Asian Forum Of Parliamentarians On Population and Development

In this issue-
Inter-Country Medical Parliamentarians’ Workshop on Emerging Health Issues. AFPPD-DSW-WHO Training: Advancing Healthy Advocacy for Reproductive Health. Parliamentarians at IPPF Meeting. Male Parliamentarians for Preventing Violence against Women. Cambodia.

Medical Parliamentarians Stragetize Actions to Meet Public Health Priorities

Bangkok—More than 50 parliamentarians with medical background from Asia, Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and others assembled in Bangkok from 19- 20 December to discuss emerging health issues and they committed to a range of actions, including educating fellow parliamentarians on health issues especially H1N1 and HIV/AIDS as well as health system reform and linkages with climate change.

The workshop of medical parliamentarians was organized by AFPPD in cooperation with UNFPA, the Government of Japan, WHO and the International Medical Parliamentarians Organization (IMPO).

Medical Knowledge Important
- Sen. Dr. Pinit Kullavanijaya, Thailand

his welcome remarks, AFPPD Secretary- General Senator Dr. Pinit Kullavanijaya called upon medical parliamentarians to combine their medical knowledge and expertise with their power as legislators to formulate, implement and monitor laws that will promote public health and strengthen their country’s ability to address existing and emerging health challenges.

In their opening remarks, Dr. Subhash Salunke, Assistant Regional Director of the WHO Regional Office for South- East Asia, and Mr. Igor Rozov, from Programme of Partnerships and UN Reform at WHO-Geneva, hope that the medical parliamentarians group IMPO will be reactivated as parliamentarians with medical background can substantially contribute to the goal of health for all.

More Focused Health Policy Needed
- Sen. Dr. Tassana Boontong, Thailand

In her opening address, Senator Dr. Tassana Boontong, Second Vice President of the Parliament of Thailand, stressed that population issues are often overlooked as a critical issue in public health. She said countries “need a more focused health policy and should prioritize public intervention in critical areas.”

Session I: Review of the Health Siutation in the Region

“Poverty and inequality post serious public health threat.”
– Dr. Subhash Salunke, WHO

Dr. Subhash Salunke, Assistant Regional Director of the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, pointed to poverty and inequity in many Asia-Pacific countries which reinforce uneven access to health services. He warned that emerging infectious diseases pose serious public health threats in the region, where vulnerability to disasters and climate change means safe and strong health facilities and services are needed. He called for parliamentary efforts to strengthen and build confidence in public health system, revitalize primary health care, and ensure adequate resource allocation.

“Development of human resources for health enhances public health.”
– Ms. Keiko Osaki, JICA

Ms. Keiko Osaki, Senior Advisor on Health, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), shared lessons learned on scaling- up from JICA’s operations in the health sector. JICA’s cooperation policy focuses on human security, capacity development, and emphasis on sustainability and ownership. Ms. Osaki used JICA’s projects in a number of countries such as Myanmar and Indonesia to demonstrate how development of human resources for health can help to enhance public health.

“Indonesia taking steps to overcome challenges to achieving health MDGs”
– Dr. Sumarjati Arjoso, MP, Indonesia

Dr. Sumarjati Arjoso, MP of Indonesia, pointed to challenges impeding Indonesia’s progress in achieving the MDGs, especially health-related goals. However, the government has put in place a number of policy to enhance public health, including free comprehensive services to poor people, enactment of draft law on social security protection, increased coverage of deliveries by skilled health personnel, revitalization of family planning programme, and prevention of HIV and AIDS with focus among high risk groups through harm reduction and condom programming.

“More support needed for family planning.”
– Dr. Supamit Chunsuttiwat, MoPH, Thailand

Dr. Dr. Supamit Chunsuttiwat from the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand provided Thailand’s perspectives on the health situation in the region. He pointed to global warming, aging population and urbanization as some of the major challenges to public health responses. Among other things, he called for more support to harm reduction, family planning, gender equality as these are major cross-cutting issues that can help to reduce poverty and enhance public health.

Session II: Impact of Population Growth on Health-related Issues

“Unequal access to health services impede national development.”
– Dr. Shekhar Koirala, MP, Nepal

Dr. Shekhar Koirala, MP of Nepal, emphasized that the provision of health services is closely connected to population size. In Nepal, persistent unequal access to health services impede progress of national development, but the government is committed to tangible changes in promoting an equitable, quality healthcare system through policies and programmes that encourage full community participation, decentralization, gender-sensitivity, good governance, and public-private partnerships.

