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Intense competition for education, jobs and land among the young contributes to discontent

-Ms. Elizabeth Leahy
Author, The Shape of Things to Come

While it is not clear exactly how the age of a population contributes to strife, the research by Population Action International (PAI), a Washington-based influential international non-profit group, suggests that it is no simple coincidence that 80 percent of the civil conflicts that broke out in the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s occurred in countries where at least 60 percent of the population was under 30, and that almost 9 out of 10 such youthful countries had autocratic rulers or weak democracies.

In poor countries with rapidly growing populations, intense competition for education, jobs and land among the young contributes to discontent, and makes it easier for rebel groups to recruit, said Ms. Elizabeth Leahy, the primary author of a new report for PAI.

One strategy is to reduce the birthrates, and the mortality rates of infants and younger children, according to PAI; which hopes its research will improve contraception programs, education for girls, and health services for children and pregnant women.

“The budget realities are such that unless you can show how your programs help achieve larger ends - security, development, poverty reduction and democracy - traditional rationales for humanitarian assistance aren’t enough”, said Mr. Tod Preston, a senior adviser at the group.

Population, a neglected area of American policy.

-More Than Humanitarianism

In a December 2005 report titled “More Than Humanitarianism”, a Council on Foreign Relations task force with bipartisan leadership called population a neglected area of American policy, one that could help lower the odds of conflict. PAI’s report, “The Shape of Things to Come”, features Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with 132 million people and a major supplier of oil to the United States, as an example of the strategic risks pose by youthful and volatile nations plagued by corruption, instability and poverty. Rebels there, enraged by the distribution of oil revenues, have attacked the industry that is important to rich nations.

In Nigeria, almost three quarters of the population is under 30. Birthrates are very high, at more than five children per woman. Less than half the women have attended school and fewer than one in 10 uses modern contraception. A fifth of children die before they turn 5, a factor that encourages couples to have more children to ensure that some survive.

Improve the infant and child survival, and educational status of women to reduce population pressures and to become more stable

Almost a billion of people live in countries where birthrates average at least four children per woman; among them: Nigeria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia and Sudan. Those countries need help to improve the infant and child survival, and educational status of women to reduce population pressures and to become more stable, the report says. If nothing changes, the authors say that the populations of such countries will double in 35 years.

Aggressively Pursued Family Planning Programs Will Significantly Change a Country’s Age Structures

Advocates at PAI are critical of deep cuts in the international family planning programs in Bush administration’s 2008 budget proposal but a Democratic-controlled Congress is likely to reverse them, as the Republican-controlled Congress did last year. The advocates acknowledge that the administration’s efforts to increase the financing of programs to combat AIDS and malaria are likely to help prevent the deaths of many children.

The group’s researchers found that some countries that have aggressively pursued family planning programs have significantly changed their age structures in a relatively brief span of 25 years. The report cites Iran as an example. Since the 1990s, Iran has made modern contraceptives available free at public clinics. Births are down to two children per woman, from six and a half at the time of the 1979 revolution.

Ms. Claudia Kennedy, member of the PAI board, said the United States needs to focus more on efforts to improve the status of women and ease population pressures in developing countries.

When people think reproductive issues are girlie because it involves a woman’s biology, they ignore the social, political and economic impact of not paying attention to these matters. And it reflects a pervasive attitude that if it’s about women, it’s unimportant, but if it’s about what huge weapons system to buy, that’s more manly and more important”.

-Gen. Claudia Kennedy
Member, PAI Board

Major Reproductive and Sexual Health Gathering to be in India

Hyderabad, March 9: The 4th Asia-Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health, and Rights’ (APCRSH) International Steering Committee met to discuss important updates and inputs from the members of the committee and invitees. Mr. A R Nanda, Executive Director of Population Foundation (India), chaired the meeting.

The 4th APCRSH will be held on October 29-31 in Hyderabad. More than 1,500 population, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), women rights, HIV/AIDS and related NGOs, government officials, donors, UN representatives, and parliamentarians are expected to participate to review the status of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) programme, achievements and failures, and to exchange information.

