UNFPA IN THE NEWS – MAY 22-JUNE 4, 2004

UNFPA HELPS DRAW ATTENTION TO THE ISSUE OF CHILD BRIDES

Associated Press reported June 4 that women's rights advocates and family-policy experts have outlined strategies for a global effort to combat child marriage, a continuing practice in many nations. "When girls are married as children, they are robbed of their childhood, very often denied an education, and their dreams and hopes for life are stolen from them before their very eyes," said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of the U.N. Population Fund. The plight of such girls "has been neglected because of the perception that their married status ensures them a safe passage to adulthood," Obaid said. "Nothing could be further from the truth." Many young brides die during pregnancy or suffer ruptures during childbirth that can cause lifelong incontinence. Read: Associated Press, UN News Centre

BANGLADESH: Conference on Gender, Youth and Contraceptive Security

United News of Bangladesh reported May 31 that some 60 percent of girls get married by the age of 17 and become a mother before turning 19, and 39 percent of them never use contraceptives, revealed State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mizanur Rahman Sinha at a seminar on "Gender, Youth and Contraceptive Security in Bangladesh." According to Sinha, "The situation has to be changed through providing adequate knowledge about reproductive health services." The maternal mortality and fertility rates of juveniles are comparatively high in Bangladesh, he said at the meeting organized by UNFPA at IDB Bhaban.

BANGLADESH: Reasons for Stagnant Total Fertility Rate

The New Nation (Bangladesh) reported May 23 that at the "Meet the Press 3rd International Conference on Population and Development + 10," experts revealed the reasons behind stagnant total fertility rate in Bangladesh over the last ten years is high discontinuation rate of taking oral contraceptive pills among married women, strong preference for son among married couples, early marriage of girls and giving birth to child frequently. The conference was chaired by UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh Suneeta Mukherjee and Assistant Representative of UNFPA Bangladesh Nurul Ameen. The Daily Star (Bangladesh) also reported on this story. Read: New Nation, Daily Star.

CHINA: Ratio between Boy and Girl Child Questioned in Southern China

China Daily reported May 26 that southern China's Guangdong and Hainan provinces and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region now share the most marked imbalance in the country at 100 girls to over 130 boys. You Yunzhong, who worked in the statistics section of the United Nations Population Fund for 26 years, seriously doubts the validity of the 100:117 ratio because "it looks unnaturally high," he said. He questioned the reliability of the data gathered based on incomplete birth registration records, especially taking into consideration the migrant population aged from 10 to 30. What's more, "people might have withheld records of the birth of a girl" so as to have an excuse to have another child, preferably a boy.

GHANA: Aiding Solutions for Places with No Roads

Ghana News Agency reported June 2 that Moses Mukasa, the U.N. Population Fund's representative in Ghana, delivered an unusual gift to the Ghanaian Health Ministry. The donation was a row of bright red tractors hitched to small trailers just big enough for a cot, a chair and an oxygen supply. The tractor-driven emergency vehicles, designed by Ghanaians to serve as ambulances where there are no roads, are practical and relatively inexpensive, and could be used anywhere in the developing world where people die needlessly because there is no way to get to professional medical help. Read: Ghana News Agency

GEORGIA: Millennium Development Goals and Reproductive Health Priorities

On May 22 Caucasus Press reported on a workshop, “Millennium Development Goals and Reproductive Health Priorities in Georgia,” that was held by the Georgia Office of UNFPA and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Affairs. The workshop opened discussions between the Georgian government, experts, NGOs and donors about improving reproductive health in order to accomplish Millennium Development Goals 4, 5, and 6. Tamar Khomasuridze, UNFPA representative, spoke at the workshop and briefed the participants on future initiatives of UNFPA in Georgia.

