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Without
Focus on Population, Sustainable Development is an |
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The World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, (South Africa), received more than sixty thousand participants including parliamentarians. At the heart of the conference was the formidable yet familiar challenge of figuring out ways to bring economic well-being to billions of people trapped in poverty without destroying the land, water, air, and biodiversity required to sustain life itself. However, as is becoming increasingly common within certain UN conferences, the issue of population, which is a key factor in sustainable development, was not discussed. |
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Three parliamentary events were held during the WSSD. The first was on population and reproductive health in sustainable development, the second was a workshop on clean water and clean air, and the third was entitled Parliamentary Meeting on the Occasion of WSSD. A study tour for parliamentarians to sexual and RH and rights projects in Johannesburg environs was also organised. AFPPD was represented by Mr. Yoshio Yatsu, MP Japan and Chair of AFPPD; Mr. Taro Kono, MP Japan; Mr. Kaneshige Wakamatsu, MP Japan; Ms. Choo Mi-Ae, MP Korea; Mr. Woo Taik Chung, MP Korea, Ms. Sang Mi Lee, Director, Korean MPs group, Mr. Hai Chan Lee, Korea, and Mr. Lakshman Singh, MP India. Three of IEPFPDs Executive Committee members also attended the WSSD. Namely Ms. Marjatta Vehkaoja, MP Finland, Ms. Chris McCafferty, MP UK, and Ms. Ruth Genner, MP Switzerland.
At the meeting on population and reproductive health in sustainable development organised by UNFPA and IEPFPD, along with the Government of South Africa and the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group which took place on the 27th of August, delegates warned that if the world does not put the human population at the core of the sustainable development agenda, the global efforts to improve human well-being and preserve the quality of the environment will fail. Mr. Kunio Waki, Executive Director, (Programme), UNFPA, noted the importance of maintaining a balance and harmony between humankind and the environment in order to achieve justice in communities. "Reproductive health and equality for women are essential to sustainable development. Gender must be given more importance in WSSD deliberations," he said. Parliamentarians from the United Kingdom and Japan, South African Minister of Finance Mr. Trevor Manuel, Indian economist Ms. Devaki Jain, United Nations Foundation President Timothy Wirth all spoke on the topic. Mr. Wirth, President of the United Nations Foundation said that rapid population growth has put more pressure on the environment, which in turn escalates poverty among the people living in developing countries.
In his speech during the UNFPA - IEPFPD meeting, Mr. Yatsu said "Growing population is cancelling out the development of many countries in spite of rigorous and sincere efforts to reverse the cycle. It seems that only certain parts of the country benefit while the rest lies in a perpetual state of underdevelopment." "It is imperative that WSSD delegates recognise that without focus on population, sustainable development will be an impossible goal to reach. If WSSD fails to recognise this factor, then the battle being fought is a losing one." Quoting UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan, Mr. Yatsu continued to say, "in some respect, conditions are worse than they were ten years ago. Do you know why? Because we neglect the population factor, we assume that we can provide water and food and eliminate hunger and poverty for the current growing population. We must find ways to reduce the burden of growing population." |
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| Parliamentary Workshop Discusses Clean Water and Air | |||||||||||||||||||
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The second event attended by Mr. Yatsu was the Parliamentary Workshop on Clean Water and Clean Air, where he spoke on the legislative response to clean water. The workshop, organised by Parliamentarians for Global Action, (PGA), with one session in collaboration with AFPPD, took place on the 30th of August. Mr. Yatsu started by saying, "Many international initiatives have been taken to promote the conservation and efficient management of water use. The Dublin and Rio Conferences in 1992 were particularly significant in terms of perceiving water as an integral part of the eco-system, a natural resource, and a social and economic good, and in promoting integrated water resources management. The first and second Water Forums in Marrakesh, (1997), and The Hague, (2000), served to highlight the role of water in meeting basic human needs, preserving ecosystems, and managing water wisely." Where do We Go from Here? He said, "Firstly, policies setting goals for water use, protection and conservation must be established every country should prepare a National Water Resources Policy. We must ensure that legislation on water is translated into law. Secondly, institutional roles can not be ignored. Creating an organisational framework is paramount as is knowledge sharing and developing human resources. Thirdly, water management instruments must be wielded to full effect. We must fully understand our water resources and our needs. This can be achieved by assessing situations around the world, combining development options, and human interaction. Encouraging civil society to respect and recycle water through education, water campaigns and awareness raising, training of professionals, and broadening participation in water resources management can be nothing but beneficial." Cause for Concern - Global Population Tripled in 70 Years "Global population has tripled over the past seventy years and water use has increased six fold as a result of industrial development and augmented use of irrigation." Mr. Yatsu warned. "It is quite worrying to note that only 2.5 percent of all water on the planet is fresh water - essential for most human purposes and only 0.5 percent is accessible groundwater or surface water. Worldwide, 54 percent of the annual available fresh water is being used. By 2025 we could be using 70 percent of the total due to population growth alone." "We must all stand united and pledge that we will do our utmost best to not pollute our water and our air. If we fail to do so and the pollution continues, our very survival is at risk." |
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Womens Rights Critical to Alleviating Poverty |
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"Everyone is
fooling themselves when they fail to link sustainable development and
population." "The
road from Rio to Johannesburg must pass through Cairo. This has not
happened." "The
pill and the condom are symbols of environmentalism just as much as the
bicycle and the windmill." Reproductive
health and womens empowerment are still neglected. This undermines
prospects for alleviating poverty and reversing environmental
problems." "Poor
women do not want to have many children, but lack the capacity to say no. It
is a matter of power."
