In This Issue

1. Asian Parliamentarians Discuss Climate Change in Laos

2. AFPPD – WHO Cooperation

3. 30 Years of AFPPD

4. National Focus of AFPPD

5. Women Deliver: A Major Mobilization

6. Global Parliamentarians Advocacy Meeting

7. Population Advocates Win in the Philippines

8. New President of PAI

1.   Asian Parliamentarians Discuss Climate Change in Laos

The Asian Population and Development Association (AFPPD, in cooperation with the Laos Association on Population and Development (LAPPD) supported by UNFPA and the Government of Japan, organized an Asian Regional Seminar on Population and Adaptation to Climate Change in Vientiane, Laos on 25-26 April. It was attended by around 43 parliamentarians and others from Asia-Pacific countries. Hon. Thongsing Thammavong, Speaker of Laos parliament opened the seminar, which was chaired by Hon. Mr. Yasuo Fukuda, Chair of AFPPD/APDA. Mr. Nijib Assifi of UNFPA also addressed the meeting.

 2.   AFPPD – WHO Cooperation

AFPPD and WHO have been working together from time to time to mobilize medical parliamentarians. 2009 saw this cooperation resulting in the AFPPD, IMPO and WHO Joint Medical Parliamentarians Meeting on Emerging Health issues in Bangkok. Now, WHO, AFPPD and DSW Brussels are cooperating for the capacity development of civil society under the AHEAD project. Mr. Dale Huntington of WHO also visited AFPPD in the first week of April to discuss AFPPD, DSW and WHO and joint EC project.

 3.  30 Years of AFPPD

2011 will mark 30 years of AFPPD. The Executive Committee which met under the Chairmanship of Hon. Mr Yasuo Fukuda in Vientiane, Laos on 25-26 April decided to celebrate by honoring “CHAMPION PARLIAMENTARIANS” and to also review its future strategy. AFPPD has been awarded the UN Population Award for 2010.  

 4. National Focus of AFPPD

With support from UNFPA, Government of Japan, IFAD, AUSAID, DSW and others, AFPPD’s program to mobilize parliamentarians is making good progress. The focus of 2010 as approved by the 25-26 April AFPPD Executive Committee Meeting is on national level activities, open hearing, elimination of violence against women, male involvement in prevention of violence against women, and MDG 5 which will be the areas of parliamentarians involvement. 

 5. Women Deliver: A Major Mobilization

Ms Jill Sheppard is the woman who made “Women Deliver” a path breaking event in London, and now a much bigger gathering of men and women leaders from around the world in Washington, DC will take place from 7 to 10 June. AFPPD and European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF) will mobilize parliamentarians from around the world to attend a special parliamentarians workshop, and visit to the US Congress is also planned. 15 Asian parliamentarians will attend Women Deliver.  

 6. Global Parliamentarian Advocacy Meeting

AFPPD in cooperation with Information and External Relations Division (IERD), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) organized a Global Parliamentarians Consultation attended by parliamentarians and parliamentary focal points of UNFPA regional offices with UNFPA headquarters at Koh Samui, Thailand on 10 – 12 May 2010 to review Advocacy Techniques for Working with Parliamentarians and to discuss future strategies. Ms. Safiye Cagar, Director of IERD, and Hon. Sen. Dr. Pinit Kullavanijaya, Secretary General of AFPPD, opened the meeting.  

 7. Population Advocates Win in the Philippines

All the members of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) have been elected, notably Hon. Mr. Edcel Lagman, Deputy Secretary General of AFPPD, and Ms. Janette Garin of PLCPD. Family planning and reproductive health were one of the issues debated in this election.  

 8. New President of PAI

Ms. Suzanne Ehlers, current Vice President of Population Action International (PAI) has been appointed as the new president. She is very knowledgeable on policy issues at global level.

This E-Newsletter is published by Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) Phyathai Plaza Bldg., Suite 9-C Phyathai Road, Ratchathewi Bangkok, 10400 Thailand