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Issue of Population Is Essential to Discuss; Japan PM Opens G8 International Parliamentarians’ Conference

Approximately 100 parliamentarians, NGOs and other organizations assembled in Tokyo on 1-3 July to discuss the G8 Conference agenda and how to highlight population and reproduction issues at the conference. The G8 Parliamentarians’ Conference was organized by the Asian Population and Development Association (APDA) Tokyo, hosted by Japan Parliamentarians Federation for Population (JPFP) and supported by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) and Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population & Development (AFPPD).

Cooperating agencies included the European Parliamentary Forum on Population & Development (EPF), Inter-American Parliamentary Group on Population & Development (IAPG), Forum of African & Arab Parliamentarians on Population & Development (FAAPPD), International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), German Foundation for World Population (DSW), Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) and Parliamentary Network on the World Bank (PNoWB).

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda opened the conference. He said that only a few days after this conference, the G8 Summit in Toyako, Hokkaido will be held. As you know, the summit will address climate change, African development, world economy and food issues. The contrast between the bright and dark sides of the so-called “globalization” is very evident. While there are incredibly rich individuals, there are millions who do not have basic health services or access to clean drinking water and this is the reality. I believe we should consider two things:

“One, that we should learn how to control the enormous energy that we have liberated through our knowledge and technology. We do not simply reinvest the enormous wealth created just for short-term interests, but also put it to use for the future of humankind. The other is that we should clearly accept the simple truth that the Earth’s resources are finite. The Earth is sending a warning sign.

If we are careless about considering the earth’s capacity for supporting human activity there can be no future, not just for Asia, but for Earth and humankind. What must we do? Those are the issues the G8 will be addressing, as well as other fora such as the United Nations. We should bring our wisdom and start thinking immediately as to what can be done.

Today, no one has the perfect answer, but I believe there are three key terms: A long-term vision, equity and participation by all. First, all of us around the world should share the big challenge before us and have a long term vision for what direction we should be heading in.
In this part, the issue of population is essential. Without a long-term vision, things will not move, as they are trapped by national and individuals’ special interests.

Next is equity. Whatever grand objectives we may share, it is essential that there is a certain level of equity for whatever action that needs to be taken.

Countries that have achieved development must not demand countries in the process of development not to develop further, or suggest anything to that effect. It is true that developed countries have a large responsibility for the deterioration of global environment, the possibility of the depletion of resources and the declining capacity of the Earth. Developed countries must realize this and must encourage the developing countries to grow while protecting the environment.

When we are committed to this, we can start discussing our responsibilities that can be acceptable to all, including the developing countries. They can be addressed only when all countries, all people, all business corporations and NGOs participate.

The successful transformation to a lower carbon society requires all of us to change our attitudes, our consciousness and our lifestyles. I believe that this is where, as elected representatives of the people, you yourself have a big role to play, to get all people to participate. We should listen to what our people have to say and then ask people to understand what policies must be taken and why. And in this, your cooperation is essential.”

Progress is Contingent on Environment & Population Relationship

Ms. Safiye Cagar, Director, Information and External Relations Division of UNFPA, stressed in her address the need for greater understanding of the relationship between the environment and population planning: As parliamentarians and representatives of civil society, you play a key role in advocating for stronger commitment and investment in sexual and reproductive health. And UNFPA is proud to be your partner.

In this world, making progress towards environmental stability, health and food security is contingent upon understanding the complex relationship between environment and population size. Population growth is the key to tackling the environmental challenge.

It is a challenge for the poorest countries to both meet the basic needs of their population and ensure environmental sustainability. This becomes even more challenging in the face of rapid population growth, especially where those sectors of the population that have the least ability to support them are growing the fastest.

The increase in the number of large poor families leads to increasing demand for fuel, water, food and other resources. Lack of access to water for drinking and agriculture is already putting pressure on about a third of the world’s population, and in many places, climate change is expected to make the problem worse.

Family Planning Least Funded

Yet, in the face of this demand, she said voluntary family planning programming is one of the least funded areas of development assistance. She observed that to meet the unmet need, global population assistance should now need US$1 billion per year for family planning, and increase to over one and a half billion by 2015. Current funding, however, is only just over half a billion, less than half of what is needed now and only one third of what is needed by 2015.
Voluntary family planning programs have a record of success in slowing population growth and saving women from dying in childbirth. In Thailand and Malaysia, for instance, well-managed, fully voluntary programs have led to significant change.

But we can’t do it alone. We rely on governments, parliamentarians, and civil society especially non government organizations, the media and faith-based organizations. We need partners to believe in and speak out in support of our work and in support of reproductive health for all, including voluntary family planning.