JAPAN: Japan to Help Fund Project to Rebuild Maternal Health System in Iraq

Japan Economic Newswire reported May 25 that UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid said she is seeking some $20 million overall for building the maternal health system in the war-torn country and that she hopes Japan will contribute about a third of the amount. “It is under negotiation, but we know that there is a commitment from the government of Japan to provide support for the reconstruction of Iraq,” Obaid told the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo. “It's a matter of how and where and so on, but we know it will be finalized,” she added. She said the maternal mortality rate has nearly tripled from 117 per 100,000 live births in 1989 to 310 in 2002 due to sanctions, U.S.-led military operations and the occupation, with the main causes being maternal bleeding and obstructive labor. There have also been recent increases in infant mortality and in the numbers of miscarriages, unsafe abortions and violence against women, said Obaid, who was on a five-day visit to Japan.

KENYA: UN Launches Joint $150 Million Development Program

Agence France-Presse reported May 28 that four UN agencies (UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and WFP) launched a five-year $150 million program aimed at improving the health and welfare of children and women, boost food supplies and supporting good governance. "These constitute the framework for a five-year program period and define the basis for mutual cooperation between the government of Kenya and UN agencies," said UN Resident Coordinator, Paul Andre de la Porte. UNDP will give $21.2 million, UNFPA $9.5 million, UNICEF $24.6 million and WFP $94.1 million. Reuters also reported on this story.

PAKISTAN: UN Disaster Management Team Meets to Solve Water Contamination Issue

Pakistan Press International reported June 1 that the United Nations Disaster Management Team in Pakistan met in Islamabad to discuss the issue of water contamination and subsequent outbreak of gastro-enteritis disease and skin complaints reported in Hyderabad, Sindh over the past few days. The meeting was chaired by Onder Yucer, UN Resident Coordinator, and was attended by officials from WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP, FAO, national and international NGOs, and the Economic Affairs Division, Ministry of Finance.

PHILIPPINES: State of the Philippines

A June 2 story by Business World (Philippines) mentioned that with around four babies born every minute since the year 2000, the United Nations Population Fund expects the Philippine population to hit 84.2 million by the end of the year. The last official count by the National Statistics Office in 2000 was 76.5 million. In a report, the U.N. Population Fund also said about one-third of the population was not making enough to pay for food, housing, and other needs.

ST. LUCIA: St. Lucia to Launch $7 Million Campaign to Combat HIV/AIDS

Caribbean Media Corporation reported May 23 that the St. Lucian government is committing $7 million for a five-year plan to combat HIV/AIDS. The story mentioned that U.S.-based Clinton Foundation is providing grant support, as well a variety of other donors. In addition, UNFPA is providing grant support for youth-oriented strategies. Official statistics show 10% of St. Lucians who have contracted HIV are children.

SUDAN: Reproductive Health Project for War-Affected Areas Underway

Suna, Sudan’s news wire service, reported May 31 that the government and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) finalized a reproductive health project on May 30 for the war-affected areas in Darfur western Sudan totalling $1.4 million. Minister of International Cooperation, Signatories were Yusuf Sulayman Takana for the Sudanese government, and Dr. Nimal Hettiaratchy for UNFPA.

TANZANIA: Reproductive Health Rights Need Community Support

The Guardian (UK) reported May 27 on a four-month advocacy campaign in Tanzania that focuses on community support to deal with strategies to control and prevent the spreads of HIV/AIDS in the country. The campaign was implemented by Family Communications International and a local NGO named, “Ubora wa Afya kwa Familia Duniani,” meaning “Good Health for Global family.” UNFPA has provided $750,000 to support adolescent HIV/AIDS advocacy projects in four countries in Africa, namely Mali, Niger,Kenya and Tanzania. Read: Guardian

UNITED STATES: U.S. Funding for UNFPA

The Toledo Blade (USA) ran a June 3 editorial that a State Department report this year found that in China 800 other counties removed their target-quota systems of birth control, replacing them with UNFPA's plan that stresses quality care and informed choice of birth control methods. The editorial stressed, “If that isn't what this country should be promoting, it's hard to know what is. But there are even better reasons to do so. The $34 million could have prevented up to 2 million unwanted pregnancies, 800,000 induced abortions, 4,700 maternal deaths, and 77 infant and child deaths a year.” The editorial concluded, “Since 1986 UNFPA has put its American money in a separate account so none of it goes to China. Thus administration cuts have hurt women and children in the 140 other nations where UNFPA works.” Read: Toledo Blade