"We
must slow population growth by stressing reproductive health and rights and
the empowerment of women. It is imperative that WSSD delegates recognize
this." "If
you want sustainable development, poverty reduction and stabilization of
world population growth, then investment in health, particularly
reproductive health, is absolutely critical. This is a very important issue
for this summit." "Inattention
to womens health takes a terrible toll in developing countries, including
half a million deaths during pregnancy and childbirth each year. It also
limits womens participation in development." "Conspicuously
missing from the summit agenda is any direct reference to population growth." |
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Iranian Parliamentarians Vote for Womens Rights to Divorce Irans reformist Parliament has approved a bill that would grant women a right to seek a divorce equal to that of men. The bill would have to approved by the hard-line Guardian Council to become law, and that is unlikely. However, its approval in Parliament is considered as a big victory both for women and reformist politicians, who have consistently sought the support of women, because it creates public pressure on the countrys conservative Islamic rulers. Under the civil code adopted after the 1979 Revolution, a man can divorce his wife whenever he wishes. The bill would replace that section of the code, providing men and women equal right to divorce, but setting the ground on which a divorce could be sought addiction, mental illness or violent behaviour to make it more difficult in either case. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Core of Sustainable Development Agenda Must be Population | |||||||||||||||||||
A scientific assessment of the role of population in sustainable development was presented at a news conference on Saturday, the 31st of August by an international panel of eminent scientists. The report, prepared by thirty global experts, includes a tracking of development goals set at international conferences over the past forty years in population, education, health, poverty and hunger. It also offers the first authoritative predictions of regional population trends worldwide to 2080 and offers policy recommendations to the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Patrons of the panel, entitled the Global Science Panel on Population and Environment, were Mr. Maurice Strong, Secretary General of the 1992 Earth Summit, and Mrs. Nafis Sadik, former Executive Director of the UN Population Fund. The Global Science Panel was a joint initiative by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, (IIASA), the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population, (IUSSP), and the United Nations University, (UNU).
"If we do not put the human population at the core of sustainable development agenda, our efforts to improve human well-being and preserve the quality of the environment will fail," according to the report, Population in Sustainable Development: Analysis, Goals, Actions and Realities. Analysis of Demography Essential Analysis of population dynamics and demography is essential to the success of development programmes and to identify and target the most vulnerable sectors of society, the panel members stress. Improving living conditions is the ultimate objective of development, they argue, and peoples long-term health, well-being and survival should be the criteria for judging whether development is sustainable or not. Presenting the report were Mr. Mahendra Shah, coordinator of the Global Science Panel; Mr. Hans van Ginkel, Rector, United Nations University and President, International Association of Universities; and Ms. Mari Simonen, Director, Technical Support Division, UN Population Fund, (UNFPA). | |||||||||||||||||||
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Campaign to Raise US$ 34 Million for UNFPA Two groups have begun a campaign to get 34 million US citizens to donate a dollar each to UNFPA to offset the halt in their governments contribution. Cheques have already been received in response to an appeal sent via e-mail. One person in the northeastern state of Maine sent US$ 25,000. "This is an example of the commitment of the American people to be a part of international efforts to improve the quality of life of families in developing countries, especially women," Dr. Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA said. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Dr. Steven Sinding - Director General of IPPF
Dr. Sinding has a distinguished career as a population programme director at institutions such as the Rockefeller Foundation, the World Bank, and the United States Agency for International Development, (USAID), and more recently as an academic at Columbia University. He is a widely acclaimed lecturer, author, and generator of global projects on population-related subjects. Dr. Sinding is unequivocal about the responsibility he has taken on as IPPFs Director General. "When it comes to todays most difficult and controversial issues, Im determined to move IPPF back to the brave and angry attitude of its pioneers. This is a time when millions of people in the third world are clamouring for more contraceptives and health workers are short of condoms to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. Its no time to be apathetic about contentious issues." | |||||||||||||||||||
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RH
and Sexual Health Rights - Sustaining Political Support | |||||||||||||||||||