Population Resolution Relates to All Global Issues

Ambassador Koji Tsuruoka, Director-General for Global Issues, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, stressed the inter-relatedness of population to many global issues: He said that on the eve of the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit, which will be held next week, is well-timed and it is significant that JPFP together with APDA took initiatives for this. MOFA is proud and pleased that this conference has been organized through the Japan Trust Fund (JTF).

Population issue is not a single issue; it is the basis and critical issue that relates to all the global issues. The Japanese government focuses on “Human Security” which well relates to population issue and they are part and parcel of addressing all the global issues before us. In order to address MDGs we cannot ignore the population issue: the need to resolve the population issue will rise but not diminish.
On 28-30 May, TICAD IV was held in Yokohoma and in his speech, Prime Minister Fukuda referred to the population issue and Reproductive Health as key to development issues including the MDGs. The Japanese government will take up “Global Health” as one of the important issues at the G8 Summit in Hokkaido.

International society must unite in order to achieve our objectives and this conference is a significant opportunity for MPs as well as G8, international agencies, and international NGOs to discuss the population issue.

Sustainable Development Depends on Stabilizing
Population

Dr. Taro Nakayama, MP delivered his presentation on the dependency of population issues on development: “Before attempting an analysis, I would like to clarify where we stand on the issues. Population and sustainable development is the name we gave to our conference. The concept of sustainable development was identified by the Brundtland Committee in 1987. It is identified as “development which, while satisfying demands of the future generation, will also satisfy those of the present generation.”

It was in 1994 at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo, Egypt, that the link between unchecked population growth and environmental destruction was first recognized. In this sense, protecting the environment is an absolute prerequisite.

At the same time it is absolutely essential that people have the means of supporting their livelihood. Without them, they will be exposed to hunger and as a result there will be no end to uncontrolled development.
It is our basic understanding that without stabilizing population there could not be sustainable development. One of the most basic requirements in achieving sustainable development is stabilizing the population, realizable only by way of population transition.

And the population transition goes through a process: starting from “high birthrate and mortality” then gradually achieving “high birthrate and low mortality” and finally moving to “low birthrate and low mortality.” Conventional demographic assumptions did not foresee that the birthrate would ever become lower than the mortality rate; a reality experienced in some developed countries today. The low birthrate is causing serious social systemic problems and social security funding pressure, which are now some of the main challenges to us politicians.
What must not be forgotten is that if the population continues to increase, we will have no future.

Low birthrate and aging will become greater problems, but while being conscious of that difficulty, it is possible to build a better society by improving the situation. We are committed to continuing our efforts in this regard, he concluded.

Beyond: Population and Climate

Gerald M. Stokes, President and CEO, Battelle-Japan, in his presentation, “Beyond: Population and Climate” described the interaction between climate and population, emphasizing the importance of issues beyond total population.
Also illustrated was the fact that we are still very early in the understanding stage of how population affects and is affected by climate.

However, development itself has a pattern that is driven by the changing needs of the population. Historically, there are three key phases: 1) the creation of the economy which produces strong emissions growth, primarily from the creation of industry, is accompanied by growth in GDP and is usually concurrent with the demographic transition; 2) benefits to the average citizen — as the citizens get richer and begin to claim economic benefits for themselves and emissions increase as personal transportation and housing increase; and 3) when citizens seek better environmental protection and competition forces efficiency into the industrial sector.

The bottom line of Mr. Stokes’ presentation was that people affect the climate and they affect it in their numbers and in their economic aspirations. They also affect it through technology. Technological choice and, even with a demographic transition, past reproductive practices cast a shadow well into the future.

International Development Priorities

Danielle Bousquet, MP (France) and member of EPF’s member group in the French National Assembly, warned of the tendency in a number of G8 and European countries to increasingly link international development priorities with concerns over migration, thus distracting countries from formulating and implementing policies to fulfill the Millennium Development Goals.

Case of Malaria

Prof. Awa Marie Coll-Seck, Executive Director, Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership, spoke about “Health Is the Premise and Promise for Global Development: The Case of Malaria.”

She outlined the relationship between health and development, highlighting the fact that health determines development. Health is the key component for social and economic development and development is derailed by the deaths of at least six million people from HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria each year as well as half a billion sick.

There are more than 2.5 billion people at risk in 107 countries, and malaria’s impact on development and children is well documented. Malaria slows economic growth by 1.3% each year in endemic areas and accounts for 40% of total government spending on public health in Africa. Additionally, malaria costs $12 billion each year in lost productivity.

