UNFPA IN THE NEWS—MARCH 25-31, 2006

THE REASONING BEHIND THE U.N. TOP TEN STORIES

The January-March 2006 issue of Vidura featured a story on Sashi Tharoor, U.N. under-secretary for communications and public information, and the formulation of his list of ten stories the world should hear more about. Tharoor explained: “The reason we seek to push these issues is not simply to gain media attention, but also gain the attention of those who can address the problem we are spotlighting, like obstetric fistula, for example, that are not easy to talk about.” The story quoted UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Obaid, who explained that obstetric fistula is “a double sorrow because women lose their babies and they lose their dignity.”

AFRICA: Gender Equality Needed in AIDS Fight

Pravda ran a March 29 column by Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey on U.N. Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa Stephen Lewis's “enveloping sense of horror” when seeing the plight of women across Africa , victims of AIDS, after a recent trip. Bancroft-Hinchey noted that while praising the work of UNIFEM and UNFPA, Lewis called for a more powerful and wide-reaching organization to be set up to address the urgent needs in the field. The column concluded: “The international community in general and women's groups in particular need to get behind women's rights groups in Africa to support and galvanize them into activity which will not only provide aid for the victims but also, through public awareness campaigns and pressure groups, reverse the current social trends which leave women defenseless and helpless against sexual attacks and physical violence which places their own lives – and that of their children – at risk.” Read: Pravda

BANGLADESH: Workshop on Women in Media

The Independent reported March 31 that UNFPA organized a daylong workshop on "Women in Media" on December 12. Speakers at the workshop called upon the media to highlight the positive aspects of women rather than reporting on the "sensational side." Read: The Independent

BELIZE: Barbers Attend Workshop on HIV/AIDS Outreach

The Reporter reported March 31 on a two-day Y.W.C.A. workshop that trained a dozen barbers on HIV/AIDS outreach targeting young people. The story noted that the Y.W.C.A received funding from the GOB/OPEC-Fund/UNFPA project for the prevention of HIV/AIDS among youth. Read: The Reporter

ETHIOPIA: UNFPA to Increase Support

The Ethiopian Herald reported March 30 that UNFPA would increase its support for the implementation of population and reproductive health in Ethiopia . While conferring with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director Kunio Waki said his agency has been assisting Ethiopia in its population, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS intervention programs. Waki added that the efforts underway to reduce maternal mortality rate and prevent HIV/AIDS have been executed effectively. Read: Ethiopian Herald

INDIA: First Conviction of the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act

Indian Express reported March 28 that twelve years after the law was enacted to check female feticide, the first conviction with a prison term was handed down under the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act. R. C. Agarwal, civil surgeon based in Faridabad and head of Haryana's Appropriate Authority said: “The most important thing is to get an early judgment. When it takes five years for a case to be decided, we get completely demoralized.'' Radhika Kaul Batra, UNFPA senior advocacy officer, added, "The [gap] in the PNDT Act is the implementation rather than the Act itself.'' Read: Indian Express

KENYA: Mobile Clinic Reaches Far-Off Places

African Woman and Child Feature Service reported March 30 on the hope a mobile clinic brings to Kenya 's Samburu district where the next hospital is located 200 kilometers away in the Mararal district. The story noted that when the mobile clinic radios fell into disrepair a few months earlier, UNFPA purchased five radios. Dr. Philemon Too, the district medical chief, said, "This type of communication has helped us save lives since we attend to the patients immediately," adding that they had saved eight women's lives in need of emergency obstetric care. Read: African Woman and Child Feature Service

MARSHALL ISLANDS: Tackling Teenage Pregnancy

Pacific Magazine reported March 31 that t he Marshall Islands government highlighted the high rate of pregnancies among teenage mothers at the opening of a three-day girls' forum. Dr. Rufina Latu, speaking on behalf of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and UNFPA, said, “Our organizations will provide as much assistance as we can to help the Marshall Islands solve these problems.” Read: Pacific Magazine

