UNFPA IN THE NEWS—MAY 20-26, 2006

UNFPA AIDS CLOCK RELAUNCHED

UN News Centre reported May 23 that UNFPA has relaunched its AIDS Clock, an exhibit that has been counting the relentless toll of the epidemic since 1997. “The AIDS Clock reminds us of how pressing our work is,” said UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid. “The clock ticks louder as the number of people living with HIV increases. Behind each number is a face, a family and a circle of loved ones who are also affected.” Obaid added: “Our goal is to slow down, and eventually turn back the AIDS Clock. Preventing HIV is the key.” Read: UN News Centre

INCREASED ATTENTION TO END OBSTETRIC FISTULA

The Globe and Mail reported May 23 that in the past few years, campaigners working to end obstetric fistula have managed to attract more attention to this “unglamorous” healthcare issue. “We're seeing a lot of positive changes, of facilities being able to handle more cases – increased awareness and prioritization of the issue," said Kate Ramsey of UNFPA’s Campaign to End Fistula. Mali now has four times more capacity to do repairs than it did when the campaign started in 2003. Read: The Globe and Mail

PUSH FOR FORMER UNFPA HEAD TO LEAD THE UNITED NATIONS

The Gulf Times reported May 22 on Pakistan’s efforts to have an Asian replace United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The story mentioned Dr. Nafis Sadik as a part of the shortlist of candidates to head the world body. Sadik is the daughter of Pakistan’s former finance minister, Mohamed Shoaib, and served as UNFPA’s executive director for 13 years. Read: Gulf Times 

BANGLADESH: Nursing Important for Healthcare

The Daily Star ran a May 22 op ed by Akhtar Banu, former deputy director of nursing services, who wrote on the importance of nursing for healthcare in Bangladesh. Banu noted that nursing in Bangladesh has had continuous material and or technical support and assistance for the development of nursing services and education programs from a number of international organizations including WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, UNCDF, World Bank, British Council, UNFPA, USAID, DANIDA, UNESCO and ICN. Read: Daily Star 

BAHAMAS: Domestic Violence Highlighted on Anniversary Death

The Freeport News ran a May 25 story on the anniversary of the death of Tiffany Smith, a victim of domestic violence in the Bahamas. The story cited chapter three of UNFPA’s report, "Ending Violence against Women and Girls: A Human Rights and Health Priority," that suggested that widespread instances of domestic violence in most societies is a frequent cause of female suicide. Read: Freeport News 

CAMEROON: Symposium on Population Studies

Cameroon Radio and Television reported May 24 that at three-day symposium on population studies in Yaounde, participants, mostly experts UNFPA and “la Francophonie,” discussed reforms for the Regional School of Demography, IFORD. Read: Cameroon Radio and Television

CAMEROON: Support for Census

Cameroon Tribune reported May 26 that Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni held talks with the Director of the UNFPA Africa Division, Ms. Fama Hane Ba, who promised  that UNFPA would contribute resources and  see how it can assist the government of Cameroon to mobilize additional resources to be able to complete the ongoing population census process.  Fama Hane-Ba led a three-member delegation to the Prime Minister’s Office for the audience in connection with an international symposium in Yaounde on population studies and development.

GHANA: Missing Population Data Impedes Development

Ghana News Agency reported May 24 that during a workshop, members of the Volta Regional and Ho Municipal Population Advisory Committees said the unavailability of district population data is a major impediment to development. The workshop, organized by the Regional Population Council was held to sensitize the committee members on the government of Ghana and UNFPA’s 5th country program. Read: Ghana News Agency

HAITI: Bahamas Ambassador to Haiti Praises Haiti Resilience 

The Bahama Journal ran a May 23 op ed by The Bahamas Ambassador to Haiti, Dr. Eugene Newry, who mentioned Haiti’s recent census was funded by Haiti, UNFPA, the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Union, Japan and Belgium. The census showed that half of Haiti’s population is younger than 20, unemployment is 33 percent and less than half of the school-age children are attending primary school. Newry concluded: “These statistics and others speak volumes about human suffering. It is however also true that these same charts and numbers also show that there are millions of Haitians who are surviving and overcoming the odds stacked against them. This – ultimately – is what resilience is all about.” Read: The Bahama Journal

INDONESIA: Micro-Enterprising Schemes Helping Women

The Jakarta Post reported May 23 on the National Family Planning Board and UNFPA’s micro-enterprising program for women producing handicrafts. The story noted that the program’s aim is to empower women by giving them extra income. According to UNFPA, skilled and educated women have more choices for self-improvement and can postpone marriage and pregnancy to reduce high birth and mortality rates due to early marriage.

