UNFPA IN THE NEWS—APRIL 1-7, 2006

COMMISSION ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT

United Press International reported April 6 that at the week-long U.N. Commission on Population and Development meeting at U.N. World Headquarters in New York, UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid said, "Perhaps more than any other issue, international migration puts into stark relief the enormous social, political, economic and cultural transformations now occurring in a world divided between excess and need." Obaid and others discussed the status and condition of millions of migrants worldwide in preparation for a U.N. General Assembly meeting on migration in September. During the meeting, UNFPA released a report, "Report on World Population Monitoring," that said three-quarters of all migrants are concentrated in 28 countries with 61 percent of the migrants residing in developed countries including the United States , Germany , France and Australia . Read: United Press International

An April 4 story by Inter Press Service reported that Obaid said the "brain drain" of health workers from poor to rich nations requires urgent responses from the international community. "Many developing countries, especially in Africa , are experiencing more severe shortages of doctors, nurses and other health workers, due to the loss of personnel," she said. Read: Inter Press Service, UN News Centre

WORLD HEALTH DAY: HEALTH WORKERS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE MDGS

Inter Press Service reported April 7 that on World Health Day, U.N. experts said the current crisis of skilled healthcare workers could deal a fatal blow to the global anti-poverty campaign aiming to meet the Millennium Development Goals. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said, "The global population is growing, but the number of health workers in many of the poorest countries is falling." Currently, there are no countries in Africa, Asia, or Latin America and the Caribbean that are on pace to meet the target of reducing maternal mortality by three-quarters by 2015. "Addressing the shortage of midwives through education, training and deployment to underserved areas would bring us much closer to achieving the MDG of improving maternal health," said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA executive director. "Concerted efforts are urgently needed to solve the shortage of midwives and other health workers – a shortage that is severe in the poorest countries, putting the lives of millions of people at risk," said Obaid. According to Arletty Pinel, chief of UNFPA's reproductive health branch: "Dead mothers don't talk, and those that surround them sometimes see this as a 'normal' process of life. But most maternal deaths could have been avoided if the system hadn't failed those women.” Read: Inter Press Service, UN News Centre

THE CREATION OF A UNITED NATIONS WOMEN'S AGENCY URGED

Inter Press Service reported April 7 that a high-level panel of experts on "U.N. System-Wide Coherence in the fields of Development, Humanitarian Assistance, and the Environment," currently in session, has been asked how gender equality "can be better and more fully addressed in the work of the United Nations." Although the coalition is not endorsing any specific proposal, it refers to several that are currently on the table: incorporating UNIFEM into the U.N. Development Program; or combining UNIFEM, DAW, OSAGI and INSTRAW, and creating a new women's agency with a broad mandate on gender equality (building on UNFPA and UNIFEM), with substantial resources at the global and country levels. Read: Inter Press Service

U.N. HEADS MEET IN SPAIN

Associated Press reported April 5 that U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Madrid to attend the twice-yearly meeting of the heads of U.N. agencies, funds and program. In addition, Annan traveled to Seville to receive an award from the Nodo Foundation. Annan announced that he will contribute the award money to a UNFPA-run project he recently visited in the Congolese city of Kisangani that helps women and children who have suffered from sexual violence with medical, psychological and legal assistance. Read: Associated Press

AFRICA: Meeting on Violence against Girls Scheduled

Angola Press Agency reported April 5 that violence against girls in Africa will be the focus of an international conference to be held on May 11-12 at the African Child Policy Forum. The story mentioned that facts about violence against girls in Africa were hidden. A recent study by UNFPA in Nigeria found that 16 percent of hospital patients treated for sexually transmitted infections were less than five years old. Read: Angola Press Agency

AZERBAIJAN: UNFPA Representative Met with Vice-Speaker of Parliament

Azertaj reported April 3 that UNFPA Regional Director of Azerbaijan , Georgia and Armenia , Annet Birgitte Albrectsen, met with Vice-Speaker of the Azerbaijan Parliament, Bahar Muradova. Albrectsen said UNFPA closely watches the legislation in Azerbaijan that involves women and children. Read: Azertaj

BRAZIL: Racism Continues to Affect Large Sectors of Society

O Globo reported April 1 on how racism affects disenfranchised groups in Brazil . The article, which was prepared with the support of the U.N. Communications Working Group, mentioned a UNFPA study on the persecution of 8,500 native Brazilians, the Satere-Mawe. Read: O Globo

CAMEROON: Youth Policy to Be Developed

The Cameroon Tribune reported April 7 that the Minister of Youth Affairs Adoum Garoua met with UNFPA Country Representative Yao K. Faustin to discuss the framework of drawing a youth policy in the country. Faustin noted that UNFPA will bring in regional advisers to help establish the policy. Read: Cameroon Tribune