Kuala Lumpur The International Planned Parenthood Federation, (IPPF), East and South East Asia and Oceania Region, organised a 50th anniversary celebration and Asia Pacific Inter-Regional Seminar on Reproductive and Sexual Health on the 25th to the 26th July. Approximately 250 delegates attended from 32 countries including Malaysias First Lady, YABhg. Datin Seri Dr Siti Hasmah bte Hj. Mohd Ali, Health Ministry Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. S. Sothinathan, who opened the meeting, IPPFs Secretary General, Mrs. Ingar Brueggmann, Mr. Steven Sinding, Director General Designate, five of IPPFs Regional Directors, Central Office Directors and the Presidents and Executive Officers from all of the national family planning associations in the region. A number of high-level elected representatives from IPPFs partners in the field of sexual and reproductive health including UNFPA, UNAIDS, UNDP, the Population Council, AFPPD, the Japanese Organisation for International Cooperation in Family Planning, (JOICFP), and the International Council on Management of Population, (ICOMP), also attended. H.E. Mrs. Chieko Nohno, MP Japan and Deputy Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party was a special guest at the IPPF meeting. She said that she was happy to share with participants Japans efforts to improve womens rights. She explained how the first domestic violence law was formulated in the country. "By profession Im a midwife, now working in legislature in Japan at the House of Councillors. I have never forgotten the need for a more equal society between men and women, and for improving the reproductive rights for our people." "The domestic violence law is a result of many years of efforts since the mid-nineties towards a gender-equal society. In 1996, the Government drew up The Promotion of Gender Equality, plan, and in 1997, we set up a sectional meeting on violence against women. In June 1999, The Basic Law for a Gender-Equal Society, went into effect and included domestic violence against women as one of the critical areas of concern in the platform of action." "At the Parliament, the Research Committee on Society for a Cooperative Way of Life, was formulated at the House of Councillors in 1998, and it started to study domestic violence. In 2000, a team initially called the Project Team on Domestic Violence against Women, and later called the Spousal Violence Project Team, which I worked on as Chairperson, was formulated within the Research Committee. The team comprises six female parliamentarians of the House of Councillors from different political parties, as well as six other parliamentarians." New Domestic Violence Law in Japan
"The law known as the Law for the Prevention of Spousal Violence and the Protection of Victims, was approved at the Diet after a five-day discussion in April 2001 and has been enforced since October, aiming to prevent domestic violence and to protect its victims. It is intended to assist not only wives and husbands, ex-wives and ex-husbands, but also persons who are in a de facto state of marriage, even if it has not been legally registered. Mrs. Nohno continued by saying, "Under the law, victims facing serious danger can file a claim for protection at the district court, and the district court can issue a protection order, which prevents the spouse approaching the victims residence or workplace for six months, or removes the spouse from the victims residence for two weeks. If the spouse violates the protection order, the new law demands a penalty of imprisonment for no more than one year, or a fine of no more than one million yen, (US$ 8,330)." Mrs. Nohno then described some of the benefits of the new law. "One of our successes was to avoid family courts for the request of protection orders and divert this to district courts. Justice authorities at family courts often minimise or deny a husbands violence against his wife as legitimate grounds for divorce and often impose their own standards on the importance of the family unit when deciding a case." Many People Seeking Services
"Another achievement," Mrs. Nohno continued, "was not only the establishment of the domestic violence law but also that a budget of 1.2 billion yen, (US$ 10,000,000), for 2002 was allocated to implement the domestic violence law. This budget was allocated for the following actions: Firstly for education and enlightenment measures so as to deepen understanding among the public of the need to prevent spousal violence; secondly for the operation of the Womens Consulting Office, and expenses for the performance of the consultants; thirdly to provide funds for temporary protection at shelters entrusted to public and private bodies, (fulfilling certain criteria); and lastly, to promote study and research to discover guidance methods for rehabilitation of abusive spouses and the restoration of the physical and psychological health of victims, and to train personnel responsible for protecting victims and improve their professional quality." She further said, "Although it is a short period of time, only nine months since the Law came into being and only three months since the counselling offices in each prefecture have been put into effect, there have already been some remarkable figures that demonstrate the impact of the law." Future Challenges "As so often happens, as the new law is applied to domestic violence cases, its application will show in which issues or aspects we need to improve it. For instance; the domestic law targets only physical violence as domestic violence and measures taken to protect victims against