UNFPA IN THE NEWS – JANUARY 22-28, 2005

RECORD YEAR FOR UNFPA DONORS AND DONATIONS

UN News Centre reported January 27 that a record 166 countries contributed to UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund in 2004 for total contributions of $326 million, the highest ever in the 35-year history of the world's largest international source of funding for population and reproductive health programs. “This remarkable level of support from governments demonstrates their commitment to reproductive health and rights, women’s empowerment and gender equality,” UNFPA executive director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid said. Read: UN News Centre

TSUNAMI AID RELIEF EFFORTS

The Daily News (Sri Lanka) reported January 27 that UNFPA has been focusing its emergency assistance on the healthcare needs of women and adolescent girls. The Fund is supplying essential drugs, medical equipment and supplies for ensuring safe deliveries and treating obstetric complications. Through its major partner organizations, UNFPA is involved in two other important post-tsunami activities: verifying reports of sexual and gender-based violence in temporary shelters, and providing support for psycho-social counseling for thousands of survivors. As part of its immediate response to the tsunami the UNFPA is assembling 300,000 hygiene packages and dispatching them to some of the hardest hit regions. Read: Daily News

Indonesia: Xinhua General News Service reported January 24 that nearly a month has passed since a devastating earthquake and a tsunami shattered Indonesia's Aceh province. Tens of thousands of lives were lost and many more were left homeless, with some areas still facing a shortage of basic supplies. This month more than 800 women will be giving birth in Aceh's camps. Zahriatun Wardani, a midwife, said, "With proper delivery equipment, the birthing process can be done in clean, sterile conditions. But if we don't have proper medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, then the babies will be at great risk of infections and tetanus." The story noted that UNFPA is trying to provide kits that will enable more sanitary deliveries for women. Read: Xinhua General News Service

United States: The New York Times reported January 26 that two New York congressmen urged the State Department not to let the Bush administration's anti-abortion policies hinder aid to South Asia, especially to an estimated 150,000 pregnant women in tsunami-torn regions. Congress appropriated $34 million this year to the United Nations Population Fund, which specializes in prenatal and maternity care. But the White House refuses to release the money because it says that the fund has cooperated with activities in China that promote abortion. With few maternity hospitals in the areas affected by tsunamis, the need is especially acute for pregnant women, said Representative Steve Israel, Democrat of Long Island. Mr. Israel visited the region with Representative Joseph Crowley whose district in Queens and the Bronx includes the nation's second-largest South Asian community. The New York Daily News (U.S.) and The Times Ledger (U.S.) also reported on this story. Read: New York Times, Times Ledger

UNAIDS HEAD DR. PIOT REAPPOINTED FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS

UN News Centre reported January 25 that the head of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Dr. Peter Piot, has been reappointed for another four years to spearhead the world body's battle against a global pandemic which has afflicted close to 40 million people. UNAIDS, established in 1996, first grouped the UN Children's Fund, the UN Development Programme the UN Population Fund, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the World Health Organization and the World Bank in fighting the deadly disease. Read: UN News Centre

UNIFEM’S DUAL FUNTION

Women’s Enews reported January 28 that UNIFEM has been functioning both as a specialized advocate for women and an agency tasked to mainstream gender rights within the U.N. system. UNIFEM works closely with the U.N. Development Programme and partnering with the Joint U.N. Programme on HIV/AIDS, the International Labour Organization, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and the U.N. Population Fund, among others. Read: Women’s Enews

AFRICA: Workshop to End Gender-Based Violence

IRIN reported January 28 that human rights violations against women and children will continue to increase, particularly in conflict-ridden areas of Africa, unless the international community steps up its efforts to combat gender-based violence (GBV), according to UN officials at a workshop on enhancing protection from gender-based violence in populations affected by armed conflict, held in Nairobi. Agencies and organizations represented at the meeting included UNHCR, UNFPA, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Forum for Activists Against Torture (FACT) and local and international organizations involved in GBV-related policy making and implementation. Read: IRIN

JAMAICA: Surveys Underway to Study Disabled

The Observer (Jamaica) reported January 25 that UNFPA is undertaking surveys to map the sexual and reproductive health of the disabled, boys and men in Jamaica, under a $1.76-million project. The surveys, ongoing since last May, target three groups – parents, disabled persons, and those who provide services to disabled persons. "We should have those results by March. We need to take from those surveys conclusions, which will now help us even further to develop the material (on sexual and reproductive health)," said UNFPA program management advisor Derven Patrick. Read: The Observer

JAPAN AND PHILIPPINES: Japan to Assist in Improving the Welfare of Filipinos

Asia Pulse reported January 25 that Japanese Ambassador Ryuichiro Yamazaki has declared that his country will continue to assist the Philippines in its nation-building efforts, particularly the 10-point agenda of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Yamazaki pointed out that Japan's concern for the welfare of the Filipino people can be exemplified by the successful completion of the Capiz reproductive health project, which is conducted under the joint collaboration among UNFPA, the Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning, the provincial government of Capiz, and the Department of Health.

HORN OF AFRICA: Meeting on Strategy to End Female Genital Cutting

Panafrican News Agency reported January 24 that governmental and non-governmental organizations in the Horn of Africa countries will hold a two-day conference in Djibouti in the coming week on how to end the practice of female genital cutting/mutilation. UNICEF, the government of Djibouti and an international non-profit organization 'No Peace without Justice' are organizing the meeting themed: "Towards a Political and Religious Consensus against Female Genital Mutilation." Other partners in this effort include the World Bank, UNFPA, WHO and the Italian Association for Women in Development.

