| UNFPA IN THE NEWS – NOVEMBER 5-11, 2005
AFRICA: HIV Prevention Efforts Accelerated
Angola Press Agency reported November 10 that seven U.N. agencies have adopted a 10-point declaration to accelerate HIV prevention efforts in the African Region. The joint declaration was signed on November 4 in the Congolese capital at the end of a three-day consultation attended by regional directors and representatives of UNAIDS, UNDP, UNESCO, UNIFEM, UNFPA, UNICEF and the WHO Regional Office for Africa. Read: Angola Press Agency
BENIN: Education Requirement in Development Stage
Panafrican News Agency reported November 6 that an act to institutionalize compulsory and free education up to the age of 16 is being developed out of the sixth Benin/UNFPA cooperation program. Read: Panafrican News Agency
BOTSWANA: Teen Pregnancy Decreasing
IRIN reported November 10 that teenage pregnancy remains a leading cause of school dropouts and can result in HIV infection. The good news, however, is that teenage pregnancy rates are declining. In 1996, 6 out of 10 teenage girls had been pregnant at least once, but only two out of 10 in 2003, according to UNFPA. Read: IRIN
CAMEROON: UNFPA Presents Equipment for Census
Cameroon Tribune reported November 9 that at the SWOP report launch, UNFPA presented equipment and furniture to the Cameroon government for its upcoming census. A November 7 story by the Cameroon Tribune reported that while handing the equipment to the Minister of State for Planning, Programming and Regional Development, UNFPA Representative Faustin Yao said that the exchange symbolizes UNFPA's commitment to supporting Cameroon's upcoming census. Read: Cameroon Tribune: Nov. 7, Nov. 9 EL SALVADOR: Military to Be Educated about Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS
UN News Centre reported November 10 that UNFPA and UNAIDS signed an agreement with El Salvador's Ministry of Defense that will help educate the country's military about sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention. The $220,000 project that will educate the country's armed forces - a total of about 10,000 people - over the coming two years is financed jointly by the Salvadorian Armed Forces, UNFPA and UNAIDS. Read: UN News Centre
GHANA: Media Briefed on Fistula
CITI News reported November 11 that at a briefing for reporters, Dr. Gifty Addico of UNFPA's Ghana office said more and more women are experiencing obstetric fistula. Doris Aglobitse, also of UNFPA Ghana, said the condition is prevalent among teenage mothers and advised that greater attention should be paid to the causes of fistula. Read: CITI News
INDIA: Religious Figures Pledge to Oppose Gender Bias
Indo-Asian News Service reported November 8 that with the declining sex ratio of 800 girls for every 1,000 boys in some parts of India, UNFPA has reached out to religious leaders, NGOs and film luminaries like Nandita Das and Hema Malini. "There is a need to change the mindset of the people and religion has a role to play in this," said Hendrik van der Pol, UNFPA representative in India. /The Hindu/ also reported on this story. Read: Indo-Asian News Service INDIA: March against Female Feticide
Indo-Asian News Service reported November 6 that marchers campaigning against female feticide and discrimination against the unborn girl child converged in Delhi. The march was organised with the cooperation of the health ministry, National Women's Commission, UNICEF and UNFPA. Read: Indo-Asian News Service
INDIA: Japanese Delegation Visits Government-Funded Projects in Tsunami Area
United News of India reported November 5 that a Japanese parliamentary delegation accompanied by officials from UNICEF, WHO and UNFPA arrived in Tamil Nadu state to visit tsunami ravaged places where Japanese funds are being utilized for relief and rehabilitation. Members of the delegation included Shin Sukurai of the House of Councilors Liberal Democratic Party, Chiiaki Takahasi of the House of Councilors Democratic Party, Hirroko Wada of the House of Councilors, Osamu Kusumto of the Asian Population and Development Association, Barbara Aterly of UNICEF in Chennai and Sachi Grover of UNFPA. Read: UNI
INDONESIA: UNFPA Head on a 10-Day Tour
The Jakarta Post reported November 8 that UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Obaid will visit Indonesia for a 10-day tour to promote gender equality and equity in the country. Obaid is scheduled to hold talks with the head of the National Family Planning Board Sumarjati Arjoso and leaders of major Muslim organizations, including Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah. Obaid is also scheduled to travel to Aceh to monitor UNFPA humanitarian work in the tsunami-struck province. KENYA: FGM Crusader Named UN Person of the Year
The Standard reported November 5 that Agnes Pareyio was presented with the United Nations Person of the Year last week at the UN headquarters in Gigiri for dedicating her life to fighting the Maasai tradition of female genital mutilation. Pareyio started the Tasaru Ntomonok (rescue the woman) Initiative project in 1999 with help from World Vision and UNFPA.
MALAWI: Family Planning Methods Can Help Prevent Maternal Deaths
The Chronicle Newspaper reported November 7 that up to 30% of maternal deaths can be prevented by using family planning methods. Dorothy Lazaro, UNFPA program officer, and Ellen Thom, UNFPA VCT coordinator, said condoms are effective because they prevent pregnancy at 98% with correct and consistent use and it could be used as either a short or long term method of contraception. Read: Chronicle Newspaper MALAYSIA: Art Exhibit to Explore Identity
New Straits Times (Malaysia) reported November 9 on "Scripted Bodies," a four-week group exhibit by seven younger artists whose works explore the idea of body as text, especially in relation to notions of identity, gender and sexuality through their art. The exhibition is a collaborative project between Reka Art Space and KRYSS (Knowledge and Rights with Young People through Safer Spaces) and supported by HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd and UNFPA.