mental abuse or financial threats are not included; besides spouses, children and other relatives are not covered by the protection order; procedures need to be simplified in order to speed up the protection orders; the period of protection orders should be extended; and civil organisations need to be included at the community level to provide counselling and protect victims from domestic violence." Moreover, Japans socio-economic system limits the ability of women to be self-sufficient leading most women to be economically dependant upon their husbands. Health insurance, tax, and pension systems also favour continuation of marriage. Therefore, women face considerable problems to obtain independence from their husbands. We think that these revisions need more careful examination for the future of the domestic violence law." Family Ties Important "In addition, Japan is a society where both declining fertility and ageing are occurring at the same time. This is why I also consider family ties to be very necessary. I strongly hope the law against domestic violence will act as the protection for keeping ties of affection between not only wives and husbands but also other family members." "Finally, I would like to emphasise that we need to construct a more equal society in which men and women respect each others human rights and share responsibilities, and every other citizen is able to fully exercise their individuality and abilities regardless of gender." In conclusion, Mrs. Nohno said, "In light of the situation, it is vital to position the realisation of a gender-equal society as a top priority task by the members of parliament in determining the framework of 21st century Japan, and implement policies related to promoting the formation of a gender-equal society in all fields." Cooperation Needs to be Reflected at the National Level
The seminar devoted a session to Resource Mobilisation Advocacy, Partnership and Leadership, chaired by Ms. Napsiah Binti Omar, Acting Secretary General, AFPPD, and Dr. Nina Puri, Chair of the South Asia Region IPPF. This session was addressed by Mr. Shiv Khare, Executive Director, AFPPD, who spoke on Partnership with Parliamentarians, and expressed satisfaction at the high level of cooperation with IPPF/ESEAOR and internationally. He was of the view that similar cooperation should be reflected at the national level. Dr. Ghazi Farooq, Director, UNFPA Country Support Team for East Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, gave a presentation on partnerships with UN agencies; Dr. Med Bouzidi, Director, Resource and Programme Development IPPF, London on partnerships with government sector wide approaches; Ms. Ryoko Nishida, Director, International Programme Division, JOICFP on Partnerships with NGOs; Prof. Jay Satia, Executive Director, ICOMP, Kuala Lumpur on Enhancing Management and Leadership of NGOs, and Mr. Daya Abeywickrema, Executive Director, FPA Sri Lanka on contraceptive commercial marketing Sri Lankan experience, all spoke during this session.
Other seminar speakers included Prof. Mahmoud Fathalla, Prof. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Assuit University, Egypt on reproductive rights and reproductive wrongs; Dr. Saroj Pachauri, Asia Regional Director, Population Council, New Delhi on the unfinished agenda in family planning preventing unsafe abortion; Dr. Suman Mehta, Coordinator HIV/AIDS Unit UNFPA, New York, on challenges and opportunities for preventing HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific Region; Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, President Malaysian AIDS Council on beyond awareness raising improving the responses of young people to HIV/AIDS; Ms. Angeline Ackermans, UNAIDS; Prof. Vimla Nadkarni, Secretary General, FPA India; Mrs. Avabai B. Wadia, Patron, IPPF and President Emeritus FPA India on valuing the role of volunteers in IPPF; and Dr. Steven W. Sinding, Director General Designate, IPPF on 50 years of IPPF some thoughts on moving ahead in Asia and the Pacific. Focus Areas Need to be Identified
Dr. Steven Sinding, IPPF Director General Designate, identified the areas where IPPF needed to focus its efforts and these were reflected throughout the seminar. These areas included access to quality services to meet the unmet needs of women, the elimination of unsafe abortion, serving the needs of adolescents, combating the scourge of AIDS, and effective advocacy for sustaining political support. The meeting was widely reported in the national press and was accompanied by an announcement from Health Ministry Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. S. Sothinathan that the Government of Malaysia is in discussions to amend its Penal Code to make existing abortion laws more compassionate and humane towards women including allowing abortion in rape and incest cases.
The seminar was organised by the President of ESEAOR, Prof. Dr. Sea Baick Lee and the President of SAR Dr. Nina Puri and by the Regional Director of ESEAOR, Dr. Raj Karim and Regional Director of SAR, and Dr. Indira Kapoor.
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Asia Pacific Parliamentarians Meet on Environment and Development in Korea | |||||||||||||||||||
The Parliamentary
League on Children, Population, and Development, (Parliament of Korea),
held their 9th General Assembly and organised the Asia Pacific
Parliamentarians Conference on Environment and Development on the 10th
to the 13th of July. The three-day conference, which was held in Seoul,
Korea, was attended by members of parliament from the Asia Pacific region.