Delaware County Times (USA) ran a June 2 editorial that noted President George W. Bush must make a serious foreign-relations decision in the next few weeks on whether to fund UNFPA. The decision affects the welfare of women, mostly poor women, in nations that provide little help to them. In January, Congress once again approved $34 million in U.S. funding for the United Nations’ Population Fund. "Once again" because that is the same amount Congress approved in 2002. Read: Delaware County Times

Similarly, The Wichita Eagle (USA) ran a June 1 editorial criticizing, “It's shameful that the administration is using UNFPA to score political points at home, at the expense of the health of poor families around the world. At a time of growing distrust of the United States, this kind of humanitarian effort is a great way for America to reach out to the world and demonstrate its good intentions. President Bush should show the compassionate side of his conservatism by releasing funding for UNFPA's good work.” Read: Wichita Eagle

The Denver Post (USA) ran a May 30 letter by Lorenzo Martinez, Director of Development and Communications for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, that noted, “[UN Foundation President] Timothy E. Wirth lays out numerous compelling reasons why the United States should resume its support of the United Nations Population Fund—a total of nearly $100 million in congressionally appropriated funds that the Bush administration is refusing to disburse for the third year in a row as it panders to its far-right constituency.” Martinez concluded, “With the U.S. now looking to the United Nations to help extricate it from Iraq, it behooves the president to demonstrate respect for one of the UN's most effective—and relatively inexpensive—humanitarian programs by immediately releasing the few million dollars with which the UNFPA can save thousands of lives.” Read: The Denver Post

UNITED STATES: Global Health Council Defends Conference

National Public Radio’s June 3 Morning Edition show reported on a controversy that led to the U.S. withdrawing funding for the Global Health Council’s conference after pressure from right-wing constituencies. Among the complaints from conservatives were the inclusion of speakers from the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations Population Fund, groups conservatives have opposed. Global Health Council President Nils Daulaire criticized officials inside the Bush administration, including the United States Agency for International Development, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who, he reminded, had been cordially received in previous years. Daulaire said, “Yet when their agencies' participation in this conference was attacked by these extremists, two government agencies and the premier public health institution in the country, perhaps the world, quickly bowed to election-year political pressure. They sacrificed the principles of participation and respectful dialogue to spurious allegations. They ignored the evidence and their own experience and they bolted.”

UNITED STATES: U.N. Agency Awaits Funds

On May 22, Women’s Enews reported that UNFPA was awaiting the Bush administration to release the $34 million in funds for the organization that Congress had already approved. There is concern that the Administration will once again refuse to release the approved funds. The "life-saving funds are currently being held hostage as the Bush administration determines once again whether to eliminate funds for this important 'anchor organization' which supports family planning and reproductive health care and service globally," wrote Peter J. Purdy, president of the U.S. Committee for the UNFPA, in a press release this week. Read: Women’s Enews

The Denver Post ran a May 23 op ed, “U.N. Fund is Worth Paying Into,” by Timothy E. Wirth of the United Nations Foundation and Better World Fund. In his op ed, Wirth noted that in the coming months, President Bush faces a crucial decision…as he contemplates whether to withhold funding for UNFPA. He concluded: “We will find out if the administration's stated commitment to international cooperation and women around the world has substance or not where UNFPA is concerned. This decision will also speak volumes about whether the administration is serious about doing everything possible to stop the spread of AIDS, or simply interested in conservative shibboleths.” Read: Denver Post

UNITED STATES: 34 Million Friends of UNFPA Campaign Praises Op Ed

On the May 24 issue, Newsweek (USA) ran a letter from Jane Roberts, co-founder of 34 Million Friends of UNFPA campaign, that said, “UNFPA plays an integral role in UNAIDS campaigns against early marriage for girls and against female genital mutilation. Supporting UNFPA should be part of a social contract with the world. Withholding support from UNFPA puts the United States outside the mainstream and harms our reputation in the world.”

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