“Family planning and RH services are fundamental human rights.”
– Dr. Nadeem Ehsan, MP, Pakistan

Dr. Nadeem Ehsan, MP of Pakistan and Chairman of Standing Committee on Health of the National Assembly of Pakistan, said that developing countries with high fertility rates and limited access to family planning services suffer from a host of problems that affect community, maternal and child health.

Family planning and reproductive health services are fundamental human rights, he further stressed, but remain out of reach for many in Pakistan. Greater access to family planning would lower fertility rates and increase the share of working- age adults in the population.

Maternal and Child Health in Laos
– Prof. Dr. Phonethep Pholsena, MP, Laos PDR

Prof. Dr. Phonethep Pholsena, Vice Chairman of the Social and Cultural Affairs Committee, National Assembly of Lao PDR, gave an overview of Laos’ population growth indicators and progress in achieving the MDGs. He identified four strategies to improve maternal and child health: family planning and universal access to contraceptive services; skilled attendance at all births; quality emergency obstetric care; and a package of Maternal and Child Health Care Services.

Session III: HIV/AIDS and Impact on Health System

“AIDS may overwhelm health systems.”
– Ms. Geetha Sethi, UNAIDS

Ms. Geeta Sethi, Manager, Asia-Pacific Leadership Forum, UNAIDS, Regional Support Team, Bangkok, cautioned that if not effectively addressed, the AIDS epidemic may overwhelm health systems and gaps in health system in turn may spread HIV. Ms. Sethi discussed some of the effective health financing policy and mechanisms as well as the importance of involving civil society in policymaking, implementation and monitoring.

Challenges remain in areas of treatment coverage and quality, maternal and child health, and co-infections. She called for greater allocation of national resources, further harmonization between legal provisions and health needs, better integration and linkages for efficiency and reach, and social and health insurance, especially for marginalized and disempowered sub-groups.

“Health care system can be improved by optimizing resource utilization.”
– Dr. Chaiyos Kunanusont, UNFPA

Dr. Chaiyos Kunanusont, Technical Adviser on HIV/AIDS, UNFPA APRO, Bangkok, said that improved access to treatment results in prolonged survival and sustained prevalence rates. However, increased demand for treatment and medicines coupled with decreased supply results in an overall “increased price” of health services.

Dr. Chaiyos recommended adjustment of health care system by optimizing resource utilization through public-private partnership in health services and long term plans, especially those on human resources for public health. He also urged for a paradigm shift so that health is seen as an asset that everyone has an interest to promote, and HIV/AIDS should be seen as one of many issues that require our attention.

Session IV: Climate Change and Health

“Women suffer disproportionately from impacts of climate change.”
– Ms. Roohi Metcalfe, UNDP

Ms. Roohi Metcalfe, Gender and Governance Specialist, UNDP, said that climate change creates conditions conducive to increased morbidity and mortality due to natural disasters; greater incidence of infectious diseases such as cholera, malaria and dengue fever, the extension of risk seasons; and increased malnutrition, diarrhea, and cardio respiratory diseases.

Women, who are most often underprivileged and disempowered, suffer disproportionately from these impacts of climate change. He called on parliamentarians to address climate change in a comprehensive and inclusive manner that also address gender inequality.

Malaysia’s Programmes to Combat Climate Change and Diseases
– Datuk Dr. Tekhee Tiki Lafe, MP, Malaysia

Datuk Dr. Tekhee Tiki Lafe, MP of Malaysia, discussed some of the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on health, as well as Malaysia’s vulnerability to global warming and its burden of climate-sensitive health outcomes. Malaysia has adopted a number of different programmes on climate change and to combat pandemic influenza under the leadership of the Ministry of Health. He identified some challenges including climate change modeling, food sufficiency, land and forest use, and technology transfer to reduce carbon emission.

“Climate change incurs enormous social and economical costs.”
– Dr. Seyed Amir Hossein Ghazi Zadeh Hashemi, MP, Iran

Dr. Seyed Amir Hossein Ghazi Zadeh Hashemi, MP of Iran, stressed the enormous social and economic costs incurred by direct and indirect consequences of climate change. The poor and the vulnerable, including women and children, face the most severe consequences of climate change as they lack both resources and capacity to adapt and mitigate its effects. While highlighting some of climate challenges and impact facing Iran, Dr. Hashemi called climate change a global problem and urged nations to take effective and collective actions to combat it.

