural and
economic sectors. They said these had reflected in increased poverty
among women, "who are largely overworked and unpaid for their
domestic roles." Representatives of NEPAD, UNFPA and the Common
Wealth Secretariat, also attended the meeting. WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA: Minister Commit to Birth Registration Panafrican News Agency reported February 27
that African ministers and government representatives participating
in the first international conference on birth registration for
West and Central Africa undertook in Dakar (Senegal) to make child
registration a national priority and ensure that the declaration
of children for registration is free of charge. The first international
conference on birth registration has been meeting in Dakar since
Feb. 23 in the presence of UNICEF regional directors, Plan International
and the representative of UNFPA. A February 23 story by Panafrican
News Agency also noted the head of UNFPA technical support regional
team urged governments of West and Central African countries to
exert every effort to continue the process for better results.
"The campaign has been relatively positive, but our countries
should go beyond by implementing mechanisms to continue birth
registrations. They should equip structures and provide agents
in charge of birth registration adequate means to enhance their
work," she suggested. Read: Ghana News Agency ALBANIA: Youth Center Opens in Shkoder
City Albanian Telegraphic Agency reported February
26 that “The Knocking,” a new youth center funded by UNFPA in
Shkoder City was inaugurated recently. The story noted this center
was the eighth to open in Albania. COTE D'IVOIRE: Voluntary Testing in RH Clinics Mousso d'Afrique and Le Jour both reported on
February 27 that results from UNFPA and IPPF pilot projects at
two sites, Abobo and Yopougon, in Côte d’Ivoire indicate that
integrating VCT into sexual and reproductive health services has
clear benefits: it reduces stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, strengthens
awareness of healthy sexual behaviour, and increases access to
and utilization of services. And the use of existing resources
and infrastructure results in considerable cost savings. GHANA: 500,000 People Infected with HIV/AIDS Ghana News Agency reported February 26 from
the graduation ceremony of 24 participants who took a three-month
Distance Education course on HIV/AIDS Counseling and Care-Giving.
Kate Adoo-Adeku, Acting Director of the Institute of Adult Education
(IAE), said an estimated 500,000 people were infected with the
HIV/AIDS disease last year, in spite of notable strides made in
information dissemination on the pandemic. The course was organized
by the IAE under the aegis of the Ghana AIDS Commission and UNFPA
to equip the participants with adequate information to enable
them to understand the complexities of human behavior that result
into stigmatization, discrimination against and rejection of affected
and infected people. Read: Ghana News Agency GHANA: Organizations Commended for Health Services In a February 24 story, Dr. Joseph Amankwa,
Regional Director of Health Services, commended the Regional Co-ordinating
Council, district assemblies, UNICEF, World Vision International,
UNFPA, WFP and other healthcare partners who in diverse ways contributed
significantly to health service delivery in the region. Read:
Ghana News Agency IRELAND: HIV/AIDS Education for Ireland’s Close Neighbors In a February 24 op ed by Senator Mary Henry,
MD, an Independent Senator in the Senate, that ran in The
Independent (Ireland), she noted the Irish government was
wise to make the problem of HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central
Asia a priority of Ireland's presidency. She also noted, “[Ireland
is] involved through Development Co-operation Ireland and many
multilateral agencies such as UNAIDS,UNFPA and UNICEF in the most
worthwhile of projects.” Henry concluded, “We must listen to what
young people tell us should be done, not tell them what we think
is best for them to do. Another education and information campaign
is needed and with such an alarming rate of increase in our near
neighbors it needs to be much more explicit than the first one
I remember.” PAKISTAN: More Earthquake Disaster Aid Needed Pakistan Newswire reported February 27 that
the United Nations Disaster Management Team met to review the
current situation of damages in the earthquake-affected areas
of north-eastern Pakistan. The story noted the estimated cost
of the remaining shelter needs comes to $87,350, based on an assessment
by WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA. SOUTH AFRICA: Lack of International Aid Affects Millions of Children’s Lives Panafrican News Agency reported February 27
that the future of millions of children in six southern African
countries is being jeopardized by a massive lack of funds and
international support for crucial aid projects, according to a
warning issued by eight UN agencies during the launch of the Mid-Term
Review of the Consolidated Appeal for southern Africa. James Morris,
UN Special Envoy for Humanitarian Needs in Southern Africa, warned
due to the massive lack of funds some key projects are threatened.
Some of UNICEF's projects targeting vulnerable children and orphans
are yet to be funded, while UNFPA's program to keep orphaned youths
in school in Lesotho has received no support, he noted. Xinhua
General News Service also reported on this story on February 26.
Read: UN News Centre UNITED STATES: 34 Million Friends of UNFPA Campaign The Portland Tribune (USA) reported
February 27 that the event, 34 Million Friends of the Women of
the World, sponsored by 34 Million Friends of UNFPA, featured
co-founder Jane Roberts who discussed raising money for U.N. Population
Fund at Portland’s First Unitarian Church. Read: Portland
Herald
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