1.   SE Asia Parliamentarians Visit Harm Reduction Facilities in Portugal

Portugal – Parliamentarians from South East Asia participated in a Harm Reduction and Drug Policy Study Visit to Lisbon, Portugal from 11-14 October.  Organized by AFPPD in cooperation with the Open Society Institute (OSI), the objective of the visit was learn from the success of Portuguese policies, where emphasis is placed on the rehabilitation of drug users, rather than criminalization.  The 5 parliamentarians from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and Thailand had the chance to visit and observe over 5 different sites including monitoring centers for drug addiction, treatment centers and consult with senior researchers involved in the study of addiction.

 2.   Asia – Pacific Parliamentarians Band Together To Fight Violence Against Women

Yogyakarta – Over 90 parliamentarians from 19 Asia-Pacific countries and experts from UN agencies and international NGOs convened at the Regional Women Ministers’ and Parliamentarians Conference on, “Review of Parliamentarians’ Actions and Legislations on the Elimination of Violence against Women” on 21st -22nd October, 2010 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.  The conference was organized by the AFPPD in cooperation with the Indonesian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (IFPPD) and supported by the AusAID and UNFPA.

Hon. Mr. Marzuki H. Alie, Speaker of the Parliament of Indonesia and H.E. Linda Amalia Sari Gumelar, State Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection of Indonesia, addressed the conference.  A strong statement of commitment was agreed upon by all participants of the conference calling for a Whole-of-Government Approach to promoting and advancing the actions and legislation on the elimination of violence against women.

 3.   AFPPD Secretary General at APA Meeting

Penang - the 10th Conference of the Asia Pacific Alliance (APA) was held on 5-6 October in Penang, Malaysia. Ms. Nobuko Horibe of UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office opened the conference, emphasizing that investment in maternal and sexual and reproductive health is cost effective and contributes to all other MDG goals.  Hon. Sen. Pinit Kullavanijaya, Secretary General of AFPPD, also spoke, highlighting parliamentarians’ recognition that maternal deaths are one of the greatest moral, human rights challenges of our time.  He stressed parliamentarians’ commitment to strengthen capacity for oversight and budget analyses, increase accountability and improved and specific accounting for budgetary allocation in both recipient and donor countries. 

 4.   First Ever Asia Pacific Consultation on HIV and Sex Work

Thailand - close to 150 participants from eight countries gathered in Pattaya on 15 October to boost the response to AIDS in the Asia Pacific region. Organized by UNAIDS and UNFPA  Asia-Pacific Regional Offices, as well as the Asia-Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW), and hosted by the Royal Government of Thailand, the participants from  China, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and Thailand  shared experiences and strategies and worked on national action plans to be carried forward by partnerships at the country-level.

UNFPA Deputy Executive Director Purnima Mane addressed the first ever Asia Pacific Consultation, stating that “Enabling sex workers to openly access prevention services with dignity must be part of every national HIV programme.”  Sex work is a central driver of the AIDS epidemic in Asia Pacific, where it is estimated that 10 million Asian women sell sex to 75 million men, who in turn have intimate relations with a further 50 million people (Report of the Asia Commission on AIDS, 2008).

 5.   2010 State of the World’s Population Report Released

Bangkok - The State of the World’s Population Report for the year 2010 was released at the UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Office on October 20. Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, the UNFPA flagship report explores the impact of conflict on women and girls, highlighting sexual violence and other challenges.

Ms. Nobuko Horibe, Director of UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office (APRO), presented the report’s main conclusions, stating that civil society organizations led by women have promoted non-violence and social cohesion in conflict-torn communities.  Ms. Sunila Abeysekera, award-winning feminist activist and human rights defender from Sri Lanka, and Ms. Kiran Bhatia, Regional Gender Adviser of UNFPA APRO, also spoke at the launch in Bangkok.  All three presenters emphasized that women are not only victims of war; they have key roles to play in bringing peace. 