MAURITANIA: Youth Centers Evaluated
The Daily Horizon of 19 youth centers across Mauritania. The study aims to better understand and cater to the needs of young people. The release of the study was attended by the Minister of Youth, Culture and Sports, the Minister for Health and Social Affaires and the Representative of UNFPA. During the ceremony, UNFPA also handed over audio-visual equipment and 50 recycled computers to various youth organisations and clubs.
NIGER: Discussion on Gender and Islam
Le Sahel reported November 10 that a workshop on gender and Islam for members of the government took place in Niamey 9 November. The Minister for Women's Promotion and Child Protection said the objective was to ensure knowledge of women and men's rights within Islam. The UNFPA representative stressed the importance placed in religion on notions of justice, tolerance and compassion, and quoted the UN Secretary General's call for a revolution in promoting women and girls' status around the world. PAKISTAN: Care Provided to Thousands of Women Affected by the Earthquake
Pakistan Press International reported November 8 that some 17,000 earthquake-affected women in Pakistan are expected to give birth in the next two months. An estimated 1,200 of them will face major complications and about 400 will require surgical assistance, said UNFPA. UNFPA Representative in Pakistan Dr. France Donnay cautioned that additional funds would be required to adequately care for the thousands of women who will need medical assistance in the coming months. UNFPA has asked donors for $ 9 million to support reproductive health and $ 1 million for hygiene supplies, as part of the UN-led consolidated humanitarian appeal for Pakistan. Read: Daily Times, UN News Centre, IRNA
Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported November 9 that Shahida Fazil, senior UNFPA official, said, "The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is helping local authorities by providing clean delivery kits, caesarean section kits, emergency supplies and much-needed surgical equipment as part of the U.N.'s coordinated response." Read: Deutsche Presse-Agentur
The Daily Times reported November 11 that donors at the "medium term plan development" workshop in collaboration with the WHO and the German Technical Assistance Agency pledged to extend all possible support in setting up health facilities in the earthquake-affected areas of the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Representatives of national and international agencies including the WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, Save the Children-U.S., Medicine Sans Frontier, International Federation of Red Cross, International Rescue Committee, International Medical Corps, Mercy Corps International, International Relief, International Organization for Migration, Pakistan Islamic Medical Association, Pakistan Orthopedic Association attended the conference. Read: Daily Times
The Daily Times reported November 10 that UNFPA and the Ministry of Population Welfare have arranged for 10 well-equipped ambulances to treat delivery cases in pregnant women. Pakistan Press International reported November 7 that UNFPA's mobile service units serve about 250 patients a day in Mansehra and Muzaffarabad where local health centers were destroyed. Read: Daily Times TURKEY: Upcoming Conference on Domestic Violence
Turkish Daily News reported November 9 that in conjunction with UNFPA's Turkey office and Doethan Media Group's Hurriyet Daily, the Turkish government is scheduled to hold an international conference on domestic violence called, "No to Domestic Violence! Conference 2005 Good Practices."
UGANDA: Expanded Immunizations for Girls and Women Announced
UN News Centre reported November 11 that UNICEF has announced its support for an expanded campaign to immunize more than 850,000 girls and women of childbearing age in Uganda against the threat of tetanus, which poses grave risks to pregnant women and their babies. The immunizations, to be extended to nine additional, high-risk districts this month, are organized by the Ugandan Ministry of Health with the support of WHO, UNFPA, and various non-governmental organizations as well as UNICEF. Read: UN News Centre
UNITED STATES: Bush Nominee Criticized
The Hartford Courant ran a November 9 editorial that noted: "Ellen Sauerbrey, the Bush administration's nominee for assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration, is about as qualified for such an assignment as was Michael D. Brown was for his job as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. And we know what happened when that political appointee was faced with a real emergency in Hurricane Katrina." The editorial concluded: "It's worrisome that she views reproductive health as anti-family. She defends the president's failure to fund the U.N. Population Fund, an allocation approved by Congress, wrongly insisting that the money is used for coercive abortions in China. Family planning and reproductive health are not synonymous with abortion; they reduce abortion. Family planning information is vital in countries where women are subjugated and mistreated. Education is the best way to prevent the spread of AIDS and help achieve the goals of gender equality by empowering women, preventing maternal and infant deaths, and reducing poverty." Read: Hartford Courant
The Salt Lake Tribune ran a November 8 op ed criticizing opposition to Sauerbrey's appointment by Rich Lowry, editor of the conservative publication National Review. Lowry noted: "The feminist left and Democrats in this country are mobilizing to oppose the nomination of Ellen Sauerbrey as assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. Among Sauerbrey's sins is her support for the Bush administration's policy of denying U.S. dollars to the U.N. Population Fund because that organization is entangled with China's abortion-dependent one-child policy." Read: Salt Lake Tribune UNITED STATES: 34 Million Friends Co-Founder Releases Book
The Redlands Daily Facts reported November 10 that a new book, "34 Million Friends of the Women of the World," relates the reasons for the quest Jane Roberts has devoted herself to for the past three years. Roberts, 64, believes money to help girls and women in developing countries should not be used as a political tool. "We are the only country on the face of the earth that withdraws funds from UNFPA for political reasons," she said. She began a movement to fill that gap, asking Americans to donate just $1 each. At the same time Lois Abraham of Taos, N.M., came up with an almost identical idea. Through the United Nations, these two women joined and launched the campaign "34 Million Friends," which to date has raised nearly $3 million. When asked how long she would continue to be serious about 34 Million Friends, Roberts said, "All the way. Forever." Read: Redlands Daily Facts
VIETNAM: U.N. Documents on Display
Vietnam News Agency reported November 10 that as many as 600 U.N. documents are currently on displayed at the Viet Nam National Library to commemorate the UN's 60th anniversary. The socio-cultural publications in the collection are from the UNESCO, ILO, the Human Rights Committee, UNFPA, and the U.N. Research Institute for Social Development. Read: Vietnam News Agency
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