INDONESIA: Journalists Tour Mother-Friendly Program

The Jakarta Post reported May 23 that UNFPA took journalists on a two-day tour to observe the Mother-Friendly Movement in West Java. UNFPA started supporting the National Family Planning Board (BKKBN) in 2001, creating a temporary delivery capital scheme, which encourages Bugel villagers to set aside money to assist women in labor. Under the program, villagers found ways to quickly transport women in labor to the better-equipped district health center.

JAMAICA: Former UNFPA Representative Named Head of Gender and Development Studies

The Jamaica Observer ran a May 22 feature story on Dr. Leith Dunn, the new head of the Centre for Gender and Development Studies at the UWI. The story noted that for two and a half years, she acted as UNFPA’s assistant representative for the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean. Read: Jamaica Observer

JAMAICA: Women Have Smaller Families

The Jamaica Observer reported May 22 that women are no longer opting for large families, but instead are only having one or two children. Dr. Leith Dunn, head of the Centre for Gender and Development Studies at UWI, said women are having fewer children mainly because of the improvement in the use and knowledge of contraceptives. She said the government partners with international organizations to educate women and their partners about sexual health and the use of contraceptives. “The United Nations Population Fund and the Ministry of Health have been providing program where they educate adolescents about family planning," she said. Read: Jamaica Observer

JAMAICA: Significant Progress Made in HIV/AIDS Fight

The Jamaica Gleaner reported May 21 that UNAIDS Country Representative to Jamaica Miriam Maluwa, Public Defender Howard Hamilton and Harold Robinson of UNFPA attended a public forum on HIV/AIDS put on by the National AIDS Committee. Experts learned that Jamaica has made significant progress in meeting the HIV/AIDS targets since the country committed to fighting the disease in 2001 at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session. Read: Jamaica Gleaner

LIBERIA: Training for 350 Women and Adolescent Girls

The Analyst reported May 23 that 350 underprivileged women and adolescent girls in the Paynesville suburb of Monrovia will benefit from a UNFPA-sponsored training to improve income-generating skills and sexual and reproductive health. Read: The Analyst

MAURITANIA: First Lady Inaugurates Extension of Maternity Ward 

Horizon reported May 20 that during the 3rd National Week of Reproductive Health, the first lady Oum Kelthoum Mint Nah inaugurated the extension of the maternity ward at the Cheikh Zayed Hospital. Collaborative efforts to complete the project involved civil society, UNFPA and the public and private sectors. The story noted that UNFPA provided equipment worth $200,000.

NIGERIA: UNFPA Donates Obstetrics Equipment

Xinhua General News Service reported May 23 that UNFPA donated obstetric equipment to Nigeria's northwestern state of Sokoto worth $2.3 million. Ten health centers in each of the 23 local government areas and 11 general hospitals in the state are expected to benefit from the donated equipment. At the hand-off ceremony, Salma Burton, UNFPA deputy country representative in Nigeria, said the agency is also committing $1.1 million dollars in direct assistance to the state. “UNFPA is also providing medical equipment and reproductive health commodities to the state, including contraceptives, safe motherhood kits and other consumables to 230 primary health care and 23 secondary referral facilities," Burton said. The Daily Trust also reported on this story on May 25. Read: Xinhua General News Service 

NIGERIA: Rivers State University Opens HIV/AIDS Youth Friendly Centre

The Tide reported May 22 that during the official opening of the Rivers State University’s HIV/AIDS Youth Friendly Centre, chairman of the university’s HIV/AIDS awareness committee, Dr. A.I. Nwachukwu explained centre was a collaborative project between UNFPA, the Rivers State Government and the university. Read: The Tide 

PAKISTAN: Campaign to End Fistula at the Lady Reading Hospital

Pakistan Newswire reported May 25 that during a news conference at Peshawar Press Club, Pakistan National Forum on Women's Health announced a three-year campaign with UNFPA to treat and prevent obstetric fistula at the Lady Reading Hospital.

