INFORMATION SERVICE

August 2007

Political Advocacy at ICAAP

Colombo, August 19-23: The International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP), with 2500 participants, was a huge success. The AFPPD was able to mobilize the parliamentarians to generate discussions on the political commitment and advocacy on HIV/AIDS. It collaborated with the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) in organizing the "Health Ministers Roundtable", chaired by Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, Sri Lankan Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition, and addressed by Ms. Gill Greer, Director General of IPPF, and several others. The AFPPD and Asia Pacific Alliance organized one of the most effective event, the parliamentarians and HIV-infected people dialogue, which saw a very direct and frank discussion. The AFPPD also provided a parliamentarian support to the Parliamentarians for Global Action in organizing a "pre-ICAAP Parliamentary Seminar" and a symposium on "Parliamentarians and the Role of Legislation in Addressing HIV/AIDS". Few other agencies also focused on the political and policy issues.

Afro-Asian Parliamentarians' Dialogue

Tokyo, August 28-September 2: Twenty African and Asian parliamentarians, under the chairmanship of Mr. Yasuo Fukuda, MP (Japan) and Chair of AFPPD, met for the 2nd Afro-Asian Dialogue, to enhance the South-South cooperation, specially focusing on the forth coming Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD) and G8 Conference. The dialogue received prominent Japanese parliamentarians and high-level officials. UNFPA officials, Mr. Sultan Aziz, Director of the Asia Division, and Ms. Fama Ba, Director of the Africa Division; and Mr. Tewodros Melesse, Regional Director of the Africa Region of International Planned Parenthood Federation, presented their views on the Afro-Asian partnership.

Japanese NGOs and the African and Asian Parliamentarians

The Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning, under the leadership of Ms. Sumi Ishii, took the initiative to arrange a separate discussion between the African and Asian parliamentarians, and the Japanese NGOs on August 30. Some of the NGOs are also working in Africa.

IPPF President Meets AFPPD Secretary General

Bangkok, August 2: Ms. Jacqueline Sharpe, President of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), together with Ms. Raj Karim, Regional Director of IPPF, visited Thailand and met with Dr. Prat Boonyawongvirot, MP (Thailand), Secretary General of AFPPD and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health. A well-attended dinner reception was hosted by the AFPPD and the Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand (PPAT). Mr. Montri Pekanan, Deputy Executive Director of PPAT, briefed Ms. Sharpe on the programmes of PPAT in Thailand.

MDG Officials Meets Indonesian Parliamentarians

Jakarta, August 14: The Indonesian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development, together with the Indonesian parliamentarians - Ms. Mariani Akib Baramuli, Ms. Tuti Loekman Soetrisno and Ms. Maryamah Nugraha Besoes - met with Mr. Minar Pimple, Deputy Director of the Asia Millennium Campaign, and Ms. Erna Witoelar, Ambassador of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in Asia-Pacific, to discuss on the national committee's actions related to the MDGs' achievements and the establishment of a parliamentarians' caucus on MDGs to bridge the parliamentarians to other institutions.

AFPPD-Malaysia Joined Malaysia's Independence Celebration

Kuala Lumpur, August 31: The AFPPD-Malaysia organized a meeting of local and international NGO officials, and parliamentarians to discuss the programmes that AFPPD-Malaysia could contribute for the country’s celebration on her 50th year of independence. Ms. Yeoh Yeok Kim, Representative of UNFPA-Malaysia; Ms. Datuk Napsiah Omar, Chair of the Women Institute of Management; Ms. Datin Paduka Rahmah Osman, Executive Director of AFPPD-Malaysia; Hon. Rozaidah Talib, MP (Malaysia) and Secretary of AFPPD-Malaysia; and Hon. Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, and Chair of AFPPD-Malaysia; also attended.

USAID Technical Meeting on FP/MNCH

Four hundred fifty national and international NGO representatives, government officials and others from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded projects are meeting in Bangkok, Thailand in September 3-8 to discuss and scale-up the implementation of the high-impact best practices on Family Planning, and Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health (FP/MNCH). Mr. Shiv Khare, Executive Director, represented AFPPD.

RHIYA Programme and its Future

The AFPPD with the Inter-European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development, in coordination with UNFPA and EC, organized 7 small-scale studies in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam to examine on the potential of Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in Asia (RHIYA)-style interventions to be scaled up, as well as to explore the roles of various stakeholders in meeting Asia's youth sexual and reproductive health needs. The studies will be presented at a seminar in Brussels, Belgium on September 28, to be attended by the parliamentarians and others.

Young European Decision-Makers' Study Tour in Tanzania and CameroonArusha, August 11-18:

The Inter-European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (IEPFPD), in cooperation with the German Foundation for World Population, organized a week-long study tour for young decision-makers from Europe to Tanzania. The programme of activities included political meetings with the parliamentarians and NGO representatives. The field visit comprised visits to various youth projects dealing with the reproductive health aspects of the country's efforts in meeting the Millennium Development Goals - specifically those aimed at family planning, reducing maternal and child mortality, preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, and promoting the empowerment of women and youth. The European Forum also organized a similar visit to Cameroon.

International Health MDG Partnership

MPs to Fight Child Abuse in Uganda

The Uganda Parliamentary Forum for Children (UPFC), a non-partisan group of MPs, will promote the rights of, and support the policies favorable to, children with the child-focused civil society organizations. Ms. Ruth Tuma, Chair of UPFC, said "We need each other for the welfare of the children. Uganda has set the pace in the region by having a parliament dedicated to the cause of children. We therefore need this partnership".

AFPPD in Action

AFPPD is currently engaged in the preparation to participate in the following events:

• International Training on Governance and Management of NGOs in Ahmedabad, India on 13 August - 21 September
• WHO Regional Committee for Western Pacific in Jeju, South Korea on 10-14 September
• World Bank's Parliamentarians' Field Visit in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on 12-17 September
• AFPPD's Central Asian Parliamentarians Conference in Astana, Kazakhstan on 20-22 September
• Women Deliver International Conference in London, UK on 18-20 October
• A symposium on "Enhancing the Political Commitment for Reproductive and Sexual Health in Asia-Pacific" at the 4th Asia-Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights in Hyderabad, India on 29-31 October 
• AFPPD's 5th Asian Women Ministers and Parliamentarians Conference in Beijing, China in the last week of November