UNFPA IN THE NEWS — APRIL 2-15, 2007

UNITED NATIONS POPULATION COMMISSION

Inter Press Service reported April 9 that at the opening of the annual United Nations Population Commission meeting in New York, Jose Antonio Ocampo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said countries should seize the unique window of opportunity offered by current changes in the world population structure. “The current bulge in the youth population presents an unprecedented opportunity for growth and transformation depending on the choices that governments make,” said UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Obaid. “Investing in young people's education, health including their sexual and reproductive health, and employment” would yield large returns. “Governments should make greater investment in young people and especially adolescent girls, so that they can pass safely to adulthood.” Read: Inter Press Service

Inter Press Service reported April 11 that at the meeting, a discussion was held on how to harness the untapped potential of older persons to strengthen families, communities and nations. Calling on the international community to work together for a world fit for all ages, Thoraya Obaid, UNFPA executive director, said that there was much to be gained by planners and policymakers taking a hard look at population age structures and dynamics. As they calculate their spending, Obaid said, "Officials need to know how many and what percentage of the populations were young, in their prime working years, and how many were older." Read: Inter Press Service

Inter Press Service reported April 13 that a sharp drop in fertility rates in Japan, South Korea, China and Singapore is threatening a "baby bust," leaving most maternity wards in Asia in a state of near-emptiness. "The good news is many Asians are living longer," said the Honolulu-based East-West Centre at the population meeting, but the bad news is "there are fewer 'new Asians' coming onto the scene." Thoraya Obaid, UNFPA executive director, says that as recommended by the Cairo program of action, family-friendly policies, such as maternity/paternity leaves, childcare programs and flexible working arrangements, create conditions for individuals and couples to have the family sizes they desire. “Based on the free decisions of men and women, the policies make it easier for couples to have the number of children they want without being forced to forgo having babies simply because they lack childcare or because the mother cannot combine parenthood and career easily," Obaid said. Read: Inter Press Service

UNITED NATIONS CRITICIZED PROPOSAL FOR REFORM

Inter Press Service reported April 9 that the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77, the two largest political and economic groups of developing nations, have expressed reservations about a proposal to restructure the U.N.'s development initiatives. Both groups sent a letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon saying, “There is no one-size-fits-all (approach),” warning that there should be no restrictions on the ability and sovereignty of national governments to determine their own development priorities or select their own development partners. These include UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, WFP, WHO and UNEP, among many others, which are actively involved in various country programs in developing countries. Read: Inter Press Service

INVESTING IN ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

The Lancet’s April 7 issue contained the second in a series of six articles about adolescent health authored by Linda H. Bearinger, Renee E. Sieving, Jane Ferguson and Vinit Sharma. The articles stated country-level data show that continued investment in effective prevention and treatment strategies is essential to protect adolescents' sexual and reproductive health. Although progress has been made since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, adolescents continue to be disproportionately burdened by threats to their sexual and reproductive health. The article was based on a review of publications focused on the reproductive health of adolescents, including studies in peer-reviewed, reviews analyzing sets of such studies, and monographs, mainly from globally-focused health and development organizations such as UNAIDS, WHO, Family Health International, UNFPA, The Guttmacher Institute, the U.N. Millennium Project, and other country-level or regional NGO reports.

INCREASE OF HIV/AIDS INFECTIONS AMONG WOMEN

Sunday Telegraph ran an April 8 opinion piece by Kristie Kellahan on the increase of HIV infections in women. Kellahan noted that according to UNFPA estimates, 14,000 people are infected with HIV every day, half of whom are women. More than 90 percent of all adolescent and adult HIV infections have resulted from heterosexual intercourse.

CAMPAIGN TO END FISTULA

Le Soir, a Belgian daily, carried an interview April 3 with Dr. France Donnay, UNFPA representative in Pakistan, about the Campaign to End Fistula. Later this month a public awareness campaign will be launched in Belgium, organized by UNFPA in partnership with the women's magazine ELLE Belgique. "The prevalence of fistula gives an indication of the level of development in a country", said Dr. Donnay, who expressed a hope that the awareness campaign in her country of origin would mobilize public support and funding to help prevent and eradicate this childbirth injury.