Earlier conferences in Manila, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur were able to generate new energies and provide directions. The AFPPD, through parliamentarians’ participation, will highlight the ‘politics of SRHR policy, regulation and legislation’.

The Hyderabad conference will deal with expanding and empowering the SRHR movement, moving beyond tokenism, equalizing sexual relations, responding to emerging issues in SRHR, addressing unmet need for SRH services, and making pregnancy safe and wanted.

Ms. Madhu Bala Nath, Regional Director of International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), presented the state of fund-raising; whereas Ms. Saroj Pachauri, Regional Director of Population Council, provided the background of the programme. Ms. Gill Greer, Director General of IPPF (UK), promised full cooperation in making the conference an unprecedented success. Mr. Wasim Zaman, Director of UNFPA-CST/SAWA, explained the wide range of inputs and participation of UNFPA to make the conference an unique experience.

Anti-Trafficking Bill Passed with Parliamentarian Forum Support

Jakarta, April 19: The House of Representatives of Indonesia had passed a long-awaited bill on human trafficking and received approval by the president. Earlier on March 20, Indonesian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (IFPPD) and UNICEF, under UNFPA assistance, conducted a joint press conference that was attended by Ms. Meutia Hatta Swasono, Minister of Women Empowerment, and Ms. Latifah Iskandar, Chair of Special Committee on Anti-Trafficking Bill. Ms. Swasono hailed the bill saying it gives legal protection to victims and Ms. Iskandar said it will protect millions of women and children from abuse.

Three AFPPD Alumni Elected on World Bank’s Parliamentarian Network Board

Cape Town, March 15-17: The 7th annual conference of the Parliamentary Network on World Bank (PNoWB) brought together more than 200 parliamentarians from 100 countries in South Africa.

AFPPD facilitated the participation of MPs from Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Korea and Iran. Three AFPPD alumni: Ms. Janette Garin, MP (Philippines), Mr. Suresh Prabhu, MP (India), and Mr. Hideki Wakabayashi, MP (Japan), became members of the PNOWB board.

This year’s conference provided an excellent opportunity for legislators from around the globe to take the lead in putting Africa and poverty reduction at the heart of the global agenda, and reflected the role of parliamentarians in major development issues, including the reform of international financial institutions, governance and anti-corruption.

South Korean Delegation: Korean Parliamentary League on Children Population and Environment (CPE), a member of AFPPD, sent a delegation to the PNoWB meeting consisted of Hon. Ahn Hong Joon, Hon. Shin Sang Jin, Hon. Lee Sang Kyung and Hon. Kin Choon Jin. After the meeting, the South Korean delegation made a field visit to some hospitals working for HIV/AIDS pregnant women in South Africa.

AFPPD Vice-Chairperson Chaired IPU’s Women Parliamentarians Meeting

Bali, April 29: The 12th Meeting of Women Parliamentarians, as part of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Conference, brought together over 90 women from 64 countries. Various international organizations were also represented. The meeting was briefed on IPU activities since its previous session at Nairobi in 2006 and discussed cooperation with the UN on gender issues.

Ms. Aisyah Hamid Baidlowi, MP (Indonesia), Chair of Indonesian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (IFPPD) and Vice-Chairperson of AFPPD, was elected as chair and delivered an opening speech; that was followed by a few words of welcome from Mr. Agung Laksono, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Mr. Pier Ferdinando Casini, President of IPU. Ms. Meutia Hatta Swasono, Minister of Women Empowerment, delivered a keynote statement outlining the work carried out by Indonesia to promote the status of women.

IFAD Supports to Combat Rural Poverty in Cambodia

New York, April 20: The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) announced that it will provide over USD 100 million to combat rural poverty in eight developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

IFAD’s Executive Board, which met at the agency’s headquarters in Rome from April 17-18, decided that the money is earmarked for Burundi, Cambodia, Comoros, Ethiopia, Kenya, Paraguay, Sierra Leone and Syria to improve the lives of the rural poor. The grants also include almost USD 10 million for seven international centers conducting research in agriculture, and providing training and technical assistance.