CHINA: China-Made Condoms Wrapped in American and European Labels

Xinhua General News Service reported April 5 that s ome one billion condoms exported by China every year reach foreign consumers without Chinese labels and only the product origin. "Few people in American and European countries notice that the condoms labeled with their familiar brands in neighborhood stores are made in China ," complained Jiang Youpan, chief engineer of Guilin Rubber Factory. The factory is China 's largest condom maker and a product supplier for world-famous condom brands and for international organizations such as UNFPA for its AIDS prevention programs. Read: Xinhua General News Service

COSTA RICA: Legislators Discuss U.N. Millennium Development Goals

Tico Times reported April 5 that l egislators met to discuss the status of the MDGs in Costa Rica . The conference was held in collaboration with the Costa Rican UNFPA office, the Inter-American Parliamentary Group for Population and Development and Family Care International. Read: Tico Times

COSTA RICA: U.N.-Sponsored Workshop on Youth and Sexual Health

Tico Times reported on April 3 that representatives from the National Institute for Women and the Ministries of Public Health and Education gathered to talk about youth, sexual health and gender at a workshop sponsored by UNFPA and Family Care International. Read: Tico Times

COTE D'IVOIRE:  Mobile Unit to Saving Women's Lives

Fraternité Matin reported April 1 that a mobile health unit was offered to the Ministry of Health by UNFPA, to ensure pregnant women in the district of Katiola can give birth safely. The political crisis in the country has made many people flee their homes, and the situation can be dire for pregnant women. "This is an effort to reduce the maternal mortality and morbidity in the country", said UNFPA representative Philippe Delanne.

FIJI: Silence Fueling Spread of HIV/AIDS

Fiji Times reported April 5 that UNFPA and UNAIDS said Fiji was caught in its culture of silence concerning HIV/AIDS. UNFPA Advisor on Reproductive Health Dr. Wame Baravilala said the silence was not helping the situation. “ People are still silent over the matter because they know they won't be treated or given any assistance at all, so why bother. This is the attitude most of them have,” he said. “We have about 200 reported HIV/AIDS cases in Fiji but not the infrastructure to deal with it and help the victims. Our country has not decided if they would treat the victims or not so we can't expect the victims to be speaking up if they are HIV positive or not," said Baravilala. Read: Fiji Times

GAMBIA: Peer Health Educator Training Held

The Point reported April 4 that the Adolescent/Youth and Reproductive Health Project (AYRH) of the National Youth Council recently concluded a five-day training for 30 peer health educators in the western division. At the conclusion of the training, Abbass Bah, coordinator of AYRH, thanked UNFPA for its support for  Gambia 's youth. Read: The Point

INDIA: Filmmakers Challenged to Address Gender and Sexuality at Workshop

The Hindu reported April 6 that at a jointly-sponsored workshop on gender and sexuality by UNFPA and t he Public Service Broadcasting Trust, filmmakers were challenged to cover the issue neglected by most mainstream television Read: The Hindu

IRAN: Earthquake Aid

UN News Centre reported April 3 that the U.N. dispatched supplies to Iran and extended several emergency cash grants for relief efforts in the wake of the series of earthquakes that affected some 100,000 people in western Lorestan province, killing 70 and injuring at least 1,300 others. The story noted that U.N. aid efforts included $100,000 mobilized by UNFPA. Read: UN News Centre

IRNA reported April 5 that U.N. Resident Coordinator in Iran , Knut Obsby, visited the earthquake-hit districts of Lorestan province to personally assess the situation. The story noted that reproductive health commodities and supplies procured with support of UNFPA were distributed to clinics in Lorestan through IRCS and Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME). UNFPA's support, in cooperation with MOHME, goes to the victims of the earthquake, especially women, includes psycho-social counseling, individual and group therapy for those who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or gender-based violence. Read: IRNA, Xinhua General News Service

JAMAICA: UNFPA and European Commission Donate Equipment

The Jamaica Gleaner reported March 7 that UNFPA and the European Commission presented the Victoria Jubilee Hospital with 12 fetal heart monitors (pocket model), one central monitoring system, two ante partum fetal monitors, six portable patient monitors and 10 examination lights to reduce the risk of mothers dying during childbirth and aid in the safe delivery of babies. At the handing-over ceremony, UNFPA Deputy Representative for the Office of the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean , Jaime Nadal, said it was unacceptable that in this era of "phenomenal discoveries and scientific achievements, women are still dying by the minute from pregnancy-related causes." He said the partnership between the European Commission and UNFPA was "an investment in the reproductive health and well-being of women in Jamaica and also in the fight against poverty." Read: Jamaica Gleaner

KAZAKHSTAN: Ageing Population

Exclusive reported April 4 that Kazakhstan 's demographic situation is characterized as an ageing population. Shynar Imangaliyeva, UNFPA program associate, said ageing population presents new challenges and, at the same time, it also provides new opportunities to establish a new socio-economic and cultural environment.