It was addressed by Dr. Chung Woo-Taik, President of the Executive
Committee, APPCED, Mr. Park Kwan Young, Speaker of the National Assembly,
Korea, Dr. Kim Myung Ja, Minister of the Ministry of Environment, Mr. Kang
Moon-Kyu, Chairperson of the Presidential Commission on Sustainable
Development, Mr. Nirmal Andrews, Asia Pacific Regional Director of UNEP.
The conference | |||||||||||||||||||
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President Bushs Decision to Deny UNFPA Funds Will Affect Lives Worldwide | |||||||||||||||||||
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UNFPA Expresses Regret at US Decision to Not Grant Funds The United Nations Population Fund, (UNFPA), said a decision by President Bush not to grant it the $34 million dollars appropriated by Congress 2002 will cost thousands of women and children their lives. The Executive Director of UNFPA, Mrs Thoraya Obaid, said, "The denial of these funds will, unfortunately, significantly affect millions of women and children worldwide for whom the life-saving services provided by UNFPA will have to be discontinued. Women and children will die because of this decision."
"We regret this decision by the Administration and hope that the United States will reconsider its stand and rejoin the community of nations working through UNFPA to save womens lives, to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, and to improve the quality of life for hundreds of millions of the worlds poorest people," Mrs. Obaid said. "UNFPA has been and remains steadfast as a leading voice for human rights and for the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the Programme of Action agreed at the International Conference on Population and Development, (ICPD), in Cairo in 1994, all of which condemn coercion in all forms," she added. | |||||||||||||||||||
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European Union Pledges 32 Million Euros for Reproductive Health in 22 Countries | |||||||||||||||||||
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UNFPA Welcomes EU Funds for RH and Family Planning Programmes UNFPA welcomes the announcement made by the European Commission on the 24th of July, 2002, to strengthen its support for sexual and reproductive health in twenty-two developing countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. The 32 million euros joint project will be carried out by UNFPA in partnership with the European Union, (EU), and the International Planned Parenthood Federation, (IPPF), to provide the targeted countries with family planning services and advice on population and health issues. Of the total amount, UNFPA is expected to receive approximately 20 million euros while IPPF will receive 12 million euros. "The resources will allow us to help women in these countries plan their families, have safe pregnancies and deliveries, and protect themselves from HIV infection," said Mrs. Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director, UNFPA. "We are very pleased with the European Commissions decision, especially following the recent announcement by the United States Administration to withhold funds from UNFPA this year." The funding for the new three and a half year reproductive health initiative to serve twenty-two African, Caribbean, and Pacific nations was negotiated over the past year. "We are very grateful to have such staunch partners in the EU for their generous support of multi-country reproductive health initiatives, including the successful initiative in Asia, and we thank Mr. Poul Nielsen, the European Commissioner of Development and Humanitarian Aid, who has long been a supporter of reproductive health, womens empowerment, and UNFPA," said Mrs. Obaid. UNFPA is currently engaged in a special fund-raising campaign to increase resources for its core programmes in all of the 142 developing countries it helps. "The gap left by the withdrawal of US funding must still be filled," said Mrs. Obaid. "We call on our partners to urgently support poor women and their families. We can not allow poor women to suffer and die because they do not have the means to receive the care they need. Together we must remain committed to the Cairo Programme of Action on Population and Development to ensure universal access to reproductive health services by 2015." | |||||||||||||||||||
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Africa Appeals to Mr. Powell U.S. Secretary of State More than 50 African countries at the United Nations have appealed to U.S. Secretary of State Mr. Colin Powell to restore funds cut from UNFPA. "We are particularly disturbed by its potential impact on our efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS, promote family planning, and improve the lives of children, especially the girl-child, and of women," the ambassadors said. The least developed countries, 34 of which are in Africa, receive the bulk of UNFPAs funding and are the most affected by the Bush Administrations decision to cut funding. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Reproductive
Health Improvement Anticipated in EU | |||||||||||||||||||
Parliamentarians from Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, Austria and the IEPFPD Executive Committee met in the Polish Sejm (Lower House) on the 15th of July 2002 to discuss sexual and reproductive health and rights in Central and East Europe and how to go about improving the situation through parliamentary advocacy. The Honourable Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka, Polands Plenipotentiary on Equality opened the meeting by drawing attention to three priority areas in her country: abortion, medically assisted procreation and the Van Lancker Report of the European Parliament adopted in early July calling upon EU candidate countries to make efforts to improve the reproductive health situation in light of EU enlargement. The Austrian Parliamentary Group presented their method of working on a cross party basis and in partnership with NGOs, namely family planning associations as secretariat to a parliamentary group. Lithuanian parliamentarians announced that they would create a parliamentary group by the end of the year and be active on the proposed law on Reproductive Health. Polish Senator Zdzislawa Janowska announced at a press conference her intention of forming a group of Polish parliamentarians on reproductive health to work on Polands restrictive abortion law.