Meanwhile in Cambodia, a USD 9.5 million grant will finance a plan to increase the access of 26,000 households to advance crop and livestock technology.

“This new framework means that a poor country’s opportunity to reduce poverty will no longer be linked to its debt situation”, said Mr. Gary Howe, IFAD Senior Director.

Indonesian Forum Convened Youth Forum on Tobacco Legislation

Jakarta, March 28: A youth seminar on tobacco control legislation with the theme, “Young Generation as Main Target of Tobacco Aggressive Marketing: Do They Need Protection?”, was opened by the Speaker of the Parliament in Indonesia.

The Indonesian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (IFPPD) petitioned and asked MPs for protection in several matters, such as aggressive marketing of tobacco, prohibition on purchase of cigarettes in single stick and to minors, increase of tobacco products’ price and tax, and establishment of smoke-free areas.

An IFPPD proposed draft bill in controlling the impact of tobacco products on health was finalized in the end of 2005. The draft bill was supported by 224 MPs and submitted to the legislation, but had not yet been listed in the National Legislation Plan.

Brainstorming on Maternal Health and Media in South Asia

New Delhi, March 30: Media people, NGOs and UN agencies gathered in a day-long meeting to discuss ways to effectively position maternal health issues in the SAWA region through the media and CSOs. The meeting was organized by Women’s Feature Service (WFS), an Indian communications NGO focusing on development and gender, in close collaboration with UNFPA-CST/SAWA.

Mr. Wasim Zaman, Director of UNFPA-CST/SAWA, and Ms. Angana Parekh, Director of WFS, joined by Ms. Saramma Mathai and Mr. Deepak Gupta of UNFPA-CST/SAWA, and Mr. Minar Pimple and Mr. Ajit Sahi of United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC), to discuss maternal health, Millennium Development Goal (MDG) and media. Leading newspapers in South Asia were also well represented.

Editors emphasized on the importance in adapting and simplifying the language used in concepts and mission statements, and the need to reach out and provide information to non-English media. Another valuable point made was that CSOs and media people need to build bridges of trust and confidence so that they could complement each other’s works. The need to increase orientation, and capacity-building programmes for legislators and media at different levels were also discussed. AFPPD’s Executive Director also attended.

Africa Reins in its High Population Growth Rate

Addis Ababa, April 2: The world will not achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) if the poorest countries in Africa are left behind, a United Nations envoy had told the conference of the continent’s finance, planning and development ministers.

Mr. Anwarul Chowdhury, UN High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS), said global efforts to attain the MDGs must be harnessed more closely with existing programmes; such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, to accelerate economic growth in Africa and ensure that poverty is defeated. Some 34 of the 50 nations classified as Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are found in Africa.

“I have underlined before that if the LDCs do not achieve the MDGs, neither will the world as a whole. With two-thirds of the LDCs in Africa, we can confidently say that Africa has to achieve the MDGs for the world to have any hope of doing so”, Mr. Chowdhury said. He added that Africa must rein in its high rates of population growth, which have been eroding its healthy economic growth in recent years. Although the proportion of Africans living in extreme poverty increased only from 44.6 percent in 1990 to 46.4 percent in 2001, the actual number of affected people jumped by 38 per cent to 318 million because of soaring population growth. He stressed the need for more transparency in both foreign assistance provided to struggling African countries and the use of internal resources to ensure that the poorest benefit most.

Young Indian MP at HIV/AIDS Meeting in Spain

Madrid, April 12-13: Plataforma ONG Sida y Desarrollo organized and European Parliamentarian Forum (EPF) supported a technical seminar entitled, “Advocacy and International Initiatives in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS”, to strengthen Spanish NGOs and public administrations working in development, to better address the challenges pose by the HIV epidemic in developing countries, and to jointly agree to a set of recommendations. The seminar focused on multi-dimensional responses to the HIV epidemic in the context of development.