Climate Change, Globalization and Food Security

Dr. Yonosuke Hara Professor of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), introduced “Climate Change, Globalized Economy and Food Security” by referring to the changes that have taken place since the first summit which include the globalization of the world economy and limits to growth and the global environment as well as the more recent developments regarding the oil and food crises.

The food situation, in particular, has underscored the need for food security because food is increasingly becoming a scarce resource in many parts of the world, especially in poor countries. Adding to this are the effects that global warming are having on food and agricultural production. Also impacting food production are dwindling fresh water resources and cultivatable land and the trend of irreversibility. All of these factors are making it more difficult to ensure food security for future generations.

Climate Change and Agricultural Development

Ms. Farhana Haque Rahman, Chief, Media Relations and Special Events and Programs of IFAD, spoke on “Climate Change and Agricultural Development” and focused on the inter-relations between small rural farmers and the changes that will come about from climate change and the difficulty of feeding the world population as a result.

She said that climate change will potentially bring about a number of negative circumstances in regard to agriculture, which are the increased likelihood of crop failure, an increase in diseases and mortality of livestock and/or forced sale of livestock at disadvantageous prices, increased livelihood insecurity resulting in asset sales, indebtedness, out-migration and dependency on food aid and a downward spiral in human development indicators such as health and education.

Any comprehensive strategy for addressing climate change, she concludes, must include both mitigation and adaptation. Adaptation includes all activities that help people and ecosystems adjust and reduce their vulnerability to the impact of climate change. There is no universal way to adapt; specific measures need to be tailored to specific contexts.

Mitigation aims at reducing greenhouse gases or enhancing the ability of nature, in particular forests, to absorb them.

Women’s Empowerment Tied into HIV Prevention

Hon. Sibylle Pfeiffer, MP (Germany) stressed the need for HIV prevention as necessary for women’s empowerment: “As chairlady of the German Foundation for the World Population Parliamentary Advisory Committee, I am proud to say that our long-standing political engagement for sexual and reproductive health and women’s rights has paid off.

We know that HIV/AIDS is more than a medical issue. This disease/infection is also affected by tradition and traditional structures, including gender inequity and oppression of women — both essentially violations of basic human rights, she continued.

Young people and especially young women are at particular risk of being infected. More than 60 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS are women; young women are six times more likely to be HIV positive than young men. This is why we have to address mainly the feminization of the epidemic and its linkage to sexual and reproductive health and family planning. When I talk about women’s rights and empowerment I want to mention female condoms and microbicides which are still the only available HIV prevention methods for women. We all know that there is not yet an effective microbicide.

As parliamentarians we are the bridge
between people and the officials of our governments. We have the power to support and to protect women’s rights, so let’s do it!

The Universal Rights to Health

Hon. Dr. Keith Martin, MP, Canada, spoke on “The Universal Rights to Health as a Critical Step to Advancing the MDGs: A Prescription for Action” and began by detailing the health related MDGs call for reducing by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day; reducing child mortality by two thirds; reducing by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio and achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health; halting and beginning to reverse the incidence of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases and achieving universal access to HIV/AIDS treatment by 2015

His proposed Action Plan contains the principles to first establish an adequate health care model based on factors such as sustainability — by building up local capacity, equitability and universal access to care. Also, the retention of capacity, focusing on the basics (primary care), and the prevention and treatment of disease are important parts of the overall plan.

The many challenges to this plan include local area conflicts, government corruption, a lack of capacity and infrastructure in many developing countries, discriminating laws and practices (early marriage, female genital mutilation, lack of legal protection for women’s reproductive rights), a lack of coordination among agencies and an overall lack of focus on the specific objectives.

Importance of Parliamentarians

Anne Van Lancker, Member of the European Parliament and President of the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF), and Chair of the EPWG, addressed the importance of parliamentary involvement and scrutiny in the context of the new aid architecture focusing on the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness scheduled to take place in Accra in September, the UN meeting on the MDGs and the Doha discussions on Financing for Development.

MDGs and the Environment: Sustainable Development

Mr. Mohammad Zia Qureshi, Senior Advisor of World Bank, talked about the “Global Monitoring Report: MDGs and the Environment — Agenda for Inclusive and Sustainable Development” prepared by the World Bank. It imparted information and statistics relating to the progress of the MDGs. The world is on track, for example, on poverty reduction and gender parity in schools, but there are serious shortfalls likely in the areas of nutrition, education, health and sanitation.

