UNFPA IN THE NEWS—APRIL 8-21, 2006

UNFPA ANNOUNCES 2006 AWARD WINNERS

UN News Centre reported April 13 on UNFPA's presentation of the 2006 United Nations Population Award to Dr. Halida Hanum Akhter, director-general of the Family Planning Association of Bangladesh, and to Fondation pour la Sante Reproductive e l'Education Familiale, a major reproductive health foundation in Haiti. The story noted that the annual award goes to individuals and institutions for outstanding work in population and improving the health and welfare of individuals. Read: UN News Centre

WHO's 2006 HEALTH REPORT

Botswana: Mmegi reported April 11 that WHO's 2006 Health Report put Botswana's life expectancy for both females and males at 40 years. The report was compiled for all 192 United Nations member states with help from U.N. agencies such as UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA and the World Bank.

Mongolia: Mongolia Web reported April 9 that to mark World Health Day a meeting discussed ways the country's health sector could involve doctors and nurses in distance learning. The story noted that training centers received financial assistance from WHO, UNFPA and the Canadian International Research Center. Read: Mongolia Web

PUSH TO NAME A WOMAN HEAD OF THE U.N.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer ran an April 11 column by Rina Jimenez-David on efforts to name a woman the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. The column identified Pakistan's Nafis Sadik, former executive director of UNFPA, as one of the Asian women qualified to fill the post. Read: Philippine Daily Inquirer

COLUMNIST WARNS OF ENERGY CRISIS

The Toronto Star 's April 20 column by David Crane on the global energy crisis cited UNFPA findings that world population will grow from 6.5 billion people now to 9.1 billion by 2050. “It's not simply that more people will mean more demand for energy. [It's] that people in the less-developed regions are striving to achieve a higher standard of living,” Crane wrote. Read: Toronto Star

BHUTAN: Queen Returns after Two-Week Advocacy Trip

Keunsel reported April 13 that UNFPA's goodwill ambassador, Bhutan's Queen Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck, had returned to Thimphu after a two-week advocacy campaign tour on HIV/AIDS and reproductive health. Read: Keunsel

CAMEROON: Roadmap for 2006 Health Activities Adopted

Cameroon Radio and Television reported April 20 that partners of Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health met and adopted a roadmap to coordinate health activities in 2006. Partners in attendance included the World Bank, UNICEF, UNFPA and other international organizations. Read: Cameroon Radio and Television

CUBA: Sexual Education in Cuban Schools

Granma International reported April 18 that the Cuban Ministry of Education in conjunction with UNFPA developed an adolescent sexual education program informing students about STIs and HIV/AIDS. Read: Granma

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: Annan Combats Sexual Violence

UN News Centre reported April 10 that U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan accepted the first Seville Node between Cultures Award and immediately pledged its 30,000 Euros to a local UNFPA-led project combating sexual violence against women and children. “My wife, Nane, recently visited this project and met with survivors,” Annan said. “Nane and I strongly believe that such projects bring to life, at the local level, our broader efforts to promote equality and human dignity worldwide.” UNFPA Spokesperson Abubakar Dungus said the award “underscores the need for cultural understanding.” He noted that UNFPA also “believes in working in a culturally sensitive way to promote and protect the basic human rights and health of women, especially in poor countries all over the world.” Read: UN News Centre

El Salvador: Census Updated

La Prensa Gráfica reported April 19 that after seven years, El Salvador's census will be updated by March 2007. Costs are estimated around $8.15 million, which will in part be financed by the IADB and UNFPA. Read: La Prensa Gráfica

El Mundo reported April 19 that the National Statistics Division will launch a census pilot project in Atiquiezaya on April 22 funded by UNFPA, the IADB and Japanese bilateral aid. Read: El Mundo

ETHIOPIA AND CANADA: In Search of Long-Term Family Planning Assistance

Ottawa Citizen ran an April 9 column by Shelley Page that detailed a recent trip by Getachew Bekele, director for Marie Stopes International in Ethiopia, to Ottawa looking for family planning support for his drought-stricken country. Page wrote that Bekele hoped to find a sympathetic audience among Canadians, who two years ago stepped up to fill the funding void left by the U.S. government's global gag rule policy. Page noted that UNFPA and several European countries had also provided extra money.

GAMBIA: Local District Honored

The Daily Observer reported April 13 that the Upper River Division of Gambia has been named the country's best health division for 2005 by the Department of State for Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with UNFPA and the National Reproductive and Child Health. Read: The Daily Observer

GUYANA: National Congress of Women Holds Forum

Stabroek News reported April 10 that the National Congress of Women hosted a forum titled, “A Vision of Sisterhood Is Vital for the Development of Guyana,” that featured Patrice LaFleur, liaison officer of UNFPA's Guyana office. Read: Stabroek News

MEXICO: First Competition Convoking Migrant Stories

Criterios reported April 12 that Mexico's Population Council, the Institute of Mexicans Living Abroad, the Council on Culture and the Arts and UNFPA are currently collecting migrant stories. The winners will be announced in September and receive each 1,500 Mexican Pesos. Read: Criterios

LATIN AMERICA: Adolescent Sex Education Lacking

Inter Press Service reported April 18 that an informal survey by its correspondents in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela found sex education “patchy or nonexistent” in the region, with the exception of Cuba. The story cited a 2003 study by UNFPA on 21 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that found that Brazil, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico were the only countries with extensive sex education in the schools. According to UNFPA, between 35 and 52 percent of teen pregnancies in the region every year are unplanned, a situation that could be largely prevented with sex education. The UNFPA report noted that girls age 15 to 19 are twice as likely to die of complications in pregnancy and childbirth as women between 20 and 30. For girls under 15, the risks are five times greater. Read: Inter Press Service