MIDDLE EAST: Sub-Regional Office Opens

ONA reported March 30 on the opening ceremony of UNFPA's sub-regional office in Muscat covering Oman , Kuwait , Saudi Arabia , Bahrain , the United Arab Emirates and Qatar . Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA executive director, said that UNFPA's decision to establish the office was based on increased attention by governments in the region to population and development issues and the formulation of policies and strategies of national programs. Khaleej Times quoted Obaid as also saying: “ UNFPA considers cooperation with the GCC ministries of health as an important and strategic matter for the well-being of the citizens of these countries, especially with respect to the preservation of the health of women and family.” She added the aim of the Muscat office is to provide "all necessary scientific and technical assistance in support of the national efforts of GCC countries to improve the social, health and cultural welfare of their populations." Read: ONA, Khaleej Times, MENAFN.com, Al-Watan, Al-Hayat, Shabiba-1, Shabiba-2, Sharq Awosat

NIGERIA: Census Completed

UN News Centre reported March 28 that with help from UNFPA, Nigeria finished gathering data in its first census in 15 years. “The Nigerian government has demonstrated its commitment to conducting a fair and accurate census of its population,” said Niangoran Essan, UNFPA representative in Nigeria , pledging further support to ensure the success of the undertaking. In addition, Osaretin Adonri, UNFPA's Abuja-based national program officer for monitoring and evaluation, said more government officers will be trained in how to appropriately analyze the data generated during the census to assist the country in future socio-economic planning. Read: UN News Centre

NIGERIA: Gender Parity Missed

A March 28 story by This Day reflected on Nigeria 's recent observance of International Women's Day by noting the world has just missed the first and most critical MDG – gender parity in education by 2005. The story cited UNFPA estimates that more than 100 million children remain out of school. Read: This Day, Vanguard

PAKISTAN: Unemployment Declined

The Daily Times reported March 30 that a report compiled by Compendium on Gender Statistics in Pakistan, Federal Bureau of Statistics and UNFPA revealed that u nemployment in the country declined by 0.03 million during 2003-04 as compared to 2001-02 when 3.51 million people were unemployed. In addition, the findings revealed that more women entered the labor force than men. Read: Daily Times

TAJIKISTAN: Interview with the New WHO Representative

IRIN featured a March 31 interview with Santino Severoni, the new WHO representative in Tajikistan , who outlined the mission's priorities in the former Soviet republic. When asked about joint projects, Severoni responded: “Our direct and main partner is the Tajik health ministry. In addition to this, we have planned several projects for 2006 within the framework of the Improvement of Social Services and Reduction of Infectious Diseases Level Program. These are projects on urgent obstetric care and improvement of reproductive health of teenagers together with the United Nations Population Fund and the UN Children's Fund.” Read: IRIN

UNITED STATES: Senate Nominee Questioned on UNFPA

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ran a March 26 column by Sally Kalson questioning the qualifications of Pennsylvania 's Robert P. Casey Jr., the likely Democratic nominee in this year's U.S. Senate race. Kalson questioned Casey's handling of U.S. funding UNFPA: “Would Mr. Casey vote to restore funding for the United Nations Population Fund that Bush and the Republican congress have blocked over baseless charges that the fund backs forced abortions in China ? The fund builds and equips maternity clinics in the world's poorest countries, trains midwives and reduces deaths from preventable disease. Is that a mission he can wholeheartedly support?” Read: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

WEST AFRICA: $92 Million Aid Appeal for Lean Season

UN News Centre reported March 28 that with an imminent new lean season threatening the lives of more than 300,000 children in West Africa , the United Nations launched an appeal for nearly $92 million. In the affected countries of Burkina Faso , Mali , Mauritania and Niger , seven U.N. agencies consisting of FAO, OCHA, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA , WFP, the WHO, and the NGO Afrique verte, will implement programs to avert the disaster. Read: UN News Centre

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