HIV Increasing in Eastern Europe Mr. Yoshio Yatsu, MP Japan and Chairperson of AFPPD said "A rapid increase in new HIV incidents experienced in the region makes the topic of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights especially relevant to Central and Eastern European parliamentarians. According to UNAIDS AIDS epidemic update released in December 2001, East Europe, and in particular, the Russian Federation, is experiencing the fastest growing number of HIV incidents in the world." He went on to say, "Together with HIV incidents, the current trend of falling birth rate with ageing population in the developed countries poses new challenges surrounding population and development. According to the latest data, the total fertility rate in Japan has declined to 1.33, while the average life expectancy has continued to rise and is now at 84.62 for females and 77.64 for males. The same trends are seen in the Central and European countries. The International Conference on Population and Development, (ICPD), held in 1994 firmly recognised Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and stated that all couples should have the right to freely decide the number and spacing of children, and to have information and the means to do so." Mr. Yatsu concluded by saying "The battle against problems of a magnitude as great as those related to population and development can not be won in a single strike. The battle is on-going. However, we must remember that every action we take or fail to take clearly determine our future." | |||||||||||||||||||
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RH Helps Reduce Poverty Declines in family size help make it easier for couples to save, for governments to spend more on each student, and for women to work outside the home. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Women Parliamentarians Meeting in Malaysia AFPPD Malaysia will be organising a women parliamentarians meeting called Invest in Women Invest in Change, from the 6th to the 8th of September 2002. The meeting will focus on gender violence, reducing poverty and global challenges as well as partnerships for implementing the ICPD Plan of Action. The inauguration will be conducted by the Malaysian Prime Ministers wife, Datin Seri Dr. Siti Hasmah bte Mohd Ali, and other participants will include Hon. Zainal Abidin Zin, MP, President of AFPPD Malayisia, and Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, and many other prominent parliamentarians from the Asia Pacific region.
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Asia-Pacific
Alliance on ICPD - Meeting in Seoul |
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The Asia Pacific Alliance is a unique forum of NGOs,government aid agencies, and foundations working on ICPD implementation. The APA provides a platform for ICPD players to come together and review the status of ICPD implementation. The fifth of such a gathering took place in Seoul, Korea, from the 19th to the 21st of August and was hosted by the Planned Parenthood Federation of Korea, (PPFK). Lessons learned form various organisations experiences were reviewed and a wealth of country-specific presentations were given. Focus was also given to finding methods to achieve APAs goals. Government representatives from overseas development agencies such as AusAID, CIDA Canada, Japanese cooperation agencies, Korean cooperation agencies, and USAID provided updates and assistance in population, environment, and development areas and all gave presentations at the meeting. Cooperation with other sectors in ICPD implementation was also discussed especially with business leaders, European NGOs and South to South Collaboration. Action towards WSSD in Johannesburg was also debated. The APA is moving towards a wider membership from NGOs, donors, and others. Ms. Sono Aibe from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Ms. Tamara C. Fox from the William and Flora Foundation, Ms. Sumie Ishii from JOICFP, and Dr. Sea Baick Lee, President of PPAK, spoke at the opening of the Alliance meeting. AFPPD was represented by Mr. Shiv Khare, Executive Director. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Marie Stopes International Opens RH and Safe Motherhood Clinic in Kabul | |||||||||||||||||||
Marie Stopes International, (MSI), has opened the doorsof the first dedicated RH and safe motherhood clinic in the Afghanistan capital of Kabul on the 10th of August 2002. The clinic, located in the busy Karti-i-Parwan district, will serve an immediate population of around one million. Services include preventive maternal health care, reproductive health and child spacing, and child care. Counselling and outreach education will also be an important component of the programme. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Asia Pacific Leadership Forum on HIV/AIDS |