The participants of the event included practitioners, Spanish cooperation agencies, academics and research institutions working on development issues. Speakers included MPs and experts from Spanish and international NGOs, as well as representatives of government aid and international agencies.

Mr. Sachin Pilot, a young Indian MP, spoke on the challenges and opportunities for advocating on HIV/AIDS; alongside with Mr. Carles Campuzano, MP (Spain), who spoke on the roles of MPs in advocacy and development issues.

Asians Received UN Population Awards

For the first time in its 17-year history, the United Nations Population Award is being bestowed upon 4 laureates, 2 individuals and 2 institutions, for their work contributions on population, health and welfare. This year’s honorees are Mr. Hossein Malek Afzali, Deputy Minister for Research and Technology of Iran; Malaysia’s National Population and Family Development Board; Mr. Allen Rosenfield, a professor at Columbia University in New York; and the Algerian National Population Committee.

Sultan Aziz of UNFPA Met Australian and New Zealand Parliamentarians

Canberra, March 20-23: UNFPA Director of Asia and Pacific, Mr. Sultan Aziz, and UNFPA Representative in Fiji, Mr. Najib Assifi, visited Australia and met with the government and Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) officials, ambassadors and academics. Mr. Aziz addressed the Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (PGPD) and emphasized the important role of PGPD in addressing Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) issues in the region. The visit is expected to increase the commitment of cooperation between UNFPA and other related parties; in addition, further projects and research collaboration opportunities may arise involving Australian academics. The importance of increasing support for SRH activities in the region, strategies to counteract gender-based violence and improvement of the status of women were also discussed.

Wellington, March 25-28: Mr. Aziz and Mr. Assifi also met members of the New Zealand Parliamentarians’ Group on Population and Development (NZPPD) to discuss issues, including the UN Joint Programme for the Pacific, UN reform and how NZPPD can work with UNFPA. They also met with development NGOs, including the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID) and government officials. New Zealand is a strong supporter of UNFPA. The visit was an important opportunity to deepen and strengthen this partnership, and for Mr. Aziz to provide an update on the regional population and development issues.

Mr. Aziz spoke to Radio New Zealand about the comments made by the New Zealand prime minister on ‘serious challenges’ in the Pacific on a recent visit to the US, and discussed UNFPA’s work in the region in addressing issues of poverty and SRH. In a radio interview, Mr. Assifi spoke on gender-based violence in the Pacific and the upcoming Pacific Parliamentarians Assembly on Population and Development (PPAPD) meeting in Samoa in May.

UNESCAP Celebrated 60th Anniversary

Bangkok, March 28: The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) commemorated its 60th anniversary in an impressive ceremony with guests included HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen. UNESCAP has chosen “Building an Asia-Pacific Century”, as the theme of the 60th anniversary celebrations. The celebration included a video message from Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary-General, followed by the presentation of the Award for Lifetime Achievement to Mr. Amartya Sen, 1998 Nobel Prize in Economics winner. Mr. Shiv Khare, Executive Director, represented AFPPD at the celebration.

Purnima Mane, New UNFPA Deputy Executive Director

Ms. Purnima Mane

Geneva/New York, March 19: Ms. Purnima Mane of India was appointed as the Deputy Executive Director of UNFPA, in place of Mr. Kunio Waki of Japan who had retired. Ms. Mane joined the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Programme on AIDS in 1994 and moved to UNAIDS at its inception in 1996, where she provided oversight to the area of behavioral sciences research, gender and AIDS. From 1999 to 2003, she worked at the Population Council in New York where she later became Vice-President and Director of International Programmes. Ms. Mane joined UNFPA from UNAIDS where she served as Director of Policy, Evidence and Partnership.

IN BRIEF

US Congressmen Act to Protect Women and Youth: On March 27, Ms. Barbara Lee, MP, and Mr. Christopher Shays, MP, re-introduced the Protection Against Transmission of HIV for Women and Youth (PATHWAY) Act. It will remove the requirement that the US spent 1/3 of its international HIV prevention funding on abstinence-until-marriage programs, and require the president to develop a strategy to address the specific prevention needs of women and girls.