MALAWI: UNFPA Asked for Continued Support

The Chronicle Newspaper reported April 3 that the Minister of Economic Planning and Development, David Faiti, asked UNFPA to continue supporting the government in sexual and reproductive health activities in Malawi . He said UNFPA support has helped Malawi make tremendous progress in the area of population and sexual and reproductive health, as well as the collection of population data. Read: The Chronicle Newspaper

MEXICO: Presidential Candidates Asked to Explain Views on Specific Issues

CIMAC Noticias reported April 6 that during  meeting facilitated by UNFPA and UNIFEM, representatives of civil society demanded that presidential candidates address the status of national development, gender equality and reproductive health. Read: CIMAC Noticias

MIDDLE EAST: Director of New Sub-Regional Office Appointed

Asharq Alawsat reported April 1 that Dr. Noura al Nahed, a professor at King Saud University in Riyadh , has been appointed as director of UNFPA's new office in the Omani capital. Read: Asharq Alawsat

NIGERIA: Rivers State Named Best for Implementing UNFPA Programs

The Tide reported April 6 that after UNFPA conducted a nationwide tour of initiatives in the country Rivers State emerged as the best region for implementing UNFPA–assisted programs. Dr. Charles U. Ajie, UNFPA program director in Rivers State , attributed the achievement to the support of the Rivers State government, the local government councils and the commitment and hard work of the primary healthcare coordinators and supervisors in the 17 UNFPA–assisted local government areas. Read: The Tide

NIGERIA: Efforts to Stem Gender Disparity

The Daily Champion reported April 4 that at a one-day sensitization workshop on reproductive rights and gender issue, UNFPA Adviser in Nasarawa State Akimbami Adetoke called for sustained media campaign and education on reproductive rights and gender issues to stem gender disparity.

PACIFIC: Workshop Held for Journalists

PNG Post-Courier reported April 6 that women are still more likely than men to be poor, malnourished and illiterate and have less access to medical care, property ownership, credit, training and employment. At a workshop on population development UNFPA H ealth and Reproductive Adviser, Dr. Wame Baravilala, said this was especially prevalent in the Pacific despite international agreements affirming the human rights of women. Dr. Baravilala said men and women in the Pacific should share the same opportunities, outcomes, rights and obligations. He said women must be able to participate more fully and equally in the society to make decisions on how to plan a family like birth timing, and the spacing of children without discrimination, coercion and violence.

PNG Post-Courier also reported April 6 that at the workshop, UNFPA D evelopment Adviser Jean-Louis Rallu said governments in the Pacific need to track and analyze population trends to create and manage sound policies. Rallu also called on the governments to generate political will to appropriately address both the present and future population and development needs in the Pacific.

Fiji Times reported April 6 that at the UNFPA-sponsored workshop for journalists Edwina Kotoisuva of the crisis center said a lot of domestic violence cases were not discussed in Pacific island countries. She told the journalists that in some cases victims were shamed when the media identified the victim by sensationalizing the issue, using images, and mentioning the victim's race. Read: Fiji Times

UNITED STATES: Roberts of 34 Million Friends Honored

Redlands Daily Facts reported April 2 that Jane Roberts, co-founder of 34 Million Friends and author of "34 Million Friends of the Women of the World," was honored at a luncheon called "63 Women of Distinction – The Driving Force of 2006." Read: Redlands Daily Facts

WESTERN ASIA: Conference on Safe Motherhood

UzReport.com reported April 5 that a regional conference entitled "Making Safe Maternity a Reality" was held at the UNFPA office in Uzbekistan . More than 35 government representatives and program staff members from UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO from Azerbaijan , Armenia , Georgia , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyz Republic , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan attended the event. The story noted that reducing maternal mortality is a priority area for UNFPA, which supports safe motherhood interventions in 89 countries, as a part of its commitment to reproductive health.

ZAMBIA: More Aid Needed for Refugees

The Post reported April 5 that t he World Food Program declared the food crisis in the refugee camps in Zambia was over. WFP Country Representative David Stevenson said it was a relief that refugees had been saved from a desperate situation and were back on full rations. Stevenson said it was now important for the government to work with agencies like UNFPA and UNHCR to have refugees returned to Angola and to find long-term sustainability for Congolese refugees. Read: The Post

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