He said that Africa lags behind on all MDGs with South Asia behind on most human development goals. At a country level, most countries are off track to meet most MDGs and progress is slowest in fragile states where there has been negative progress on some goals.

Mr. Qureshi sees a six-point agenda to realize inclusive and sustainable development which includes sustaining and broadening the growth momentum, achieving better results in human development, integrating development and environmental sustainability, scaling up aid and increasing its effectiveness, harnessing trade for strong, inclusive and sustainable growth and leveraging IFI support for inclusive and sustainable development.

Climate Change Is Increasing Poverty and Gender Inequality

Ms. Gill Greer, Director-General of IPPF, spoke on the subject of reproductive health in the context of climate change and natural resource management:

“Environmental degradation and climate change are having a profound impact on the lives of individuals and families in many countries, and will continue to do so, especially in the poorest regions. Millions of people with barely enough resources to feed, clothe and shelter themselves and their children are being forced to adapt their behaviors and lifestyles as natural resources are depleted in order to survive. Climate change is not only driving migration, it is increasing poverty and gender inequality and compromising health.” She also spoke on the impact of population growth on water, land use/agriculture-migration, emergency/disaster situations, climate change resources and inequity.

She also said that developing countries have the fewest resources and are home to the largest population of young people. Worldwide, there are over one billion young people between 10 and 24 years of age, many of them without education, prospects or even knowledge to make choices that are critical to them and the planet. Consequently, there is a huge unmet need for family planning and other sexual and reproductive health services that will enable these people to choose if, when and how many children to have, to have safe and healthy pregnancies and deliveries, and to protect themselves from STIs and HIV/AIDS. This need is only going to increase.

Today, 95 percent of population growth is occurring in developing countries. The UN population division estimates that by 2025 there will be more than 284 million women of reproductive age in Sub-Saharan Africa alone. The most vulnerable people already live in countries where the health services are under pressure to prevent and control ill health. Climate change is making matters worse by putting new stresses on already struggling public health systems. Health will be the front line in the fight against these changes, and the sexual and reproductive health of millions of women and men will be put at risk.

Reaching MDGs by 2015

Dr. Sascha Raabe, MP (Germany) member of the DSW´s Parliamentary Advisory Committee from the ruling coalition’s Social Democratic Party, elaborated a number of concrete steps parliamentarians may take on ways to reach the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 in an interactive panel discussion at the close of the G8 Conference.

Main Challenges for G8 Leaders

Françoise Castex, Member of the European Parliament from France spoke on the importance of taking into account population growth and demographic factors when considering the main challenges G8 leaders will address, namely climate change and food security.

Achieving MDGs Through a Revitalized FP/RH Agenda

Jose G. Rimon II, Senior Program Officer, Global Health Policy and Advocacy, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, spoke on Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through a Revitalized FP/RH Agenda.

He asked “Can we achieve the MDGs without revitalizing the FP/RH agenda? According to him, a growing body of evidence indicates that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve the MDGs without a revitalized FP/RH agenda. In concurring with this assessment earlier, former UN Secretary Kofi Annan was quoted as saying, “The Millennium Development Goals... cannot be achieved if questions of population and reproductive health are not squarely addressed...”

He said that now is the time to revitalize family planning and reproductive health programs.

“Promotion of family planning in countries with high birth rates has the potential to reduce poverty and hunger and avert 32% of all maternal deaths... It would also contribute substantially to women’s empowerment, achievement of universal primary schooling, and long term environmental sustainability... The cross cutting contribution to the achievement of the MDGs makes greater investment in these countries (low and lower-middle income) compelling.” He was also of the opinion that the revitalization framework of FP/RH is dependent upon increased global funding and political commitment, new RH champions, improved donor coordination and efficient financing mechanisms and a shared North/South agenda.

He also referred to infectious diseases (HIV) noting that contraceptive services in MTCT programs would prevent twice the number of child HIV infections and three times the number of child deaths in MTCT programs alone. And linking HIV and contraceptive services is cost-effective. For the same cost, contraceptive services can avert 30% more HIV positive births (by preventing unintended pregnancies) than administering nevarapine to pregnant mothers. He said further that almost all nationwide surveys worldwide show that approval and support for voluntary family planning is high (for example, 94% in Indonesia), yet some politicians seem reluctant to be publicly identified with the issue.

Concluding, he stated that “family planning could bring more benefits to more people at less cost than any other single technology now available to the human race.”

Photo Gallery

Concern of Family Planning and Child Spacing Rooted in Holy Qur’an

11 July – The International Parliament Conference of AFPPD in Beijing in 1981 resolved to ask U.N. to observe a “World Population Day” which was accepted by UNFPA and U.N. Since then 11 July is observed as world population day.