US Congress Reintroduces Women’s Equality Amendment: On March 29, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, MP, reintroduced the Women’s Equality Amendment with optimism that it will pass this year due to a changed political climate. The move followed a conference where hundreds lobbied the Congress on several women rights issues.

Belgian Parliament Adopts SRHR Policy: On 17 April, the Belgian Parliament approved a policy on Belgian development cooperation in the field of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). The policy will contribute to the respect for human rights and fundamental freedom, of which SRHR are an integral part. Ms. Hilde Vautmans, MP and member of (European Parliamentarian Forum) EPF, has been very active in getting this policy adopted.

Dutch Minister Pushes to Make Women Rights a Priority: On March 8, Hon. Bert Koenders, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation of Netherlands, wanted to put women rights higher on the agenda. He strongly believes that women in developing countries need to be taken into consideration when dispensing grants for development aid. He urged the UN to increase its focus on women rights and that UN peace missions should focus more often on sexual violence against women during wartimes.

World Population Projected 9.2 Billion by 2050: On March 18, the latest world population projection was 9.2 billion by 2050, calling the need for advocates and politicians to address population growth and climate change together. Too little attention is given to rising population and its impact on tight natural resources. Fear of misrepresentation, offense or failure are not good enough reasons to ignore one half of the world’s biggest problem: the population effect on climate change.

Youth Reproductive Health and Rights

Tbilisi, March 22-24: The European South Caucasus Annual Youth Reproductive Health and Rights Forum took place in the Parliament of Georgia, organized by European Parliamentarian Forum (EPF) and UNFPA-Georgia. The Conference was opened by the First Lady of Georgia, Ms. Sandra Elisabeth Roloefs and Minister of Health, Mr. Vladimir Chipashvili. The two-day event gathered more than 150 participants – government officials, parliamentarians, and civil society representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the European Union (EU) - who discussed the challenges in improving the situation of young people’s reproductive health and rights in the three countries. The participants signed the Statement of Commitment for achieving sustainable improvements in the field of reproductive health and rights of young people in the South Caucasus, and elaborated a National Framework for Action.

The Forum took place within the framework of Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in the South Caucasus (RHIYC), co-funded by the UNFPA, EC and EPF. This three-year initiative aims to make sustainable improvements in the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) of young people in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The main target group is youth, aged 15 to 24, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable young people. The young people were involved in the project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Parliamentary Activities Reviewed at the European Forum’s Executive Meeting

Tbilisi, March 24: European Parliamentarian Forum (EPF) held its 17th Executive Committee Meeting, giving its members the opportunity to participate in the annual forum and to learn more about the Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in the South Caucasus (RHIYC) initiative and other UNFPA projects in the country. The meeting was hosted by Mr. George Tsereteli, MP (Georgia). It gathered parliamentarians from Germany, Belgium, Turkey and Lithuania; as well as observers from international organizations, UN bodies and NGOs. The Executive Committee reviewed the activities of parliamentary groups around Europe, discussed the short and long-term objectives of its members’ works for this year, as well as the upcoming G-8 Parliamentary Conference which will take place in May 2007 in Berlin. The committee also approved the membership of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group from Azerbaijan, formed after the IPCI/ICPD in Bangkok.

New Zealand Parliamentarians’ Group Reports on Youth SRH

Wellington, April 3: The New Zealand Parliamentarians’ Group on Population and Development (NZPPD) prepared a report, Youth Sexual Health: “Our Health, Our Issue”, which was presented to Mr. Pete Hodgson, Minister of Health. The report is the result of an open hearing held on December 2006 that provided an opportunity for key government agencies, NGOs and other individual experts to present submissions to parliamentarians around youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) issues.

The report calls for a cross-government approach to improve youth SRH by developing a teenage pregnancy strategy and establishing a ministerial taskforce. It says the government needs to act to ensure that all young people have access to comprehensive sexuality education, and supported by accessible, confidential and affordable reproductive health services. Young people must be part of the solutions and be consulted on future policy considerations.

