| UNFPA IN THE NEWS – MARCH 6-12, 2004
LATIN AMERICA, CARIBBEAN AND UNITED STATES: Bush Administration Stands Alone at ECLAC Conference UN News Centre reported March 12 that by a nearly
unanimous decision—with the United States alone in dissenting—countries
in Latin America and the Caribbean have reaffirmed their support
for an international population and reproductive health action
plan adopted 10 years ago, according to the United Nations Population
Fund. The 2-day conference took place in Santiago, Chile where
more than 300 delegates from 40 countries in the region and their
development partners recommitted to the 20-year Programme of Action
endorsed at the 1994 International Conference on Population and
Development in Cairo. Read: UN News Centre San Jose Mercury News (United States) ran a March 12
editorial that noted the Bush administration stood alone Wednesday—in
a 40-1 vote—in its efforts to block family planning efforts at
a conference of Latin American and Caribbean health policy makers.
Worse, the Bush administration is withholding its $34 million
pledge to the United Nations Population Fund, which provides health
clinics in impoverished areas around the world. The editorial
concluded, “Small wonder that the rest of the world, when it looks
at the United States, collectively rolls its eyes when Bush proclaims
to the world that ours is a caring nation.” Read: San
Jose Mercury News INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY A March 11 editorial by The Boston Globe
(United States) noted that the UN and the Dutch Foreign Ministry
decided to mark International Women's Day with a two-day conference
on reproductive rights and culture. The editorial mentioned, “The
Netherlands is now the world's largest donor to the UN Population
Fund, at $67 million annually. This shames the United States,
where a $34 million American commitment is frequently stalled
or withheld by conservatives in Congress and the Bush administration.”
The editorial also mentioned that the conference brought together
scores of exuberant women and men who work every day breaking
down the fear of women's rights and freedoms in traditional societies.
It noted, “Thoraya Obaid, director of the Population Fund, recalled
how in the 1960s her father fretted over whether she should cover
her face when she first returned to Saudi Arabia from her education
in the West. Finally he told her to lift her veil, saying: ‘If
you can face God uncovered’—the Saudi tradition at prayer—‘you
can face your people.’” Read: Boston
Globe San Francisco Chronicle (United States) mentioned in
a March 10 story that prior to addressing an International Women's
Day forum sponsored by University of California at San Francisco,
Dr. Nafis Sadik, the UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Asia and
the Pacific, said women in poor countries are bearing a disproportionate
share of the global AIDS epidemic and need political empowerment
as much as medicine to fight it. Sadik cited the Bush administration
policy of withholding financial assistance from family planning
clinics that provide abortion services. In many developing nations,
these clinics are the only medical care women may receive. The
so-called global gag rule resulted in the loss of $34 million
a year in U. S. aid to the U.N. Population Fund, the family planning
agency Sadik headed from 1987-2000. Read: San
Francisco Chronicle Ethiopian girls are up to four times more likely to be infected
with HIV/AIDS than boys, the United Nations said on Monday—International
Women's Day, reported IRIN on March 8. "Women, especially girls,
are biologically more susceptible to HIV infection than men,"
said Monique Rakotomalala, country representative of UN Population
Fund. "In addition, the social impact of HIV/AIDS on women and
girls is greater," she said at the UN Conference Centre in the
capital, Addis Ababa. Read: IRIN In Namibia at an International Women's Day event in the capital,
Veronica de Klerk, Director of Women Action for Development (WAD),
urged women to turn away from the old-fashioned idea that they
are confined to the kitchen and start nurturing the idea of becoming
innovators, reported The Namibian on March 10. The story
mentioned the commemoration was organized by WAD and the United
Nations Population Fund. In an event held in Zambia, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
country representative Margaret O'Callagan urged women to work
together for the betterment of Zambia. Read: Times
of Zambia
In a March 8 letter to the editor that ran in
the Asheville Citizen-Times (United States) by Virginia