The 2008 world population day has again brought back the issue of family planning “It is a right, let’s make it real” and International community took this issue seriously, all major media channel including BBC, CNN, Economist and national dailies of nearly all countries of the world highlighted the need to revitalize family planning.

The World Population Day in Iran was addressed by Dr. Lankavani, Ministry of Health and Medical Service, Mr. Knut Ostby, U.N. Resident Coordinator and Mr. Mohamad Abdel-Ahad, UNFPA Representative, who quoted the Holy Qur’an. He said the concept of family planning and child spacing is deeply rooted in the Holy Qur’an, the teachings of Islam and the tradition that Prophet Mohamed SAW started more than fourteen hundred years ago.

Planning for one’s family and all aspects of life is a fundamental principle in Islam, which attaches significance to the benevolence, virtue and prosperity of human beings. The Holy Qur’an calls on mothers to space their children at least 30 months apart, including for a minimum of 6 months of pregnancy and 2 years of breastfeeding. In al Ahqaf, the Holy Qur’an says “His bearing and weaning is thirty months”. In al Baqara, the Holy Qur’an states: “And mothers shall suckle their children two full years for those who wish to complete breast feeding”. Prophet Mohamed SAW warned against feeding a baby from the milk of a pregnant mother. Both Sunni and Shia scholars relied on the Holy Qur’an and the tradition of the Prophet in issuing Islamic fatwas in support of child spacing or family planning.

The Himalayan Times English National Daily, Gorkapatra, Somacharpatra and Kantipur Nepalese national dailies published UNFPA Executive Director’s statement on July 11 (English and translation respectively).

The Organisation Development Practitioner’s quarterly magazine published World Population Day posters and a text on family planning and youth. Kathmandu Post National Daily published full page size color poster of WPD.

Radio Nepal transmitted a song contest on the theme of WPD (lyrics) combined with a talk program on population issue and FP. The contest was for secondary and higher secondary students and among the commentators was a UNFPA staff member.

Sagarmatha FM, community radio in Kathmandu Valley, invited a staff member of UNFPA to participate in a talk program on population issues and Family Planning Program. Gorkapatra National Vernacular Daily published on July 11th an article by Vinod Jnawali, Joint Secretary, Population Division, Ministry of Health and Population.

On Thursday, July 10, Population Action International and a coalition of more than a dozen partner organizations, including the United Nations Foundation, the Center for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), the Communications Consortium Media Center, the Global Health Council, and the Sierra Club, together with family planning champions Representatives Betty McCollum (D-MN) and Russ Carnahan (D-MO), hosted a congressional briefing commemorating the 21st annual World Population Day.

Moderated by PAI’s Vice President for Government Relations, Tod Preston, the forum provided a timely opportunity for panelists and guests to highlight the need for increasing U.S. funding for international family planning and reproductive health.

The World Population Day was the main feature on radio and television. Mr. Arthur Erken, UNFPA Representative of Iran, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, addressed a T.V. and Press Conference. Mr. Nural Amin of UNFPA, Akm Nurun Nabi, Advocate Rokhsana Khondkes and Mr. Arthur Erken also participated in talk show. Special newspapers supplement was also published.

World Bank came out with a call for Birth Control. “Giving women in poor nation better access to birth control and educate women would help slash millions of unwanted birth. 51 million unwanted pregnancies in developing countries occur every year to women not using contraceptives.

A global approach, encompassing not only contraceptive but also better access to education, is needed to bring down the fertility rate in countries where it is too high, said Dr. Sadia Chowdhary, Senior Reproductive and Child Health Specialist in World Bank. World Bank also called to make information available.

On July 10, Reuters reported that the World Bank is urging world leaders to increase funding for family planning programs and contraception so as to reduce unintended pregnancy and abortion rates and slow population growth. A new report found that 51 percent of unplanned pregnancies worldwide are due to lack of accessible birth control. “Giving women access to modern contraception and family planning also helps boost economic growth while reducing high birth rates so strongly linked with endemic poverty, poor education, and high numbers of maternal and infant deaths,” said Joy Phumaphi, World Bank vice president for Human Development.

The Indonesian Forum of Parliament on Population and Development (IFPPD) and UNFPA Jakarta collaborated in organizing a national seminar participated by parliamentarians, NGO and others. Two fact sheets on family planning and youth were published by the UNFPA country office.