EXPERTS SEEK WIDER CONDOM USE FOR SEX WORKERS

UN News Centre reported April 4 that experts meeting in Beijing at a U.N.-backed regional workshop on stopping the spread of HIV called for the promotion of increased condom use between sex workers and their clients. The two-day workshop, co-hosted by UNFPA and WHO, brought together 120 participants from national, provincial and local health departments, academic institutions, NGOs and other U.N. agencies. Read: UN News Centre

ARMENIA: UNFPA to Research Migration in Armenia

Regnum reported April 2 that UNFPA with the Ministry of Social Affairs in Armenia will conduct a research on the migration situation in Armenia. Results of this research will help to estimate the numbers of migrants in the country in order to improve migration policies. Read: Regnum/Ru

BELARUS: UNFPA to Assist in Conducting Population Census

Belarusian News reported April 7 that in collaboration with UNFPA, the expert Dr. Eliah Ben-Moshe, professor at Jerusalem University, arrived to Minsk to share experiences and give recommendations in order to plan for the population census that will take place in 2009. The coordinator of UNFPA programs in Belarus said that this was initiated by the Belarusian government.  Read:  Belarus News/Ru, NAVINY/Ru

BELGIUM: UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador Speaks About Sex Education

Le Soir ran an interviewApril 2 with Belgian UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador, Goedele Liekens. Asked about her career as a clinical psychologist specializing in sexology, she said she was happy that she had contributed trough her many radio and TV shows over the years to spread facts about sexuality and demystify the issue for Belgian youth.

BOTSWANA: African Youth Alliance Program Concludes
Mmegi reported April 2 on the conclusion of the $57 million (P354.5 million), five-year African Youth Alliance (AYA) program that was aimed at improving HIV/AIDS prevention and sexual and reproductive health among young people in Botswana, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda. The AYA program was a partnership among UNFPA, PATH and Pathfinder International, which was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Read: Mmegi

BURKINA FASO: 30 Years of Life Skills Education

L'Observateur reported April 13 on the celebration of 30th anniversary of life skills education in Burkina Faso. "Young people are the future of the country", said Mme Tapsoba, director of the country's Life Skill Education, "they deserve to be ate the center of our efforts.". UNFPA representative, Geneviève Ah-Sue, stressed the urgency of providing young people with the right information so they can make good choices in life, and made a special appeal to make girls' education a priority.

COTE D'IVOIRE: UNFPA Partners With Orange Telecom

Fraternité Matin  reported April 11 that the Orange-Cote d'Ivoire Telecom Foundation has partnered with UNFPA to refurbish the section for gynaecology and obstetrics of the hospital in Bouaké.  Dr. Ambroise Ane Kouakou of UNFPA lauded the effort, saying that with the right equipment and services, many more maternal deaths could be prevented.

COTE D'IVOIRE: Support for New Mothers

24 Heures reported April 4 that representatives of the network of Women Ministers and Parliamentarians of Côte d’Ivoire (REFAMP-CI) provided 50 new mothers with supplies for their babies their own well-being during a ceremony at the health center of Kouassikro, in an effort to encourage more expectant mothers to give birth at a health facility.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: Young Population

IRIN reported April 13 that half the population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is aged less than 18-years-old, with 20 percent aged between 15- and 24- years, according to UNFPA. The story noted that DRC youth have been at the forefront of the hostilities and young people still bear the brunt of the ongoing fighting. Read: IRIN

ETHIOPIA: National Strategy on Adolescent Reproductive Health

IRIN reported April 12 that Ethiopia launched a national strategy on adolescent reproductive health that aims to tackle the problems of early marriages and pregnancies, female genital cutting, abduction and rape, and poor access to healthcare for 10-24 year-olds. “Although adolescence generally is a healthy period of life, many are often less informed, less experienced, and less comfortable accessing HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health information and services," Monique Rakotomalala, UNFPA country representative said. Read: IRIN

INDIA: Punjab’s Low Sex Ratio

Indo-Asian News Service reported April 12 that Punjab's low sex ratio – just 798 girls per 1,000 males in the 0-6 age group – has prompted various social groups, among them the Art of Living Foundation, to tackle the practice of female feticide. An 18-day statewide campaign – Beti Sneh Sanjivni Yatra – started by the foundation in collaboration with UNFPA and NGOs aimed to make people aware of the long-term repercussions of a dwindling female population. Read: Indo-Asian News Service

INDIA: Country’s Sex Ratio Dipping

Indian Express reported April 5 on the concern for India’s dipping child sex ratio – 927 girls per 1,000 boys according to the 2001 census – despite advocacy efforts and the amended Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC-PNDT) Act. At a discussion on the missing girls, lead consultant and executive member of the National Centre for Advocacy Studies Jose Antony Joseph faulted the appropriate authorities appointed to implement the PC-PNDT Act and said efforts must be stepped up to save the girl child. A UNFPA study also found that one of the failures of the PC-PNDT Act was the overlap between the legal abortion under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act and the use of technology for sex selective abortions which are punishable under the Act. Read: Indian Express