Session V: Interrelation of Gender, Violence against Women and Health

“Public health systems should be responsive to gender-based violence.” – Ms. Kiran Bhatia, UNFPA

Ms. Kiran Bhatia, Technical Adviser on Gender, UNFPA-APRO, Bangkok, shared her views on how best to make public health systems responsive to gender- based violence (GBV). A majority of the countries in the region have domestic violence legislation, although its implementation remains inconsistent. While domestic violence legislation is not necessarily directly related to the health sector, it reflects political commitment of the government. Legislation also often includes some reference to the responsibility of the health sector in provision of care, including counseling.

She further discussed some key components of health sector response to GBV, including models and approaches, capacity building, protocols, referral and screening, and documentation and data management.

“Meaningful empowerment of women is an effective tool.”
– Ms. Karabi Baruah, UNIFEM

Ms. Karabi Baruah, Gender and HIV Programme Specialist, UNIFEM, talked about the intersections between HIV, intimate partner violence and lack of empowerment in Southeast Asia. While three out of four adults living with HIV in Asia are men, the proportion of women living with HIV rose from 19% in 2000 to 35% in 2008. This is believed to be correlated to women’s physical vulnerability to HIV and their disempowerment manifested through gender based violence as well as their lack of economic, political, and decision- making power. She called for meaningful empowerment of women and girls as an effective way to address these problems.

“Multi-sectoral interventions needed to truly empower women.”
– Dr. Suchitra Dalvie, ASAP

Dr. Suchitra Dalvie, Coordinator, Asia Safe Abortion Partnership (ASAP), explained that gender norms and values can give rise to gender inequalities which systematically empower one group to the detriment of the other, thus leading to inequities between men and women in health status and access to health care. Dr. Dalvie recommended parliamentarians to adopt law that criminalizes gender based violence and well thought out interventions at all levels and in all sectors in order to truly empower women and prevent violence against them.

Session VI: Harm Reduction and Health

“Drug law reforms and stronger harm reduction services needed.”
– Dr. Anindya Chatterjee, HAARP

Dr. Anindya Chatterjee, Program Director of HIV/AIDS Asia Regional Program (HAARP), Australia, discussed supply reduction, demand reduction and harm reduction as the three pillars of drug policy. There has been much misunderstanding of the nature of drug use, hence many existing drug control laws conflicts with harm reduction and HIV policy. Dr. Chatterjee called for scaling up of harm reduction and stronger engagement with political leaders to reform drug law and enforcement processes in order to better address drug use as a public health issue.

“MPs have power to introduce legal reform on drug policy.”
– Dr. Donya Aziz, MP, Pakistan

Dr. Donya Aziz, MP of Pakistan, said medical parliamentarians are in a unique position to influence their colleagues to amend draconian laws on drug use and to treat it as a public health issues. Dr. Aziz urged governments to avoid involuntary treatment and harsh law enforcement methods to address drug use. Laws should be amended to treat drug users as victims while punishing drug traffickers and producers for their illegal actions.

Session VII: Role of Legislation in Improving Health Care

“Growing population creates barriers to access to health services.”
– Dr. Anup Kumar Saha, MP, India

Dr. Anup Kumar Saha, MP of India, spoke about the laws enacted in India to improve health. He cited many schemes but indicated that growing population and poverty create barriers to access to proper health services. The size and numbers are so high that it may be virtually impossible to provide the quality and level of health care we would like people to have.

“Health policymaking has to be holistic, participatory, and accountable.”
– Dr. Ouk Damry, MP, Cambodia

Dr. Ouk Damry, MP of Cambodia, discussed parliamentarians’ role in legislation, oversight, representation and regional cooperation. He cited examples of successful legislations on health issues in Cambodia. He said it is important that health policy- making be clear, holistic, participatory, evidence-based and accountable to the people.

“Medical parliamentarians can provide better insight into health issues.” – Mr. Shiv Khare, AFPPD
Mr. Shiv Khare, AFPPD Executive Director, gave an overview of AFPPD’s close cooperation with its national parliamentary committees and UNFPA offices to mobilize political support for population and development issues. He said parliamentarians who are medical doctors are in a better position to review health-related issues and can provide better insight into laws and regulations on health care.