Family Planning is an Effective Means Against Poverty

Ms.Thoraya Ahmed Obaid’s statement for World Population Day

Ms. Thoraya Obaid,
Executive Director of UNFPA

11 July: Today as we commemorate World Population Day, let us renew our commitment to human dignity and the right to live in freedom from fear and want. Let us accelerate efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals to eliminate extreme poverty and hunger and to improve the health of people and our planet.

We must join forces to advance women’s empowerment and to ensure universal access to reproductive health by 2015. Reproductive health services protect the health of women, mothers and their babies.

Urgent action is needed because the goal to improve maternal health is generating the least resources and lagging the furthest behind.

Maternal death and disability could be reduced dramatically if every woman had access to health services throughout her lifecycle, especially during pregnancy and childbirth. Today millions of women lack access to health services, which puts their lives at risk.
Now is the time to accelerate action to ensure that health services reach women in the communities in which they live. Three reproductive health services are vital for maternal health: skilled attendance at birth, emergency obstetric care and family planning to time and space births.

Family planning is also essential to women’s empowerment and gender equality. When a woman can plan her family, she can plan the rest of her life. Information and services for family planning allow individuals and couples to realize their right to determine the number, spacing and timing of their children.

Family planning is also an effective means in the fight against poverty. Parents can plan ahead and devote more of their resources to the education and health of each child, which benefits the family, community and nation.

Today, on World Population Day, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, pledges its commitment to support health and equal opportunity for all people.

We call on all governments to ensure universal access to reproductive health by 2015 and to back up this promise with political commitment and financial investment. It is time to make reproductive health a priority.

Ms. Mane on the BBC World Service

Ms. Purnima Mane, Deputy Executive Director of UNFPA, appeared on BBC and explained the need for family planning and reproductive health and also enhances support for the efforts in this area. She said that 35 countries (31 of them in Sub-Saharan Africa) are lagging badly, with sky high fertility rate and limited access to family planning tools.

Political Momentum is Flagging

A report in The Economist quoted Ms. Byrkit of CARE that politics clearly plays a role. Another problem is flagging political momentum. She said t hat political will and female empowerment can make all the difference even in poor countries. There are positive signs on the political front.
The U.N. has recently, and not before time, decided that populated countrol should be one of those much-needed Millennium Development Goals.

Let’s Talk About Sex
– Bangkok Post

The Bangkok Post featured an article on World Watch Institute’s new book, More: Population, Nature and What Women Want, written by Robert Engelman, Programme Director at World Watch based in Washington D.C.

China Radio

China Radio broadcast an interview of Mr. Bill Ryan, Regional Communication Adviser of UNFPA based in Bangkok.

Parliamentarians at U.N. Reviews of Progress on HIV/AIDS

The U.N. General Assembly convened a high-level meeting in New York on June 10-11 to review the progress achieved in realizing the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the Political Declaration.

The report recommends that senior political leaders in countries, with the assistance of donors, technical agencies and civil society, should vigorously lead the process to ensure the implementation of policies on HIV. Although nearly all countries have national policies on HIV, most have not been fully implemented and key components of national strategies often lack any budgetary allocation.

National leaders and governments, donors, researchers, non-governmental organizations and all other stakeholders engaged in the response to HIV must begin planning for the long term, building into their efforts strategies to ensure the sustainability of the robust, adaptable and enduring collective effort that will be required over generations.
Scaling up focused HIV-prevention strategies for populations most at risk represents an urgent public health imperative, requiring a degree of political courage and leadership that has often been lacking. Countries should ensure a massive political and social mobilization to address gender inequities, sexual norms and their roles in increasing HIV risk and vulnerability.

During this high level meeting a panel discussion was convened under the theme “How do we build on results achieved and speed up progress toward universal access by 2010 - Moving on to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015?”, chaired by the Minister of Health and Nutrition of Sri Lanka, Nimal Siripala De Silva. A second panel, chaired by Caroline Chang, Ecuadorian Minister of Health, was themed “The challenges of providing leadership and political support in countries with concentrated epidemics.

A New Zealand parliamentarian, Ms. Joanna Spratt of New Zealand Parliamentarian for Population and Development, Hon. Speakers of Solomon Islands Parliament, and Mr. Shiv Khare, Executive Director of AFPPD, attended the high-level meeting in New York along with several more parliamentarians from other Asian Pacific countries. The AFPPD welcome the involvement of parliamentarians in an effort to create political will to face HIV and AIDS pandemic.