MADAGASCAR: Basic Hygiene Kits for Pregnant Women

The Madagascar Tribune reported April 5 that with assistance from UNICEF and UNFPA, basic hygiene kits have been delivered to pregnant women in northern Madagascar after recovering from two cyclones. The kits, which contains a variety of soaps,  towels and other hygienic supplies, have been delivered so as to prevent infections for pregnant women due to lack of water and sanitation structures and correct feeding after such floods.  

MALAYSIA: Government Aid for Senior Citizens

Bernama reported April 7 that the government allocates RM38 million in aid for poor senior citizens annually, Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk G. Palanivel said. According to UNFPA, the ageing population growth rate was higher in developing than in developed countries. According to the Statistics Department, Malaysia had 1.7 million ageing (60 years and above) citizens in 2005.

MALI: Maternal Mortality Preventable

IRIN reported April 11 that Mali is one of the deadliest places to live in the world.

The story noted that according to UNFPA, one Malian woman dies in childbirth every three hours. One in five children under five years old will die, mostly from diarrhea, malaria, or a malnutrition-related illness – all entirely preventable with minimal investment. Read: IRIN

MIDDLE EAST: Meeting Held on Development

Jordan News Agency reported April 10 that experts from Arab countries concluded meetings in Amman to form a regional framework for integrating demographic changes in development plans. The meeting was organized by the Higher Population Council, the Economic and Social Committee for West Asia and UNFPA. Read: Jordan News Agency, Jordan Times, Xinhua General News Service

MOROCCO: Figures Released on Violence against Women

Magharebia reported April 5 that Morocco's State Secretariat for the Family, Childhood and the Disabled released the first figures on violence against women. With UNFPA support, the secretariat has been tracking these figures since 2005 via a toll-free telephone hotline intended to provide women victims of violence with legal and psychological assistance. Read: Magharebia

NIGERIA: Faith-Based Organizations Urged to Help Prevent HIV/AIDS

This Day reported April 10 that at a forum of faith-based organizations, convened by ActionAid Nigeria, religious organizations in Nigeria were urged to increase the spread of HIV-prevention messages to their congregations. The story mentioned that complimentary medical care was emphasized for people living with HIV/AIDS. Experts who met in Beijing, China at a recent U.N. regional workshop on HIV/AIDS called for the promotion of increased condom use between sex workers and their clients. According to UNFPA, unprotected sex is now the leading transmission route for HIV in China. The two-day workshop, co-hosted by UNFPA and WHO, brought together 120 participants from national, provincial and local health offices, academic institutions, NGOs, and other U.N. agencies. Read: This Day

NIGERIA: UNFPA to Finance Projects in Borno State

Xinhua General News Service reported April 6 that UNFPA will spend 23.4 million naira (about $180,000) on programs in Nigeria's northeastern Borno State this year. Bata Balami of UNFPA said programs included community reproductive health, population and development strategies, family life education and gender advocacy. Since August 2006, UNFPA had recorded achievements for sensitization on HIV/AIDS, supply of equipment to the  fistula ward in the state specialist hospital and promotion of maternal and child health, he said. In addition, Borno state government has approved 30 million naira (about $230,770) as counterpart funds for the UNFPA’s programs.

NIGERIA: Violence against Women Must End

Daily Trust reported April 3 that Women Optimum Development Foundation said an end to violence against women will help them attain their full potential. The story noted that earlier, UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Obaid said an effort should be made to ensure that offenders were punished. Obaid was represented by UNFPA’s country program officer in charge of gender, Raheemat Momodu. She noted that while progress had been made in the adoption of laws, much greater action was needed to ensure that these laws were enforced and awareness created. “Everyone should understand that violence against women and girls is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated,” she said. Read: Daily Trust

PHILIPPINES: CEDAW Criticizes Philippines’ Slow Action

BusinessWorld reported April 2 that the Philippines are slow to eliminate discrimination against women, the United Nations Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) said. Citing government data, UNFPA Representative Suneeta Mukherjee said 10 women die every 24 hours from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. “Promotion of family planning in areas with high birth rates has the potential to reduce poverty and hunger, and avert 25% to 35% of all maternal deaths and nearly 10% of childhood deaths. It would also contribute substantially to women's empowerment, achievement of universal primary schooling and long-term environmental sustainability," she added. Read: Manila Standard

SUDAN: World Health Day

SWAZILAND: Men Urged to Isolate  Perpetrators of Violence  against Women

The Weekend Observer  reported April 14 from the launch of a 12-month campaign against gender-based violence. Minister of Justice, Prince David, declared "as men we need to isolate perpetrators and esnsure they are taken to court. There are a lot of good non-violent men out there, and we need to encourage them.  Among participants at the launch was UNFPA representative Aisha Camara-Drammeh, Chair of the UN Gender Theme Group.