“RH and family planning are smart investments.”
– Mr. Samidjo, UNFPA-Indonesia

Mr. Samidjo, UNFPA Indonesia, discussed how his agency is working with parliamentarians, government officials and parliamentary groups like AFPPD to advance the ICPD agenda. He talked about how UNFPA has worked with the Indonesian parliamentarians and government on population issues. “Population, reproductive health, family planning and gender programme,” he said, “is an investment not merely a cost.”

Senator Dr. Pinit Kullavanijaya provided a summary of the issues and lessons discussed. The meeting concluded with the adoption of a final statement calling on governments to increase or sustain financing for public health and calling on the IMPO to expand partnerships with parliamentarians, regional parliamentary networks and international agencies such as WHO and UNFPA to improve health conditions for their people.

Highlights of the Call to Action

“We, medical parliamentarians from 17 countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Central Asia, the Americas and the Caribbean:

Dedicate ourselves to provide all possible support in the implementation of all health-related issues of the ICPD and the MDGs;

Consider it important to keep the issues of maternal health, family planning, adolescence reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, harm reduction and trafficking on the national health agenda;

Call upon our respective governments to increase or at least sustain the level funding that existed before the current financial and economic crises. Failure to do so may result in negative long-term consequences for public health, including all the above issues;

Call upon the International Medical Parliamentarians’ Organization to intensify its collaboration with national parliaments, regional inter-parliamentary assemblies and international organizations working in public health, in particular with WHO and UNFPA.”

NGOs Trained on Advocacy for Reproductive Health

Bangkok--In collaboration with the German Foundation for World Population (DSW) and the World Health Organization (WHO), AFPPD organized the Southeast Asia Regional Workshop on “Advancing Healthy Advocacy for Reproductive Health” (AHEAD) in Bangkok from 1-3 December to provide training to representatives of civil society organizations from Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. The workshop aimed to ensure government funding is increased and resources are sufficiently available for Reproductive Health in the new aid environment.

The workshop was opened by Senator Dr. Anan Ariyachaipanich, Chairperson of the Thai Senate Committee on Public Health. He discussed the important role that parliamentarians can play in partnering on advocacy and resource mobilization for reproductive health. Senator Dr. Pinit Kullavanjaya, Secretary- General of AFPPD in Thailand, noted that this year marks the 15th anniversary of the historic International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, where the ICPD Programme of Action was adopted, and discussed avenues for further action on ICPD.

Mr. Dale Huntington, Scientist, WHO, talked about the dwindling support for family planning in the past 10 years. He emphasized that governments are changing how they approach planning processes, budgeting, and decisions to allocate the money. There is less protected or earmarked funding for reproductive health.

Ms. Maria Bordallo, EU Project Officer, DSW introduced DSW to the participants and briefly introduced the AHEAD project and engaged the participants in expressing their expectations of this workshop and what they hoped to share and learn from the facilitators and from each other in reproductive health advocacy.

“It is important to work with other NGOs and UN bodies to increase impact of advocacy.”

After introducing and setting the context of the AHEAD project, the facilitators examined how the new aid environment might influence the work of civil society organizations (CSOs). It discussed why it is important to work with other CSOs in each country and the UN bodies to increase the impact on advocacy efforts. They also identified best practices from other countries and regions, including Africa. Participants discussed various categorizations of civil society, and the perspective of the UN and WHO on engaging and working with civil society.

The training also provided an overview of the importance of CSOs working in health/RH to participate in national planning and Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) processes. It gave an overview of PRS processes, and discussed how participants can engage more effectively in these processes. It also identified challenges and opportunities in advancing MDG 5 and the ICPD agenda.

“Understanding of funding modalities helps improve RH advocacy.”

Emphasis was also given to funding modalities and coordination mechanisms. It elaborated on how different funding modalities work, and how each can be used to improve RH. The mechanisms that help coordination at country level were discussed, and participants learned about identifying opportunities to prioritize reproductive health within different contexts. Discussions focused on the different kinds of national level donor funding and the strengths and weaknesses of each.

“Integrating family planning into public health system works well in Thailand.”

Mr. Promboon Pantichpakdi, Executive Director of Raks Thai Foundation delivered a presentation titled Case study Advocacy for Funding of RH for Migrant Workers in Thailand. While reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and family planning programs are well integrated into the Thai public health system, there are some populations that are left out of the coverage. The presentation discussed key structural barriers for RH service access by this population, and avenues for advocating for increased funding for RH services for this population.