Bring Reproductive Health and Family Planning
to the Front of National Agendas

Bali - The 2nd International Conference on Reproductive Health Management focusing on family planning was held here on May 5-8, 2008. Organized by the National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN) Indonesia and in collaboration with UNFPA-Indonesia and The Asia Pacific RH and Development Center (APRDC), Philippine NGO Support Program, Inc (PHANSuP), the meeting was attended by NGOs, parliamentarians and government officials from around the world.

Ms. Purnima Mane, Deputy Executive Director of UNFPA, opened the gathering and AFPPD arranged the participation of parliamentarians and a panel discussion with NGOs.

Ms. Mane said, the focus on family planning is most welcome and discussions allow us to gain deeper understanding of strategic reproductive health management.

She further said that at the 2005 World Summit, leaders agreed to integrate access to reproductive health into national strategies to attain the Millennium Development Goals. This process is now facilitated with the addition in the MDG monitoring framework of the target on universal access to reproductive health by 2015 and four corresponding indicators: the contraceptive prevalence rate, adolescent birth rate, coverage of antenatal care, and unmet need for family planning. This is a big step forward that will foster greater progress and accountability. Today millions of women continue to suffer needlessly from unintended pregnancies, maternal death and disability, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and gender-based violence.

The UNFPA mission is clear: we are working with you to ensure that every child is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.

During the past 20 years, we have witnessed progress. People are living longer, and fewer children are dying from infectious disease and malnutrition.

She continued, “Women and men have more contraceptive choice; more children are going to school; many countries have successfully introduced HIV prevention, treatment and care programs. Most governments have adopted population and family planning policies and some countries are on track to achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.”

Despite this meaningful progress, considerable challenges remain. Family planning has dropped down the list of international development priorities and action to reverse this trend is urgently needed. The proportion of funds allocated to family planning in all population assistance has dropped considerably since 1995. Given rising demand for these services, rising resources are urgently needed.

Overall, it would cost the world less than two-and-a-half days worth of military spending to improve health and save the lives of 6 million mothers, newborns and children every year. We will not achieve our goals by 2015 unless we commit ourselves to urgent action.

We must act with a sense of responsibility and urgency to mobilize the resources, lay out the strategies and set up the programs and systems required to achieve universal access to reproductive health by 2015, she added.

International and national development actors need to continue to build new strategic partnerships — between public and private sectors, governments and the international community for reproductive health and rights, including family planning.

Ms. Mane called on developing countries to renew their commitment and show strong leadership to bring reproductive health and family planning back to the forefront of national development agendas. It is time to translate leadership and commitment into favorable policies, development planning and budgeting, with concrete activities established at the community level. The support of donor countries and aid agencies is essential.

Prime Minister Fukuda Reminded Africa
About Population Issue

Hon. Yasuo Fukuda, Prime Minister of Japan and Chairman of AFPPD, reminded Africa that population is an issue. He said that today we are honored to have representatives from 52 African nations and from many Asian nations and donor countries. In addition, a number of international organizations, special guests, and representatives of NGOs are also participating. With all these participants, this Tokyo International Conference on African Development IV has become a truly historic event.

He said that Africa also has a population issue. We consider this issue as one of the key themes of development. I have for some time chaired the dialogue among Asian and African national assembly members that share a common awareness of this issue and have continued my efforts to promote exchanges among these members.

The issue of population in Africa is one that must be addressed for the development of the economy and the stability of society. It has a profound effect on the attainment of the MDGs, with impacts on poverty, education, gender, the environment, and reproductive health.

Japan has something known as the “maternal and child health handbook, ” which has played a significant role in maintaining the health of pregnant women and children. This handbook has been introduced in Indonesia and other Asian countries and attained good results. I believe it would also be meaningful to expand the idea behind this handbook throughout Africa, he said.

Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population
and Development (AFPPD) Activities in 2008

International Consultation on AIDS and Drugs in Goa (India) from 29-31 January. AFPPD organized parliamentarians’ workshops on HIV & Drugs with participation of 20 parliamentarians from Asia and Central Asia.
Asian Regional Workshop of Parliamentarians and Parliament Staff on the
“Review of Advocacy Strategies working with parliamentarians”, 26-28 March in Bali, Indonesia to ascertain as to what works with parliamentarians.
APDA-AFPPD Regional Parliamentarian Seminar on Population and Climate Change in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) on 26-27 April.
AFPPD-Executive Committees Meeting on 27th April in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
APDA and AFPPD G8 Parliamentarians’ Conference in Tokyo on 2-3 July addressed by Mr. Yasuo Fukuda, MP, Prime Minister of Japan and Chair of AFPPD and APDA.
Meeting of the AFPPD Women Standing Committee in Wellington (New Zealand) on 20-21 August 2008.
AFPPD Central Asian Women Parliamentarians Conference in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) on 3-4 September in cooperation with parliament of Tajikistan, UNFPA and Government of Japan.
AFPPD’s 6th Asia-Pacific Women Ministers and Women Parliamentarians Conference on “Financing of Milllennium Development Goals (MDG) with focus on Health MDGs” in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) on 23-24 September with Mongolian Parliament, UNFPA and Government of Japan.
Asian Parliament Staff and Parliamentary Committee Staff Training in Thailand (November).
To identify “Champion Parliamentarians” working on Population and Development related issues in Asia-Pacific.
To issue special publications and guidelines for parliamentarians on maternal health.
9th AFPPD General Assembly in Hanoi, Vietnam in December (Date is to be decided).