MONGOLIA: Annual Review Shows Fall in Maternal Mortality

The Mongol Messenger (Mongolia) reported January 26 that the annual review by the UNFPA office in Mongolia found a significant reduction in the national maternal mortality rate and overall improvements in most important reproductive health indicators. Health Minister T. Gandi said: “I am pleased to stress that all the achievements made and lessons learned in the area of reproductive health belong to the specialist UN agencies, UNFPA, WHO, the international community and our donor countries. We highly commend the activities undertaken by UNFPA.” Read: Mongol Messenger

NIGERIA: Concern over Lack of Adequate Health Intervention

This Day (Nigeria) reported January 27 that UNFPA has said that more than 400,000 women in the country are infected by the pregnancy-related ailment – Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF). UNFPA expressed concern over lack of adequate health intervention programs to address the plight of pregnant women facing the ordeal. Speaking at a meeting with representatives of the media in Abuja, UNFPA representative in Nigeria, Niangoran Essan, noted that the situation has become so pathetic considering the fact that most of the victims of the disease are rural women who do not have formal education or access to proper medical care.

UGANDA: AMREF and UNFPA Treat Fistula

New Vision (Uganda) reported January 25 that thousands of women countrywide live as social outcasts with untreated vesio-vaginal fistula (VVF). However, according to Dr. Justus Barageine, also trained by the African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF), to handle VVF in the country, more than 90% of VVF are preventable and treatable. The story noted that AMREF plans to work with UNFPA to train doctors in regional hospitals to manage the problem. Read: New Vision

UGANDA: Sabiny Asks Government to Ban Female Genital Mutilation

The Monitor (Uganda) reported January 28 that the Sabiny community has asked the government to enact a law to ban female genital mutilation (FGM), commonly known as female circumcision. The story mentioned that advocacy against FGM has been spearheaded by the Reproductive, Educative And Community Health (REACH) project with funding from UNFPA for nine years. Read: The Monitor

UGANDA: 594 Kapchorwa Women Circumcised

New Vision (Uganda) reported January 25 that data collected by anti-female genital mutilation (FGM) advocates of the Reproductive Education and community Health (REACH) project found that 594 women were circumcised in the Kapchorwa district under the Sabiny ritual that ended on December 31. Data from all the district's 49 parishes showed that the number of women who underwent the ritual dropped from 621 in the 2002 circumcision season. The data showed that 261 women were saved from the knife through peer education and provision of incentives to the circumcision surgeons, some of whom hail from Kenya. Kapchorwa Woman MP Gertrude Kulany, who started the anti-FGM crusade in 1995 and UNFPA representative Henry Kalule attended the workshop. REACH is funded by UNFPA to fight FGM and other negative cultural practices. Read: New Vision

UGANDA: UNFPA Asked to Construct Secondary School for Girls

New Vision (Uganda) reported January 26 that the UN should construct girls' boarding secondary schools in the Kapchorwa district to end female genital mutilation, the chairman of the Sebei Elders Association said. George William Cheborion told the UNFPA assistant representative, Henry Kalule, that efforts to end the practice had reduced among the women. Cheborion said construction of girls' schools and provision of free secondary education would increase literacy levels among women to make informed decisions regarding their reproductive health rights. Read: New Vision

UNITED STATES: New UNICEF Head Urged to Be More Aware of Reproductive Health Issue

The Sacramento Bee (U.S.) ran a January 23 editorial that noted that Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman's appointment as director of UNICEF should be a cause for celebration. “Unfortunately, in her introductory comments, she said UNICEF had no role in promoting reproductive health,” said the editorial. “Opponents of family planning likely were heartened by Veneman's comments. Supporters of UNICEF's historical mission were baffled.” The editorial added: “Family planning isn't its major focus – much of that work is handled by a separate agency, the U.N. Population Fund. But UNICEF is very much involved with programs to prevent infant mortality, AIDS and maternal deaths. Reproductive health is intertwined in all these programs. You can't protect children without ensuring the health of mothers.” The editorial concluded: “No one expects Veneman, a Bush administration appointee, to travel the world promoting contraception. But she should at least be aware that, through educational and noncoercive methods, UNICEF has an important mission in protecting the reproductive health of women worldwide.” Read: Sacramento Bee

UNITED STATES: Theater Groups Visits Ecuador

The Seattle Times (U.S.) ran a January 23 story that detailed a trip by a Washington state theater group that received a grant from Global Partners, the international arm of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, to go to Ecuador to learn about the culture and needs of family planning there. The story mentioned that UNFPA counts some 201 million women worldwide who want contraception but cannot get it. The organization says if the need were met, an estimated 52 million unwanted pregnancies and 142,000 pregnancy-related deaths each year could be averted.

UNITED STATES: 34 Million Friends of UNFPA

The Redlands Daily Facts (U.S.) ran a January 25 letter by Jane Roberts, co-founder of 34 Million Friends of UNFPA campaign. Roberts wrote: “I do not recognize the Jane Roberts Steve Sabel attempted to define in his Our Town column ("The world family," Sunday, Jan. 23, 2005, page B1). He called me an avid supporter of population control. What I do advocate instead is universal access to methods of family planning so that all people can choose the number and spacing of their children as most of us do here in this country. Taking advantage of family planning is completely up to the individual. People who know me would reject completely the idea that I support access to family planning for only black and brown people. I support it for all people. So does the United Nations Population Fund. I think Steven Sabel and I are on the same side. We want to save lives, lessen misery and give people the freedom to make individual choices about their lives.”

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