“Civil society can participate and influence budget cycle and allocation of resources for RH.”

The training further outlined the link between setting priorities, costing exercises and allocating resources. Participants gained an understanding of the budget cycle, Mid-term Expenditure Frameworks (MTEFs) and the role of domestic funding and other sources of funding. They also identified how CSOs can support the process and advocate for the leveraging of additional internal and external resources for RH. Discussions focused on budget tracking, social auditing, typical budget cycles and strengthening the MTEFs.

Ms. Siti Fatimah, Executive Director of the Bandung Institute on Governance Studies delivered a presentation titled Understanding Government Budget to Maximize Health Advocacy. She discussed the case study of conducting health advocacy to reduce maternal mortality at Bandung Municipality. Gender responsive budgeting is another area of work that is done by BIGS, and she discussed the advocacy steps that are involved in this kind of work.

“Good RH indicators enhances monitoring and evaluation.”

Participants and trainers also explored monitoring and evaluation processes in the new aid environment, and identified key issues in selecting and using appropriate RH indicators. The module looked at the monitoring and evaluation of the Paris process. It also discussed the annual review process that the government and donors undertake, and suggested avenues for civil society involvement.

At the end of the workshop, country-level advocacy plans developed by separate groups of participants were presented. Mr. Najib Assifi, Deputy Regional Director, UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office in Bangkok, provided feedback on the action plans and suggested points for improvement.

AFPPD, working closely with DSW and WHO, will provide follow-up assistance to participating NGOs in conducting the national advocacy plans developed at the workshop. The workshop was facilitated by Ms. Karen Hoehn, Vice Executive Director, DSW Brussels; Ms. Maria Bordallo, DSW; and Mr. Dale Huntington, WHO.

AFPPD Executive Committee Explores 2010 Program

The 66th meeting of the AFPPD Executive Committee took place in Tokyo on 7 December under the chairmanship of Mr. Yasuo Fukuda, MP and former prime minister of Japan. Also in attendance were Sir Dr. Puka Temu, Deputy Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea; Ms. Nobuko Horibe, Director of UNFPA Asia- Pacific Regional Office; Ms. Kiyoko Ikegami, Director of UNFPA’s Office in Tokyo; and members of parliament from Australia, Cook Islands, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

The committee expressed satisfaction and pleasure in the large number of activities undertaken by AFPPD in 2009 and its support for parliamentarians’ participation in key events organized by other international and regional agencies.

The committee also reviewed proposed plans for 2010. Small grants and special programmes of male involvement in prevention of violence against women, and a project to engage young parliamentarians also received endorsement. Beijing+15 and harm reduction will also be another focus next year. Participation of parliamentarians in regional and international events also found favour as a means to expose parliamentarians to new ideas.

Parliamentarians and NGOs Meet in Maesot to Discuss SRHR of Cross-border Populations

On 9-11 December, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) East and Southeast Asia and Oceania Regional Office (ESEAOR) organized a Joint Parliamentarians-NGO Meeting on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) of Cross- Border Communities in collaboration with the AFPPD. Six Member Associations (MAs) of IPPF ESEAOR from China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, and Thailand gathered in Mae Sot, Thailand for the two-fold purpose of enhancing participants’ knowledge on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) issues affecting adolescents, women, and men in border and migrant communities through experience sharing as well as increasing policymakers’ support for such initiatives. The Member Associations were joined by three parliamentarians from Lao PDR, Mongolia, and Thailand and a government official from China’s National Population and Family Planning Commission. The meeting was hosted by the Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand (PPAT).

As a preface to the meeting, Dr. Raj Karim, immediate past Regional Director of ESEAOR, provided a background on cross- border sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues including the rationale for IPPF’s involvement in this initiative. Mr. Montri Pekkanan, Executive Director of PPAT, welcomed the participants.

Among others, she pointed out that the cross-border population are among the most vulnerable and exploited groups of people whose SRH needs and rights are often denied. It was followed by presentations of the six Member Associations about their cross-border SRH initiatives and the support they need to sustain their efforts. All Member Associations expressed the need to collaborate with their counterparts on the other side of the border and for continued financial and technical support in order to sustain their work.