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The Asia Pacific Leadership Forum on HIV/AIDS and Development, (APLF), aims to increase political leadership for effective national and regional action against the HIV/AIDS epidemic through building upon existing efforts of countries in the region. It was launched in Brunei earlier in August. The APLF was established as a result of the Ministerial Meeting on HIV/AIDS and Development in Asia and the Pacific held in Melbourne in October 2001 and responds to the commitment for strong leadership on HIV/AIDS agreed at the UNGASS on HIV/AIDS in New York in July 2001. The UNAIDS South East Asia and Pacific Intercountry Team, (SEAPICT), is responsible for managing and coordinating the implementation of APLF. The Australian Government, through AusAID, has provided funds for initial APLF activities, these include shared learning courses, information exchange activities, special sessions at various regional meetings and events, and joint activities with a range of regional institutions. Additional resources are being mobilised to expand activities and widen the influence and reach of APLF. The main target groups for APLF are key decision-makers in the region and those who influence these decision-makers. In particular, APLF intends to reach those involved in sectors beyond health who are not yet engaged in HIV/AIDS issues. Information on APLF can be obtained from Mr. Tony Bates, APLF Advisor, UNAIDS / SEAPICT. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Thai Senators Meet with HIV/AIDS Activists |
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Dr. Malinee Sukavejworakit, Sen. Jon Ungphakorn, and other Thai parliamentarians received, in the Senate House, around forty officers from various family planning associations from Asia and Africa. Dr. Raj Karim, Regional Director of IPPF/ESEAOR, Dr. Promilla Senanayake, Director of Advocacy, IPPF London, and Mr. Montri Pekanan from PPAT Thailand were all present at the meeting. Dr. Malinee Sukavejworakit and Mr. Jon Ungphakorn first gave an overview of the HIV/AIDS programme in Thailand, providing a frank insight into the real situation. This was followed by a lively question and answer session. Most of the participants praised the Thai initiative and the treatment provided to HIV/AIDS-infected people. AFPPDs Executive Director, Mr. Shiv Khare, was also a panel speaker, and he talked about AFPPD cooperation with other agencies, and also gave information on AFPPDs HIV/AIDS programmes. |
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New Chair for Vietnam Parliamentary Committee
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Philippines Push for Natural Family Planning The Philippine Government plans to aggressively promote its natural population plan to curb the countrys galloping growth. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo intends to increase the use of the natural method of family planning by 20 percent through an aggressive education plan for couples as the Philippines has continued to shy away from vigorously promoting modern methods of contraception amid strong opposition from the influential Catholic Church. Health Secretary Mr. Manuel Dayrit said only 30 percent of Filipino couples, who are predominantly Catholic, use reliable methods of contraception, while 70 percent use unreliable methods or no methods at all. "We are trying to balance this by increasing the campaign for the natural method, and pushing for aggressive fertility awareness education, and to make other methods available as well," Mr. Dayrit added. | |||||||||||||||||||
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AFPPD
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The AFPPDs 7th General Assembly in Beijing from the 16th to the 18th of October is gaining momentum; over eighty parliamentarians have confirmed their participation. Around twenty-five former and current parliamentarians from different part of Asia and the Pacific who were present at the 1981 founding conference have agreed to grace the occasion. High officers from UNFPA, World Bank, UNESCAP, and other UN agencies will also be present. One of the high-lights of the General Assembly will be the hosting of a 20 years dinner by Mr. Li Ping, MP and Chairman of the National Peoples Congress, (NPC), China. AFPPD expects more than one hundred parliamentarians to attend this historic event. |
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Workshop for Elected Representatives - India | |||||||||||||||||||
The Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development, (IAPPD), organised a workshop on Involvement of Elected Representatives for Advocacy on Population, in Alwar, province of Rajasthan, India. The workshop, specifically held for legislators, ex-ministers, urban and local governing bodies, and panchayat leaders, was held under the aegis of UNFPA and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Among the participants were Dr. Karen Yadav, Chief, 20 Point Programme - Ms. Geeta Narayan, Programme Officer, UNFPA - Mr. Manmohan Sharma, Executive Secretary, IAPPD, and Mr. Meena Saini, Chairperson, Municipal Council, Alwar. Topics covered by the workshop included reproductive health and rights, HIV/AIDS, and women empowerment. |
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Lady Carol Kidu Appointed Minister
Lady Carol Kidu has also been appointed as the Minister for Community and Social Development. AFPPD wishes to express its hearty congratulations. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Farewell To Mr. Ghazi Farooq | |||||||||||||||||||
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Lao Parliamentarians Visit Japan | |||||||||||||||||||