SWAZILAND: Central Statistics Office Receive Cars to Assist in Upcoming Census

The Times of Swaziland reported April 12 that the Central Statistics Office received four cars from UNFPA to aid in the upcoming census. UNFPA Representative Aisha Cammara-Drammeh said the data from the population census would assist in adequate planning to support people throughout their lifecycle to reach their full potential and realize human rights.

SWAZILAND: Efforts to Reduce Maternal Deaths

The Swazi Observer reported April 5 that doctors and nurses had received training in life saving skills and essential obstetric care in a workshop organized by UNFPA and WHO. Thandi Shonve from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said that with one of Africa's highest rate of maternal deaths, there was aneed for such training to save the Kingdom's women and newborns. "Every pregnancy carries a risk, and the most effective intervention for maternal mortality reduction is the presence of a skilled attendant at every birth and focus at all levels of the health system", she said.  UNFPA country representative Aisha Camara-Drammeh said the leading causes of maternal deaths are sepsis, haemorrage, complications of abortion and eclampsia. She stated that all these were unacceptable and could be avoided.

TURKEY: UNFPA Launches Youth Campaign

Turkish Daily News included a report by the Hürriyet on April 14 that UNFPA launched a sexual education campaign in Turkey. This youth campaign named “Staying Alive+Me” will educate Turkish youth on sexual and reproductive health and inform them how to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS. Partners in the campaign include Levi's, MTV-Turkey and the Youth Association for Habitat.  Read: Turkish Daily News

UGANDA: 30 Ambulances and Medical Supplies Donated to Nine Districts

New Vision reported April 13 that nine districts, Gulu, Pader, Amuru, Kitgum, Dokolo, Amolator, Apac, Lira and Oyam, in the north have received 30 ambulances and three containers of medical equipment worth $1.2 million (about sh2b). The ambulances will be utilized to aid women undergoing labor complications. The items were donated by the WHO, UNICEF, DFID and UNFPA. Read: New Vision

UZBEKISTAN: World Health Day

UzReport reported April 9 that a roundtable discussion on the celebration of the World Health Day included representatives from the World Health Organization, which works in cooperation with U.N. agencies such as UNICEF, UNFPA and UNAIDS. Read: UzReport/Ru

VIETNAM: Joint Development Program Implemented in Kon Tum

Vietnam News Service reported April 12 that UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA are set to work together to implement a coordinated program to support socio-economic development, in the central highlands province of Kon Tum. The $5 million program, which will run until 2010, is expected to improve the skills of local authorities, as well as the quality and delivery of social services in the province. Read: Vietnam News Service

YEMEN: Health Officers and Donors Discuss the Improvement of RH Services

Althawra News reported April 8 that the annual meeting for health and population offices in all Yemeni governorates took place in Al-Mukala'a town on April 8. The meeting gathered  reproductive health managers, development partners  and organizations that support the health sector in Yemen. Participants emphasized the importance of such evaluation meetings to enhance planning for reproductive health activities in Yemen, supported by UNFPA  and other donors.  Read: Althawra News/Ar

ZAMBIA and THE UNITED STATES: How to Send Clean Birth Kits to Zambia

ABC News—World News Tonight ran an April 13 question and answer segment on the "World News" series "Key to the World" with Bill Weir. In one question, a college student who was in Zambia wondered what village the story took place and what organization handed out the birthing kits. Weir replied: “We went to villages in and around Chikankata. UNICEF and the U.N. Population Fund are helping lead the way, and the Salvation Army has an amazing health center there.”  

ABC News—World News Tonight message boards featured a post by Mary Brackett who wrote: “I watched your report from Zambia with great interest and am glad that some well-intentioned NGOs are supplying midwife kits to expectant mothers in that country and others in Africa. However, the real story here is that the United States has withheld its promised contribution of $34 million per year to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) based on pressure from anti-choice groups in the United States.” Read: ABC News—World News Tonight; ABC News—World News Tonight Message Board

Back to top