Sat, 20 Mar 2010 08:41:38 +0000 Sat, 20 Mar 2010 08:41:38 +0000 http://www.unfpa.org UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect. UNFPA – because everyone counts. en-us serrano@unfpa.org (Alvaro Serrano) gruber@unfpa.org (Kimberly Gruber) http://www.unfpa.org/images/unfpalogoxs.gif http://www.unfpa.org 80 36 The world's largest international source of funding for population and reproductive health programmes http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/5031 PORT-AU-PRINCE — Every day for the past week, Emanuel Eliacin has led an operation that seems like Mission Impossible: Select a thousand 11- to 16-year olds from camps for the displaced population, put them on 20 buses, and drive them to a day camp. Let them run around, play sports and games, dance, draw or take part in a wealth of other activities. Feed them, and then get them safely back to their parents at the end of the day. In the earthquake-stricken Haitian capital, temporary settlements have spilled into parks, side streets, squares, even golf courses. Addresses are non-existent and communication is mostly by word of mouth. In this environment, Eliacin’s task seems Herculean, but appears to be carried out in an almost mystifyingly organized manner. http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/5030 GENEVA — MaximsNews Network reports that representatives of eight global health agencies gathered at the GAVI Alliance headquarters in Geneva, in January, and issued an important report in PLoS Medicine that calls for a concerted effort to collect better health data to improve availability, quality, timeliness, tracking and use to strengthen health systems. http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/5027 TOKYO, Japan—Yuko Arimori, UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador and an Olympic medallist promoted UNFPA work during events on 8 March to mark International Women’s Day at a United Nations public symposium in Tokyo, Japan. With a theme, “Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for All—Beijing at 15: Gender Equality, Development and Peace”, the symposium was organized by 19 United Nations entities in Japan. The aim was to celebrate International Women’s Day and the 15th anniversary of the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women.   http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/4995 UNITED NATIONS, New York — Bill and Melinda Gates and the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development have won this year’s United Nations Population Award. Announced here today, the Award is given annually to individuals and institutions for outstanding work in population and in improving the health of individuals. Chaired by Malaysia’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Hamidon Ali, the Award Committee chose the laureates from 28 international nominees. The Committee consists of 10 United Nations Member States, with UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, as its secretariat. The Award is scheduled to be presented on 3 June at a ceremony at the United Nations.   http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/4994 COLOMBO,  Sri Lanka — Getting proper health care is a challenge for thousands of Sri Lankans who have recently gone home to former conflict zones. UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is stepping up its support for the health and safety of women and girls who are returning, particularly those who are pregnant. At least 2,500 pregnant women have moved out of camps for the displaced since the start of the year, returning to their homes or moving in with host families. UNFPA estimates that some 150 of them will give birth in the next month.   http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/4992 PORT-AU-PRINCE — “There was sadness, but also songs of joy and a strong commitment to rebuild Haiti,” said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, after attending an International Women’s Day celebration on the grounds of the Haitian Ministry of Women’s Affairs in Port-au-Prince, the country’s earthquake-ravaged capital. The Ministry of Women’s Affairs was completely destroyed in the January 12 earthquake, along with the Presidential Palace, the Ministry of Health and scores of other public buildings. Many women activists died, trapped inside the Ministry. A memorial was held today to honor them. http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/4996 UNITED NATIONS — Because men wield much of social, political and economic power in many poor and developing countries, achieving gender equality and reducing violence against women will demand their active participation and cooperation. That message was emphasized at a panel discussion “Boys and Men: Partners in Gender Equality” organized by the UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund, and UNICEF in conjunction with the 54th Commission on the Status of Women. The panelists included advocates, activists and civil society workers from different parts of the world, all of whom had years of experience working at the grass-roots level with boys and young adults. http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/4986 NEW YORK — The Women’s Learning Partnership (WLP) – an organization established after the Beijing Conference, 15 years ago – met on March 5 at the New School in New York to celebrate and to discuss ways for mobilizing women’s rights and eliminating violence against women. “We work hard for the kind of world that we want to be in and that is why it is better we work in partnership with men and boys,” said WLP President Mahnaz Afkhami to a packed auditorium. “We believe in the power to change traditions and cultural practices that are harmful and autocratic. This is an opportunity for us to chart a new future.”   http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/4983 A joint effort has been launched to reach MDGs 4 and 5. Partners in this joint effort will develop a Global Action Plan, including a framework for accountability, which will address critical gaps and accelerate progress on reducing maternal and newborn child health through increased attention, coordination and resources, and through better leverage of ongoing national efforts as well as existing human, financial and political capital. http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/4982 UNITED NATIONS, New York — People are critical agents of change in all cultures, who must be engaged to promote the rights of women and protect them from violence, said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. Discriminatory attitudes and harmful practices are deeply rooted and are often stronger than the laws banning them, said Ms. Obaid. To end these practices, she added, it is necessary to go deeper, to wear a ‘cultural lens’, and to “use “culturally sensitive approaches” to promote change from within.”   http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/4969 NEW YORK — Adolescent girls have often been missing in policy and programming. Yet many believe that their well-being the key to eliminating poverty, achieving social justice, stabilizing the population, and preventing foreseeable humanitarian crises. UNFPA, along with five other UN organizations, issued a Joint Statement at a reception yesterday, to step up and intensify efforts to fulfill the human rights of marginalized adolescent girls. The statement, issued during the Commission on the Status of Women, sends a strong message that the UN and its partner organizations believe empowering adolescent girls can bring about desired changes in the world. http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/4957 ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia — Mongolia’s extreme winter conditions are preventing expectant mothers from reaching health facilities, putting their lives at risk. In response, UNFPA is supporting mobile medical teams that have brought life-saving care to women in isolated districts in 12 provinces. Last week, a team in Khovd Province rescued a herder who had gone into labour in her tent. Heavy snow blocked the way to the nearest hospital, some 30 kilometres away. “It took us 10 hours to bring her to the district centre,” said Dr. Davaabal, chief gynaecologist at the Khovd Health Department. “Luckily, there were no complications and the woman gave birth to a healthy child.” http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/4951 SAMARBAGH, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan — Bibi Lena, uprooted by fighting in the Bajaur tribal area, gave birth safely to her ninth child here on 19 February. It was the local hospital’s first delivery by an internally displaced person (IDP) since UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, stepped up support to the health facility as part of its ongoing response to the area’s humanitarian emergency. No fee was charged. To show their gratitude, Bibi and her husband, Yaqoob, insisted that the hospital staff name their new daughter. They chose Janat, meaning “Heaven”. http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/4910 UNITED NATIONS  –  At the opening of the 54th Commission on the Status of Women, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro cited the need to move from commitments to action on gender equality. In an afternoon high-level panel, UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya A. Obaid called attention to the links between the right to sexual and reproductive health and women's empowerment, gender equality and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. http://www.unfpa.org/public/news/pid/4922 It is always a pleasure to address the Commission on the Status of Women. This is one of the most dynamic bodies in the UN system thanks to the strong voices and participation of leaders from both government and civil society. It is especially thrilling to be here with you to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and to discuss how we can make greater progress for girls and women.