The Asian Population and Development Association, (APDA), conducted its annual study tour programme and invited a parliamentary delegation from Lao PDR to Japan. The study tour, which was organised from the 8th to the 12th of July, emphasised the importance of alleviating population and health issues in order to enhance socio-economical development. The Lao delegation also had the opportunity to learn about community-based family planning and maternal and child health activities as well as practices of rural medicine in post-war Japan. The first visit the delegation made was to the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research in Tokyo, on the 8th of July. Dr. Makoto Ato, the Director of the Institute, gave a lecture on demographic transition. The following day, the delegation paid a courtesy call to Ms. Yasu Kanou, MP and the Vice-Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare. They also went to the Japanese Organisation for International Cooperation in Family Planning, (JOICFP), where they met with Executive Director Mr. Yasuo Kon who spoke on family planning, and maternal and child health activities. On the 10th, the delegation visited Mayor Mr. Masahiro Nagai of Suzaka City, Nagano Prefecture, where they also met Ms. Miyoshi Ooba, a former public health nurse, who shared her experiences with them. They also visited Saku Central Hospital, where Dr. Kijyo Deura explained the basic history of the hospital as well as the history of rural medicine. |
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Thai Parliamentarians Organise Seminar on Reproductive Rights and Womens Health | |||||||||||||||||||
The Parliamentary Committee on Health of the House of Representatives, Thailand, organised a one-day parliamentarians seminar on reproductive health, which was opened by Hon. Dr. Uthai Pimchaichoh, President of the House of Representatives on the 26th of August 2002. Mr. Suwat Suwansirikul, President of the Parliamentarians Committee of Public Health, Dr. Pensi Pichaisanit, President of the Womens Health Advocacy Foundation, and Ms. Nattaya Boonpakdee, Administrator, Campaign on Reproductive Rights from the Population Council also attended this meeting. Dr. Pornpich Pattanakullert, MP, President of the sub-committee said that the seminar would not only create understanding and build awareness of womens reproductive health rights, but it would also give the opportunity to express opinions that would benefit women in the enactment and amendment of law according to their basic rights. Ms. Melissa Upreti, Legal Advisor for Asia and Ms. Julia Zajkowski, Consulting Legal Advisor for Global Projects, the Centre for Representative Law and Policy, (CRLP), New York, jointly presented a paper focusing on CRLP. "A reproductive law that takes a holistic approach to womens health can complement and supplement existing laws, including criminal law," they said. Approximately 300 participants attended the seminar, which consisted of senators, MPs, government and private organisations related to reproductive health care, women-related NGOs, experts, the media, and observers. AFPPD was represented by Ms. Romchalee Ngamwitroj, Management Associate, and Ms. Pariyaporn Techanaparak, Administrative Associate. |
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AFPPD Chairman, Mr. Yoshio Yatsu, MP Japan, attended the
WSSD and spoke at two of the three parliamentary events there.
WSSD participant
Dr. Steven Sinding
joined the International Planned Parenthood Federation, (IPPF), as Di-
approached three main issues, namely national
decision-making structures for implementation of sustainable development
examining the current regional cooperation mechanism for sustainable
development, and the next ten years of APPCED, its work programme and
development strategy. The conference closed with the adoption of the Seoul
Declaration on Decision-Making for Sustainable Development.
UNFPA operates projects that provide contraception and
gynaecological services, teen-pregnancy prevention and more than 77,000
infant and child deaths,UNFPA estimates.
AFPPD Chairman, Mr. Yoshio Yatsu, MP Japan, conveyed
his support to Central and East European parliamentarians in creating
national structures and integrating the IEPFPD later in 2002. This
Roundtable was made possible with the generous support of the AFPPD.
The Parliamentary Committee on Social Affairs, Vietnam,
has just elected a new chairperson, Mme. Nguyen Thi Hoai Thu. With thirty
years in Parliament, Mme. Nguyen Thi Hoai Thu is also the former
Vice-Chair of the Vietnamese Association of Parliamentarians on Population
and Development, (VAPPD).
Lady Carol Kidu, one of the most active parliamentarians
and participants at AFPPD events, has been re-elected in Papua New Guineas
recent elections. She is now the only woman parliamentarian elected to new
Parliament. Previously there were two women parliamentarians in the
Parliament of PNG.
Dr. Ghazi Farooq,
Director, UNFPA Country Support Team for East Asia and the Pacific, retired
on the 31st of August. AFPPD had close ties with him and gave Dr. Farooq a
farewell, which was held at the Royal Princess Hotel in Bangkok. About forty
people, comprising heads of UN agencies, parliamentarians, and Embassy
representatives attended. Prof. Dr. Prasop Rattanakorn, former AFPPD
Secretary General, and Chairman of the Statesmen Foundation remembered the
collaboration with Dr. Farooq and CST, and said he wished him well for his
future endeavours. Dr. Malinee Sukavejworakit, Vice-Chair of AFPPD and Chair
of the Standing Committee on Public Health, Thailand, and Senator Maleerat
Kaewka both wished Dr. Farooq well. 