Participation

AFPPD representatives participated and will participate in the following events:

International Consultative Meetings of Partners in Development, 17-18 April in Bangkok.
International Conference on Reproductive Health Management in Bali (Indonesia), 5-8 May, AFPPD organized parliamentarians’ workshops.
U.N. High Level Meeting on HIV & AIDS in New York on 10-11 June; several parliamentarians from Asia Pacific including AFPPD’s secretariat participated.
International Steering Committee Meeting for Asia Pacific Conference on Sexual and Reproductive Health (APCRSH) in Tai- cang city (China), 28-29 August 2008.
South Asian Regional Conference on “Medical Abortions”, Kathmandu, Nepal, 23-24 October.
Annual Conference of Asia-Pacific Alliances on ICPD and Workshops, Chiang Mai (Thailand) from 5th-10th October.
Three Sub-Regional Workshops on AIDS and Drugs by SARAN (India) in Pakistan, Cambodia and Kyrgyzstan. AFPPD will assist in parliamentarians’ participation.
Steering Committee Meeting to organize 4th International Conference of Parliamentarians on ICPD (IPCI) in Tunis (Tunisia), 14-15 November by UNFPA and other regional parliamentarian groups on population and development.

Make Health and Right of Women a Political Priority in Africa

Ms. Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director, UNFPA also spoke at one of the sessions of TICAD. She said that United Nations Population Fund is committed to the realization of Africa’s renaissance. We support nationally led development. We are committed to building local capacity and fostering South-South cooperation. And we are committed to doing our part to make the United Nations system more coherent, effective and responsive to the needs of African countries.

There is no doubt that immediate and long-term measures must be taken to address rising food prices and hunger. Human security and development also require greater attention to population dynamics, women’s empowerment and sexual and reproductive health including family planning.

Today Africa’s population can be characterized by three distinguishing features. The first is rapid population growth including urban growth. Africa’s population is set to double within the next 40 years and much of this growth, an unprecedented level, will occur in cities and slums. This could offset gains made in economic growth. Already the food crisis is having an impact on the urban poor.

The second feature is an age structure that is very young, with 60 per cent of the population under the age of 25. The choices and opportunities afforded to young people will determine the continent’s future.

And the third feature is continuing high rates of fertility and mortality. Slightly more than half of all maternal deaths occur in Africa and most of these deaths are avoidable. Thus, it is high time to make the health and well being of African women a priority. There is no reason in the world why a woman in Niger should face 1 in 7 lifetime risk of dying during pregnancy and childbirth compared to a 1 in 11,600 risk for a woman here in Japan.

She calls on all leaders to make the health and rights of women a political and development priority. Of all the Millennium Development Goals, MDG 5--to improve maternal health--is generating the least resources and lagging the furthest behind. And African women and families are paying the price.

She called on African leaders to keep their commitment made in Abuja to dedicate 15 per cent of GDP to health, and she called on donor governments to keep their promise to allocate 0.7 per cent of GDP to official development assistance.

It is time to support African leaders to implement the Maputo Plan of Action and expand reproductive health services throughout the African continent. Together we must strengthen primary health care with community engagement. This will improve the health and security of African women and youth and accelerate Africa’s development.

Collectively and individually, we must act with urgency to support African women to claim their rights, including their right to health. We must accelerate efforts to achieve MDG 5 and its two targets to reduce maternal deaths and achieve universal access to reproductive health by 2015, she said.

And we must remember that building strong health systems is a means, not an end. We should measure success in terms of fewer deaths of women, newborns and children. We should measure success in fewer HIV infections, access to AIDS treatment and longer, healthier lives.

UNFPA, for its part, is committed to intensifying action with partners to improve maternal health, enhance access to reproductive health and empower women. With stronger political will, more cooperation and funding, we can ensure a vibrant Africa. She concluded.

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