All parliamentarians present in this meeting said this is the first time they heard about cross-border SRHR issues and they all expressed admiration for the work being done by the NGOs for the cross-border population.

In terms of moving forward, the Member Associations identified the following as possible of areas of collaboration between NGOs (MAs) and parliamentarians: Data collection and sharing; legal reform i.e. immigration, security, etc.; and policy formulation.

Guided by the earlier discussions, the Member Associations developed their work plans for 2010 bearing in mind that funding for these plans would have to be identified from in-country or external sources. These plans were presented to the group and comments were provided to each presentation.

The last day of the meeting was devoted to a field trip to Mae Lah Refugee Camp located near the Thai-Myanmar border where about 31,400 displaced persons from Myanmar are temporarily sheltered. The camp commander provided an orientation on the profile of refugees living in the camp and how the facilities and programs are administered.

Several local and international NGOs are working together to provide for the needs of the refugees including legal assistance for migration to third countries. The field trip was capped by a visit to PPAT’s clinic where family planning, maternal and child health, sexually transmitted infections (STI), HIV & AIDS, and other reproductive health services are being provided to the camp residents with assistance from trained paramedical refugees.

For the Member Associations, the sharing of experiences has renewed their enthusiasm for cross-border sexual and reproductive health and rights programs and for the parliamentarians, the meeting was an eye opening experience which galvanized their support for cross-border SRHR initiatives. (IPPF)

AFPPD Parliamentarians at Pacific Workshop on VAW

From 14-18 December in Brisbane, Australia, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s Regional Rights Resource Team (SPC/ RRRT) organized the Consultation for Regional Members of Parliament on Advancing Legislative Change on Violence against Women and Other Human Rights Issues. AFPPD was invited to organize a panel on male parliamentarians’ role in preventing gender- based violence. 25 MPs from Pacific Island states attended this year’s event. Mr. Robert Oakeshott, MP of Australia, White Ribbon Ambassador and member of the AFPPD Standing Committee of Male Parliamentarians on Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls, and Mr. Aloysiu Amwano, MP and former Speaker of the Nauru Parliament, spoke at the AFPPD panel session, which was moderated by SPC’s Mr. Alifereti Bulivou.

‘I urge you to champion the cause of violence against women without any fear of a backlash from your constituents,’ said Mr. Robert Oakeshott. He challenged male parliamentarians in the Pacific to play a crucial role and be involved in advocacy activities to fight violence against women. Mr. Aloysis Amwano said that while there has been great lip service paid to this issue, very few results have been achieved. As traditional leaders, parliamentarians have to leave their comfort zones to be able to accept that discrimination against women is happening in their own cultures, their own countries and their own homes. He emphasized that women are not seeking pity or sympathy, they are asking only for recognition of their abilities to do any task they know they can achieve and to know that they have the confidence of their peers, their families, their countries and the world. (SPC)

National Follow-up Workshop on Maternal Health

Cambodia—On 17 December, a whole day workshop on Maternal Health was organized by the 8th commission of the National Assembly and the Cambodian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (CAPPD). a member of AFPPD, with funding support from the UNFPA for the parliamentarians. Parliamentarians were updated on the achievements, challenges and lesson learnt relevant to maternal and child health issues. This was a national follow-up to the AFPPD-organized Regional Consultation on Maternal Health and Rights held in Bali last year where national action plans were developed.

Cambodia is one of signatories recognizes to the ICPD Programme of Action and MDGs for the well-being of Cambodians, especially women and girls. Parliamentarians were updated on the slow progress of achieving MDG 5 of “Improved maternal health” and they recognize that unless skilled birth attendants are well deployed and retained in the remote areas, maternal health cannot be well addressed.

At the workshop, Dr. Mam Bunheng, Minister for Health presented the achievements made so far and commitments to be fulfilled in the following years to promote maternal and child health. The ministry is working on policies benefiting women and ensuring better services can reach women in the remote areas regardless of economic and social status. The parliamentarians agreed to support the government’s policies in reducing maternal death and promoting the status of midwives, especially in the remote areas. The updated information is useful for parliamentarians to prioritize and plan their work properly, especially when it comes to the time of adopting the national budget.

At the conclusion of the workshop, the recommendations to carry forward their commitments in the following years were adopted. They appealed for funding and technical support from development partners so that implementation of policy can be improved and the needs of beneficiaries can be met. (UNFPA- Cambodia)