PAKISTAN: Follow-Up Conference to Ulema Training

Business Recorder reported May 24 that the Population Welfare Ministry and UNFPA organized a two-day follow-up meeting to evaluate a recent ulema training on population, development and women’s empowerment. Representatives from 12 countries, including Egypt, Iran, Malaysia, Jordan, Palestine, Indonesia, Lebanon and Afghanistan, will meet on May 29-30.

ROMANIA: Abortion Rates Down

Jurnalul National reported May 20 that according to UNFPA Representative Dr. Peer Sieben, the abortion rate has decreased by 30 per cent in Mures County in the last four years. He showed that since 2002, when Mures became a target county for UNFPA, intensive campaigns for promoting the use of contraceptives, as well the high number of family doctors and community assistants trained in the UNFPA-funded programs, led to a decrease in the number of abortions, from 6,201 in 2002 to 4,472 last year. According to his statement, the number of couples benefiting from free contraceptives offered by the Minister of Health has increased from 2,240 in 2002, to 6,836 in 2005.

RWANDA: Student Drama Competition on Human Rights

The New Times reported May 21 that students were in Kigali to take part in a human rights competition through art and drama. Similar programs to bring out the challenges of gender-based violence, girl-child education, and torture and trauma in the Rwandan community by UNFPA have been extended to local defense forces, police, ex-combatants, local leaders, and women local leaders. Read: The New Times

SIERRA LEONE: Government Determined to Reduce Maternal and Infant Mortality

Standard Times reported May 22 that Sierra Leone is determined to reduce maternal and infant mortality. UNFPA Health Adviser Peter Sikanna said the agency considers all projects to improve the quality of care for pregnant women important. The story noted that the agency leads the implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development’s program of action. Read: Standard Times

TANZANIA: Obstetric Fistula

The Vancouver Province ran a May 21 story on obstetric fistula in Tanzania. The story noted that obstetric fistula, a serious medical condition, was eradicated in North America and Europe 100 years ago. But an estimated two million women continue to live with it in Africa and South Asia, with an additional 50,000 to 100,000 new cases every year – an estimate that is almost certainly too low, according to UNFPA. Internationally, fistula is now finally getting the attention it deserves. A global campaign to end obstetric fistula was launched in 2003 by the UNFPA, currently covering some 30 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and the Arab region.

TANZANIA: UNFPA Country Representative Speaks about Eradicating Poverty

Business Times featured a May 26 interview with UNFPA’s Country Representative in Tanzania Nicola Jones who spoke about UNFPA’s efforts to eradicate poverty in the country. Jones said UNFPA works to “strengthen linkages between the government and civil society, including women’s organizations to reduce maternal death and disability, give access to choice in family planning, increase awareness and commitment to reduce gender-based violence.”

UZBEKISTAN: AIDS Quilt Exhibited

UzReport.com reported May 23 that the AIDS memorial quilt was exhibited on May 21 in Tashkent. The event was organized by Ishonch va Hayot with assistance from UNAIDS, UNODC, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Vision, PSI and Munavvar Tong. Read: UzReport.com

VIETNAM: Cooperative Efforts with the U.N. Since 1977

Vietnam News Service ran a May 22 story on Vietnam’s cooperative efforts with various U.N. agencies since 1977. To date, 12 U.N. agencies have representative offices in Vietnam, including the FAO, UNESCO, UNDP, ILO, UNAIDS, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNODC, IOM, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO. UNFPA has granted more than $140 million for the implementation of the country's program on population, family planning and reproductive health care. Read: Vietnam News Service

VIETNAM: Agreement Signed on Contraceptive Supplies

Vietnam News Service reported May 20 that UNFPA and the Vietnam Committee for Population, Family and Children signed an agreement on contraceptive supplies to Vietnam for 2006-07. Speaking at the signing ceremony, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam Ian Howie said the value of the contraceptives amounted to approximately $1.1 million. Howie said the funds had been mobilized for the UNFPA's Seventh Country Program, which focuses on addressing a lack of contraceptives and diversifying contraceptive methods in the country. Read: Vietnam News Service 

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