UNFPA IN THE NEWS — NOVEMBER 11-17, 2006
AFRICA: Conference on African Muslim Leaders Discuss Fight against AIDS
The New Times reported November 15 that Muslim leaders from all over the world are meeting in Zanzibar to discuss several issues including the fight against AIDS. The conference was organized by the Conference of the African Muslim Faith-Based Network and funded by UNFPA. Read: New Times
IRIN reported November 14 that a news conference was held during the five-day Network of African Islamic Faith-based conference. The organizations’ Deputy Secretary Issa Ziddy said, “We are being supported by the United Nations Population Fund, which works to ensure universal access to reproductive health, including family planning and sexual health for all.” Read: IRIN
AFRICA: Pan African Parliament Launches Trust Fund
The Nation reported November 15 that retired South African President Nelson Mandela led members of the Pan African Parliament in launching the Trust Fund. Upon its launch, several foreign and continental governments, organizations, companies and individuals stepped forward to make pledges. The story mentioned UNFPA donated $50,000. Read: SAPA
ALGERIA: National Strategy to Combat Violence against Women
Liberté reported November 11 that supported by UNFPA, UNIFEM and UNICEF, a national strategy to combat Gender-Based-Violence will be operational from 2007. Ms Nouara Djaâfar from the Ministry of Family and Women Affairs said "the Government and the civil society are concerned by the protection of the family, in particular its most vulnerable members from the effects of violence, and our objective is to combat the violence by different means, including by reinforcing the legal measures’’.
ARGENTINA: Sexual and Reproductive Health
Inter Press Service reported November 16 that Argentina's sexual and reproductive health program is reaching 2.3 million people, up from 124,000 when it began three years ago. The story mentioned that in Argentina, one out of every six births is to mothers aged 15 to 19, according to UNFPA in 2005. Experts interpret this statistic as a sign of a lack of sex education and of access to contraceptive methods. Read: Inter Press Service
AZERBAIJAN: “No Violence!” Project to Be Launched
Demaz.org reported November 15 that on November 25, the International Day of the Violence against Women, the project entitled "No Violence!" in close collaboration with UNFPA and the Organization of Youth of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons will be launched. Read: Demaz.org
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Adults with HIV/AIDS
IRIN reported November 13 that more than one in ten of adults in the Central African Republic are living with HIV/AIDS. The story noted that foreign assistance has been hard to come by, leaving the country struggling to mount an effective response to the pandemic. There are still not enough condoms in the region. “We would need 16 million condoms a year to satisfy the needs in the Central African Republic. But we only have six million from all sources," noted Dr. Basile Tambashe, UNFPA resident representative. Read: IRIN
ETHIOPIA: African Youth Walk to Held
The Ethiopian Herald reported November 14 that the African Youth Walk organized by UNFPA and UNICEF took place in connection with the 5th African Development Forum (ADFV), UNFPA said in a press release. Around 250 youth participants from across Africa are expected to attend the forum. Read: Ethiopian Herald
ETHIOPIA: Foreign Aid Loans
The Ethiopian Herald reported November 11 that some 16.5 billion birr in foreign aid and loans are expected from development partners and international institutions this fiscal year, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development said. The story noted that UNDP, UNFPA, WFP and UNICEF are expected to make financial assistance. Read: Ethiopian Herald
LIBERIA: Sensitization and Education Workshop
The Analyst reported November 16 that a three-day UNFPA-sponsored Labor Force Sensitization and Education Workshop on HIV/AIDS and prevention was held at the Matilda Newport Junior High School. Read: The Analyst
MEXICO: Awards Ceremony Held on Histories of Migrants
News media reported that the awards ceremony for the competition “Migrant Stories: The Mistaken Dream,” organized by Institute of Mexicans Living Abroad, the National Population Council, the National Council for Culture and the Arts and UNFPA, was announced. La Jornada reported November 16 that stories about poverty, abuses, sexual violation and other problems were among the winning articles of the competition. The competition was organized by, among others, UNFPA. Criterios’ November 14 story quoted Arie Hoekman, UNFPA representative, as saying, “Few women arrive at the other side of the border without having suffered sexual violence, it is a story we hear often.” Read: La Jornada, La Prensa, Criterios
NICARAGUA: Imminent Abortion Ban
Women’s Enews reported November 17 on Nicaragua’s imminent abortion ban that makes no exception for the life of a woman. As concern spreads about the ban’s effects on low-income women in particular, rights groups and others vow a legal challenge. The story noted that health experts and women's organizations predict a rise in Nicaragua's already high maternal mortality rate. UNFPA estimates it to be 230 deaths per 100,000 live births. Read: Women’s Enews
NICARAGUA: The Future Flight because of Unemployment
La Prensa reported November 12 that according to its 2005 census, the country’s young population increased by 350,000 over the last ten years. Access to education is a severe shortcoming and unemployment is a serious problem. This situation often serves to increase migration among youth in Nicaragua. Young people and adolescents in the city of Estelí established the House of the Adolescent to help improve their living conditions.