NIGERIA: UNFPA Calls Census a Success

This Day reported April 15 that Dr. Oliver Brasseur, Director of Oversight Services of UNFPA, said the agency was satisfied with Nigeria's recent census. He told journalists it was a success and said that despite logistical problems, the exercise was comprehensive and covered all the country's federated states. Read: This Day

NIGERIA: Media Workshop to Review Population Policy

The Tide reported April 21 that the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and UNFPA are holding a three-day media workshop. According to the Program and Managing Director of NAN Akin Osuntokun, the group is scheduled to meet periodically to review the implementation of the revised national population policy, within the context of UNFPA's assistance program. Read: The Tide

PAKISTAN: Women's Expo 2006

Business Recorder reported April 16 on the inauguration of the Women's Expo 2006 where Nilofer Bakhtiar, an adviser to the Prime Minister, said, "It's high time to realize women's efforts in all development works of the country" and urged women to become economically strong to improve their status in society. Expo participants included provincial ministries of women's development, UNESCO, WHO, UNFPA and some foundations.

SRI LANKA: Gender Working Group Helps Tsunami Survivors

The Asian Tribune reported April 19 that the United Nations' Sri Lanka office issued recommendations addressing gender-based violence (GBV) for tsunami survivors and establishing mechanisms against such abuse. The report, entitled “Working Together against GBV,” called for strengthening women's organizations at the grassroots level; increasing membership and functions of the UNFPA-led GBV Forum; setting up a sustainable referral system; and mapping the GBV situation in Sri Lanka to target future programs. “The complexity of the issue of SGBV means there is a need for a multi-sectoral response,” UNFPA Country Representative Lubna Baqi said. Read: Asian Tribune, Antara

SWAZILAND: HIV Prevention Initiative Launched

T he Swazi Observer reported April 13 that during the launch of the Accelerating Access to HIV Prevention Initiative, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare Mfomfo Nkambule said the country needs to double its efforts in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The story noted that UNFPA's Majourie Mavuso was present at the launch. Read: Swazi Observer

SWAZILAND: Plan of Action for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children

The Swazi Observer reported April 12 that the preparatory meeting to form Swaziland's National Plan of Action for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children was attended by representatives from UNICEF, NERCHA, WFP, World Vision, the U.S. Embassy, UNFPA, Italian Co-operation and Save the Children. Read: Swazi Observer

TANZANIA: Incubator Operators Needed

The Daily News reported April 13 that three incubators donated by UNFPA three years ago are sitting idle in Pemba due to a lack of qualified operators. Deputy Minister for Health and Social Welfare Shawana Bugheity promised efforts to train personnel to operate the machines. Read: Daily News

TURKEY: Joint U.N. Program to Involve Women in Decision-Making Processes

The Turkish Daily News reported April 9 on a U.N. program to involve Turkish women with men in decision-making processes. The story noted that the program is supported by U.N. agencies and other international organizations based in Turkey such as UNDP, UNICEF, ILO, UNHCR, WHO, FAO, IOM and UNFPA. Read: Turkish Daily News

UGANDA: Progress against Female Genital Mutilation

New Vision reported April 11 on a Reproductive and Community Health (REACH) program in the Kapchorwa District, run by UNFPA , that has achieved remarkable results against female genital mutilation among the Sabiny people. "A ritual to mark a girl's passage into womanhood is culturally valid; genital cutting is not," said UNFPA's Dr. Francois Farah. REACH program's Beatrice Chelanat said UNFPA is also aware that FGM is still practiced in neighboring Pokot County. "We sometimes meet Pokot women coming to Kapchorwa for the festivals and we know that FGM is still practiced there, but we do not have a budget to intervene," she said. Read: New Vision

New Vision reported April 17 on press reports saying FGM was spreading in Pokot “as men are interested in marrying only circumcised girls." The story noted that on Feb. 6, this year's International Day for the Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid gave a positive picture from Uganda. "In Kenya, Uganda and many other countries, more and more girls and women are deciding not to be cut and their parents and communities are supporting them in this choice," Obaid said. "Perhaps more than any other issue, female genital mutilation or cutting has taught us that change cannot be imposed from outside; it must come from within.” Read: New Vision

UGANDA: New Emergency Program for Overcrowded Camps

IRIN reported April 14 that over 90 percent of the displaced population in the northern Ugandan district of Pader lives in overcrowded camps, where the problem of HIV/AIDS can't always be given priority. Dr. Sam Okware, director of medical services of Uganda's Ministry of Health, said a new emergency program aims to scale up access to health services. “The program has a number of players, including UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA and others," he said. "We want to double access to medical services in the region within the next six months." Read: IRIN, The Herald

VIETNAM: UNFPA Helps Two Districts

Vietnam News Agency reported April 18 that a UNFPA-sponsored project provided obstetric equipment and installed telephone lines at 44 communal centers and two hospitals in Hoai Duc and Thanh Oai districts. UNFPA also helped make sure that all pregnant women in the two districts received three medical check-ups during pregnancy and postnatal check-ups in the first week after delivery, the story said. Read: Vietnam News Agency

UN News Centre reported April 17 on a U.N. initiative in West and Central Africa to increase girls' access to quality education, part of work toward the Millennium Development Goals of universal primary education and gender equality. U.N. agencies participating in the U.N. Girls' Education Initiative include UNICEF, ILO, World Bank, UNFPA , UNAIDS, UNDP, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIFEM, WFP and WHO. Read: UN News Centre, This Day

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