UNFPA IN THE NEWS – AUGUST 6-12, 2005

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY

IRNA (Iran) reported August 10 that during International Youth Day, a photographic exhibition entitled "Chasing the Dream: Youth Faces of the MDGs," will be displayed in the U.N. Visitor's Lobby in New York. The exhibition brings viewers face to face with eight young people from different parts of the world. Their stories provide insight into the daily realities faced by youth as they pursue their dreams for a better life. The exhibit is a United Nations inter-agency initiative spearheaded by the UNFPA in conjunction with UN DESA, ECA, UNESCO, the U.N. Millennium Campaign, the World Bank and YEN, with support from the government of Finland. Read: IRNA

NEW PREGNANCY TEST IDENTIFIES SEX

The Asian Pacific Post reported August 11 that the Baby Gender Mentor test kit, a new blood test that enables expectant mothers to find out the gender of their baby as early as five weeks into the pregnancy, is sending jitters around the world. Experts fear the test, available for purchase on the Internet will fuel trends in Asia, especially India and China where the number of boys born each year outstrips girls far beyond the natural ratio of about 105 boys to every 100 girls. A recent UNFPA report said the practice of gender selection is widespread in India, where affluent parents are killing tens of thousands of fetal girls per year, hoping for a boy instead. Read: The Asian Pacific Post

BOTSWANA: UNFPA Ambassador Urges More Support for Youth

Daily News (Botswana) reported August 10 that at a breakfast meeting co-organized by UNFPA and Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority, Mpule Kwelagobe, UNFPA ambassador and former Miss Universe urged more support for youth to help them excel. Read: Mmegi, Daily News

CHINA: Country Faces Challenges in Population and Development

Xinhua General News Service reported August 11 that in a speech delivered at Northwest China Population and Development Forum, Ronny Lindstrom, deputy representative of the UNFPA China Office, said China has made many accomplishments such as improved mother and child health, access to reproductive health services and contraceptives in China's population program since the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994, but "a number of concerns related to China's population and development remain." Lindstrom said that some of the principles of the Convention for Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action, both of which China is a party to, particularly those related to individual's control of their own fertility, have yet to be fully met. "Hence, there is still work to be done to reach the goals that China has set in the 2002 Population and Family Planning Law," he said. Read: Xinhua General News Service

INDIA: Sex Education Recommended in Schools

Newindpress (India) reported August 12 that citing a UNFPA-sponsored study, "Determination of Adolescent Behavior," the assembly panel on the welfare of women, children and physically challenged recommended that the India government include sex education in the school curriculum of the state. Read: Newindpress

PHILIPPINES AND AUSTRALIA: Funding Awarded

BusinessWorld (Philippines) reported August 12 that the Australian government allotted AUS $2.8 million or 120.24 million Pesos to a UNFPA-led program aimed at improving maternal health and HIV/AIDS in the Philippines. "Our funding will help UNFPA and the Department of Education in the Philippines develop teaching materials that give young people more information about sexual and reproductive health and safe and effective family planning methods," said Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Bruce Billson at a recent Regional Ministerial Meeting on Millennium Development Goals in Jakarta.

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