Ms. Katarina Lindahl, Secretary General of the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education, was a guest speaker at the launch. Ms. Lindahl visited New Zealand, organized by New Zealand Family Planning Association’s International Development (FPAID); during which she met with government officials, MPs and NGOs to discuss the Swedish experience of working in SRH.

US Lawmakers Eye Education Plans for Developing World

Three U.S. Democratic presidential candidates, Republican lawmakers and rock star Bono are throwing their weight behind initiatives to promote education in the developing world as a matter of national security and not just an anti-poverty goal. Sen. Hillary Clinton proposed a legislation that would spend USD 10 billion over five years to build classrooms, train teachers and help ensure millions of impoverished children get an education. Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John Edwards have made their own education proposals for poor nations. The initiatives are expected to gain bipartisan support.

Family Planning, Major Election Issue in the Philippines

Baguio, April 29: With the latest survey results indicating that nine out of 10 Filipinos consider family planning important, the issue easily becomes a major campaign pitch for candidates of the May 14 local and national elections. The Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) said during a media forum.

The press conference which highlighted the Pulse Asia’s March 2007 Survey Report on family planning also reported that candidates favoring family planning should be supported. Three out of 4 (75%) adult Filipinos will support candidates who are in favor of a government budget for family planning. Filipinos think it is important that the government provides budgetary support for modern methods of family planning, including the pills, intra-uterine devices (IUD), condoms, ligation and vasectomy.

Family planning is a winning issue. Mr. Romeo Dongueto, Deputy Executive Director of PLCPD, said that their study showed that many candidates who pushed family planning and reproductive health programs in the 2004 elections won. He cited the victory of Ms. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, Governor of Aurora Province, who is known of her support for family planning programs. Mr. Dongueto said the Catholic Church’s lobbying against candidates who were deemed pro-Reproductive Health (RH) during the past election did not make an impact, as most of these candidates won.

Ending Impunity for Violence Against Women Highlighted

Bangkok, March 8: The International Women’s Day was commemorated by the United Nations system in Thailand with the theme, “Ending Impunity for Violence Against Women”. The event included a panel presentation, an exhibition, as well as other activities.

The opening statement was given by Mr. Kim Hak Su, Executive Secretary of UNESCAP; and Ms. Joana Merlin-Scholtes, Resident Representative of UNDP. Mr. Kim spoke of ESCAP’s commitment to fight all forms of violence against women and conveyed Mr. Ban Ki-Moon’s, UN Secretary-General, message for International Women’s Day 2007. Mr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS, was also invited as a guest speaker to give an address.

The panel presentation, “Access to Justice to End Impunity”, was moderated by Ms. Jean D’Cunha, Regional Programme Director of UNIFEM; and Ms. Thelma Kay, Director of the Division of Emerging Social Issues, UNESCAP. Briefings on impunity and Mr. Ban’s in-depth study on all forms of violence against women were also covered. Former Miss Thailand Runner-up, Ms. Areewan Jatuthong, a student of Law and a survivor of domestic violence, also had shared her personal experience and served as a panelist. AFPPD was represented by Ms. Passawee Tapasanan, Editorial Associate.

Lady Kidu of PNG, Honored by US Government

Port Moresby, March 27: The US government awarded Ms. Dame Carol Kidu, MP (PNG), Minister of Community Development and AFPPD Alumna, with the Secretary of State’s Award for International Women of Courage. Ms. Kidu was recognized for her courage and leadership in advocating social justice, women rights and advancement, and her efforts in fighting against poverty, HIV/AIDS and social issues in PNG.

Low Awareness and Understanding Among Policymakers on HIV/AIDS

- Commission on AIDS in Asia

Manila, March 29-30: The number of people in Asia infected with HIV could be more than double to 20 million over the next five years if without a better government response and more funding, warned the independent Commission on Aids in Asia.

The commission held a two-day South-East Asia Sub-Regional Workshop in the Philippines. The commission said that the reason for the inadequate response in the region are manifold; ranging from low-level awareness and understanding among policymakers of the long-term impact of HIV/AIDS to the difficulty in predicting the dynamics of the disease progression, and the lack of funding.