Read: La Prensa
NIGERIA: Borno State Called On to Contribute Counterpart Funding to UNFPA
The Daily Trust Newspaper reported November 17 that at the annual program review of UNFPA's activities in Nigeria, UNFPA Country Program Officer
on Reproductive Health, Dr. Chris Oyeyipo, asked the Borno State Government to contribute its counterpart funding to the agency. Oyeyipo added that
the contribution is a mandatory exercise and key component of the programming cycle of UNFPA activities. Areas of concern to UNFPA in the state are
high maternal and infant mortality rates and HIV/AIDS prevalence.
PACIFIC: UNDG to Expand U.N. Presence
PacNews reported November 15 that the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) recognized that priority should be given to all the Pacific least developed countries that are without a U.N. in-country presence such as Kiribati, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The proposal was developed by UNICEF, UNFPA, WFP and UNDP, and discussed by Pacific Ambassadors at the General Assembly in New York in September.
RUSSIA: Journalist Competion on Population Issues
Oren reported November 13 that the results of the national competition “Demographic situation in Russia; the journalists view” were announced at the House of Journalists of Orenburg. The competition was part of the project “Demography, reproductive health and gender equality and the Mass Media" UNFPA presented the awards to the winners. Read: Oren
RUSSIA: Live Safely Campaign
Regnum and Ozbor reported November 10 that UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund has supported an awareness campaign against HIV/AIDS. The campaign targets young people aiming at informing them on how to protect themselves and prevent the infection. The campaign will last for the month of November. Read: Regnum, Ozbor
RWANDA: Dispute over Gender Equality in Science and Math
The New Times reported November 16 that participants at the on going EdQual research workshop clashed over the issue of gender equality in the teaching of science and mathematics. The story noted that this left many disgruntled. The story mentioned that in a recent workshop for journalists on population issues organized by UNFPA, ideas emerged that women could not do certain things leaving many in disagreement. Read: New Times
SUDAN: Preparatory Meeting Held for the Fifth Population Census
Suna News Agency reported November 15 that UNFPA Country Representative Omer Mustafa attended the Information Committee for the Fifth Population Census in the White Nile State. Mustafa said UNFPA will provide logistic, material and technical support for the census.
UGANDA: UNDP Report Adjustment in Maternal Mortality Rate
New Vision reported November 13 that the UNDP human development report recently released points out that Uganda's maternal mortality ratio of 880 per 100,000 live births, was an adjustment made in 2000. The changes were "based on reviews by the United Nations Children's Fund, World Health Organization and United Nations Population Fund, to account for well-documented problems of underreporting and misclassification.”
UKRAINE: Young People and Sports
ATN reported November 13 that the topic of “Sports and Healthy Life Style” was the theme of a conference that took place at the University of Economy in Ukraine. The conference was part of UNFPA's five-year programme for young people, “equality and equity”. This programme provides young people with information on how to prevent HIV/AIDS, escape from alcohol and drugs. Read: ATN
UZBEKISTAN: Forum for Child Protection
Press-UZ reported November 11 that the international forum “Reforms in the system of children's social protection” would take place in Tashkent 15–16 of November, 2006. This forum aims at improving and developing mechanisms of reform while gaining and sharing international experience. Among organizations participating are UNICEF, UNESCO, UNFPA and “World vision”. Read: Press-UZ
VIETNAM: European Delegation to Review RHIYA Program
Vietnam News Agency reported November 15 that UNFPA announced the arrival of a delegation of the Inter European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development from November 23-25. The visit is part of a project on reproductive health for teenagers and young people in Vietnam jointly implemented by the European Union and UNFPA. The visit aims to review the implementation of the $2.4 million "Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in Asia (RHIYA)" program, which is implemented in seven provinces in Vietnam between 2003 and 2006.
ZAMBIA: Disaster Assessment and Analysis Survey
Xinhua General News Service reported November 11 on a ceremony to launch the comprehensive vulnerability assessment and analysis survey to provide baseline information for monitoring and evaluating disasters in Zambia. UNFPA Country Representative Deji Popoola said managing risks of disasters was a priority for the U.N. and that the launch of the survey marked a milestone in Zambia's shift from reactive to proactive planning of disaster management.
Times of Zambia November 11 story noted that Popoola said managing risks of disasters was a priority for the U.N. and that the survey marked a milestone in Zambia's shift from reactive to proactive planning of disaster management.
ZAMBIA: Maternal Mortality Highlighted
The Times of Zambia reported November 15 that Health minister, Angela Cifire, said Zambia’s maternal mortality ratio is 728 per 100,000 live births. Cifire received surgical and medical supplies to the department of obstetrician and gynecology worth $150,000 from UNFPA goodwill ambassador, Geri Halliwell, on behalf of the University Teaching Hospital. Earlier, UNFPA Resident Representative, Deji Popoola, said his organization had been championing and giving funding for improvements in the area of maternal health. Halliwell added that maternal death was unacceptable because it could be prevented and that the solution was empowering nurses through education. Read: Times of Zambia
ITV reported November 15 that Geri Halliwell appealed to African governments to improve healthcare for mums. The former Spice Girl was in Zambia as part of her role as a UNFPA goodwill ambassador. Halliwell said: "As a woman and as a mother, I feel passionate about empowering women and I would like to give the women of Zambia a voice of hope.” Read: ITV
Geri haliwell's visit was also reported in Medical News Today.
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