Meyn, she urged, “We can press for the release of the $34 million
appropriated by Congress for the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA),
presently blocked by the president. This money would provide good
maternal health care and education.” UNFPA AMBASSADOR ATTACKED IN VIENNA The Associated Press reported March 10 that
a stalker beat Somalia-born supermodel, bestselling author and
former goodwill ambassador for the U.N. Population Fund Waris
Dirie in her Vienna apartment. On Wednesday, police arrested a
26-year-old Portuguese suspect. Read: Associated Press CHILE: Discrimination against Pregnant Students Outlawed Inter Press Service reported March 10 the roughly
10,000 pregnant teenage girls who leave high school in Chile every
year will now be protected by a new clause in the law on education
that prohibits any kind of discrimination against them. The story
noted Ruth Muñoz was able to continue her studies throughout her
pregnancy in the 'Liceo Unidad Operativa de Educación y Capacitación',
a high school for pregnant teenagers set up on the northside of
Santiago as part of a project supported by the United Nations
population fund (UNFPA). Read: Inter Press Service PHILIPPINES: Muslims to Approve Family Planning About 200 Muslim leaders are set to conduct
a fatwah, a religious decree, approving the practice of family
planning among their followers which is considered the first liberal
edict in Muslim history in the Philippines. The declaration was
witnessed by Health Undersecretary Milagros Fernandez, Population
Commission (Popcom) executive director Tomas Osias, and representatives
from the United Nations Population Fund and the United States
Agency for International Development. Read: ABS-CBN News SIERRA LEONE: Police Opens HIV/AIDS Focal Point Standard Times (Sierra Leone) reported
March 9 that the Sierra Leone Police Force has formally opened
a new HIV/AIDS Focal Point Counseling, Training and Library facility
with support from its partners, the National AIDS Secretariat
and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA).
The story mentioned Dr. Mamadu Diallor, the UNFPA representative,
said the office brings hope to the police force, and appealed
to donors to continue their support in the provision of test kits.
Read: Standard Times TAJIKSTAN: HIV/AIDS Prevention for Military IRIN reported March 10 that a joint effort by
the US government and the Tajik Ministry of Defense to educate
thousands of military personnel about the dangers of HIV/AIDS
and other sexually transmitted diseases is now under way. The
story noted the AIDS Foundation East-West will provide trainers,
and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has contributed
200,000 condoms. The project will educate 16,000 Tajik soldiers
before its completion in September 2004. Read: IRIN UNITED STATES AND EAST AFRICA : U.S. Professionals Learn about HIV/AIDS A March 9 story by The Arizona Republic
(United States) reported that a dozen Valley professionals led
by Eileen Rogers, owner of Allegra Print & Imaging, have returned
from a safari in Uganda and Rwanda. The travelers met a deputy
minister of Uganda and representatives of the U.N. Population
Fund and visited some small businesses. They also learned about
how the country is handling problems caused by HIV and AIDS. Read:
Arizona Republic ZAMBIA: Youth Week Celebration The Times of Zambia reported March
12 that this year's youth week celebrations included marches by
various youth groups with events like musical concerts, fetes
and several other functions. The story noted Zambian youths constitute
about 75 percent of the population. The story mentioned a Ministry
of Youth, Sports and Child Development report published with the
assistance of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) noted
that in August 1994, the Government effected a national youth
policy. ZIMBABWE: Health Minister Appeals for Aid The Herald (Zimbabwe) reported March
12 that the Minister of Health and Child, Dr. David Parirenyatwa,
appealed for aid from the international community to strengthen
the country's health delivery system. He said the support would
help in strengthening the capacity of the health sector to provide
quality health services and in achieving the Millennium Development
Goals set by the United Nations. Dr. Parirenyatwa said this when
he officiated at a function to welcome the United Nations Population
Fund deputy director, Mr. Kunio Waki, who is visiting the country.
Read: The Herald
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