There are currently around 8.6 million people infected in Asia with HIV. The number of deaths currently average around 500,000 yearly and financial losses to the Asian region are estimated at USD 10 billion annually. Despite these projections, investments on HIV control in the region remain extremely low at ten percent of the required USD 5 billion per year. In Southeast Asia, Laos and Philippines have low HIV prevalence rates while Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand have a high prevalence of the virus, according to Mr. JVR Prasada Rao, Director of UNAIDS and a member of the commission.

The Women Deliver conference will bring together some 2,000 participants in London on October 18-20, 2007 from the broad health and development community to focus global attention on a clear and common goal: improved women’s health, safe pregnancy and childbirth. A key outcome will be strengthening the linkages in the international community by raising awareness, fostering discussion and garnering commitments to work together. The conference theme, “Invest in Women - It Pays”, will address the urgent need for greater investment in women’s health, equity and education. For further information, kindly visit http://www.womendeliver.org

Malaysia Plans to Host International Parliamentarians’ Conference

Kuala Lumpur, April 16: Mr. Shiv, Khare, Executive Director of AFPPD, visited Malaysia to review the work of AFPPD-Malaysia and to discuss future cooperation. Mr. Dato Haji Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah, Chairman of AFPPD-Malaysia, together with Mr. Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob, MP, Ms. Dato’ Lim Bee Kau, MP, and Ms. Datin Paduka Hajah Ramah Osman, Executive Director of AFPPD-Malaysia, discussed further strengthening of AFPPD-Malaysia and agreed on a common strategy. It was also agreed that AFPPD-Malaysia will organize an International Parliamentarians’ Conference in Kuala Lumpur, inline with the celebration of Malaysia’s 50th year of Independence, and AFPPD assured full cooperation. In addition, Mr. Khare also had a meeting with Ms. Raj Karim, Regional Director of International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) ESEAOR, and reviewed mutual cooperation.

Fiji Foreign Minister in Thailand

Bangkok, March 24: Hon. Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, Foreign Minister of Fiji, and former Speaker of Fiji and Vice-Chairperson of AFPPD, visited Thailand; and a dinner reception hosted by AFPPD was attended by parliamentarians, UN officers and NGO representatives.

IMPO Parliamentarians for the WHO Health Assembly

The International Medical Parliamentarians Organization (IMPO) will be sending parliamentarian delegates to the 60th WHO World Health Assembly (WHA) on May 14-23 in Geneva, Switzerland. The parliamentarians are: Mr. Anoushirvan Mohseni Bandpy and Mr. Ahmadi Khas Ahmadi of Iran, Mr. Ayaganov Serik Akpenovich and Mr. Duisekeyev Amangeldy of Kazakhstan, Mr. Tan Kee Kwong of Malaysia and Mr. Luvsan Odonchimed of Mongolia. Mr. Prat Boonyawongvirot, member of the National Legislative Assembly of Thailand, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, and Secretary-General of AFPPD, will also attend the assembly.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Pacific Parliamentary Assembly on Population and Development (PPAPD) by UNFPA-SPC and AFPPD, May 21-24, Apia, Samoa
G8 Parliamentarians’ Meeting by EPF, May 30-31, Berlin, Germany
Conference on Population Issues in the Context of Islam, June 7-9, Cairo, Egypt
AFPPD Regional Training for Parliament Staff on the “Development of Culturally Sensitive Programme”, July 9-13, Chiangmai, Thailand
8th International Conference on AIDS in Asia and Pacific (ICAAP) and Health Minister Roundtable, August 19-23, Colombo, Sri Lanka
2nd AFPPD-APDA Afro-Asian Parliamentarians’ Conference, August (tbc), Tokyo, Japan
Women Deliver’s International Conference by FCI, October 18-20, London, UK
4th Asia-Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health (APCRSH) - Parliamentarians’ Panel, October 29-31, Hyderabad, India
4th AFPPD Asian Women Ministers and Parliamentarians Conference, November (tbc), Beijing, China

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