 6.   AFPPD Central Asian Parliamentarians at UNFPA Regional Technical Meeting

Turkey - Two parliamentarians from AFPPD were among the representatives from 20 countries that attended the UNPFA Regional Technical Meeting “From Cairo to Beijing and Beyond: the unfinished agenda on gender equality in Eastern Europe and Central Asia” from 20-22 October in Istanbul.  Hon. Ganieva Gulchera, MP from Tajikistan, and Hon. Tatyana Yakovleva, MP from Kazakstan, participated in the meeting which reviewed the progress and challenges in the area of gender equality, equity and the empowerment of women as covered by the ICPD Program of Action.

Recommendations adopted by the participants emphasized the need for increasing accountability and capacity of the state to meet its publications under human rights conventions and the ICPD agenda, and especially through the collection of gender disaggregated data.

 7.   Central Asian Parliamentarians Supporting Gender Equality

Kazakhstan - Over 70 participants including parliamentarians, NGOs and UN representatives attended the Central Asia Parliamentarian Meeting on Gender and ICPD Issues, in Almaty on October 28-29.  Organized by AFPPD in cooperation with European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF) and UNFPA, supported by the Government of Japan, and hosted by the Parliament of Kazakhstan, the conference sought to improve the understanding of male and female parliamentarians from Central Asia on gender related issues and its relevance within the ICPD agenda.

The event closed with the adoption of a firm statement of commitment, fostering commitment and promoting cooperative cross-sector action in the region of Central Asia on targeted issues related to women’s empowerment, gender equality and the protection of women’s rights.   Participants called on the governments of Central Asia to support the exchange of knowledge in population issues, the practical implementation of legislation, and national budget allocations for citizenship legislation, political participation of women, rural women, marriage and family, sexual and reproductive health; working towards fulfilling commitments for MDG 3 and 5.

 8. World’s Largest Populations are Being Counted

Asia - Estimated to be over 1.3 billion, the world’s two largest populations are set to be tallied as the national census begins in China on Nov 1, and is already underway in India. Millions of census takers are expected to gather the latest data on China and India’s populations.  In the 2000 census, China's population was calculated at 1.29 billion, and in 2001 India’s population was calculated at 1.028 billion.

It is hoped that the census will provide information on China's growing gender imbalance, often linked to the "one child" policy and a preference for boys, which has resulted in millions of men of marrying age without wives.  Data on China's rapidly ageing population will also be gathered, as well information about China’s "floating population," the estimated 21 million migrant labourers that have descended on cities and towns in a wave of urbanization. This census also marks the first time China will count the number of foreigners living and working in the country.  

In India, the new census will for the first time gather information regarding religion. It will also help to build the National Population Register, a biometric database that includes photographs and finger prints for every “usual resident” over the age of 15. The Government of India will then issue a unique 16-digit identity number to everyone on the register, and eventually a national identity card to everyone over 18.

Upcoming AFPPD Events

Nov 7 – 10: Parliamentary Staff Training on Policy Tracking, in cooperation with UNFPA and JTF, in Bangkok, Thailand.

Nov 25 – 27:  Roundtable Consultative Meeting for Asian Parliamentarians under the theme Disaster Risk Reduction: An Instrument for Achieving Millennium Development Goals, organized by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) in cooperation with AFPPD, and  the Senate of the Philippines, in Manila, the Philippines.

Nov 27: AFPPD Executive Committee Meeting in Bangkok.

Nov 27 – 28: Young Parliamentarians Consultation on ICPD Issues, in cooperation with UNFPA, in Bangkok, Thailand.

Nov 28: AFPPD Standing Committee on Gender meeting in Bangkok, Thailand.

Dec 17: Standing Committee of Male Parliamentarians on the Elimination of Violence Against Women meeting in Australia.

Upcoming UN Events

Feb 9 - 18, 2011:  the Forty-Ninth Session of the Commission for Social Development will convene in New York, at the United Nations North Lawn Building.

Feb 22 - March 4, 2011: the Fifty-Fifth Session of the Commission on the Status of Women will convene in New York, at the United Nations North Lawn Building. Pre-registration for civil society members is now open.

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