INFORMATION SERVICE

July 2005

3rd Women Parliamentarians and Ministers Conference - set one year timetable of action

More than 120 parliamentarians, Ministers, observers from 30 countries in Asia and the Pacific, as well as Central Asian, African, Arab and European countries, gathered at the 3 rd Asian Women Parliamentarians and Ministers Conference - “Engendering MDGs: a Challenge” - held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on the 2-3 August, 2005. The Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) organized the conference in cooperation with the Sri Lankan Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development, the Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition of Sri Lanka, UNFPA and the Government of Japan.

The Conference brought male parliamentarians together with Women Parliamentarian Ministers, to reviewed the current situation of women in the region, examined the role played by both male and female parliamentarians in improving the status of women, and the implementation of legislation to empower women. Also discussed was the impact of MDGs in promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Deputy Executive Director of UNFPA Ms. Imelda Henkin spoke on “ MDGs: What Do They Mean For Women?” She was quite clear that women parliamentarians can and must be a powerful force for change.

The opening address was delivered on behalf of the Hon. Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, by the Hon. Mrs. Ferial Ashroff, Minister of Housing and Construction of Sri Lanka. The Hon. Mr. Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition of Sri Lanka, Ms. Imelda Henkin, Deputy Executive Director of UNFPA, and Mr. Yoshio Yatsu, Chairman of AFPPD also spoke at the opening.

Other topics were presented and actively discussed among the participants. Were “Women and Poverty: Do MDGs Matter?”; "The Silent Tsunami: Sexual and Gender Based Violence – A Violation of Women's and Girls Right to Health” ;“HIV/AIDS – Women are Especially Vulnerable”; Education and Employment: Discrimination Continues”; “Criticality of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights in Achieving the MDGs”; “Women's Participation in Political and Social Leadership: How Far Have We Progressed?”; “Impact of Emergencies on Women”; “Recourse Mobilization: Accountability and Transparency; Parliamentarians' Role and Responsibilities”.

The Hon. Minister of Information of Namibia, Mrs. Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah, and Dr. Fatna El K'heil, Deputy Speaker of the Moroccan Parliament represented the Forum of African and Arab Parliamentarians on Population and Development (FAAPPD) while eight European MPs represented the Inter-European Parliamentarians Forum on Population and Development (IEPFPD). A number of observers from different International NGOs, youth representatives and UNFPA officials also took active part in the conference.

The parliamentarians and AFPPD set a “One-Year Plan of Action” to further involve male and female parliamentarians to achieve the goals of better women's participation in public life, legislation on elimination of violence against women and a special programme to involve male parliamentarians in women's empowerment.

Senator Jon Ungphakorn, an HIV/AIDS activist and AFPPD alumnus of long standing was honored with the 2005 Ramon Magsaysay Award for his work in the area of HIV/AIDS. As a member of the Senate Health Committee and the committee on Social Development and Human Security, Mr. Ungphakorn prioritized Thailand's HIV/AIDS community by working to include HIV/AIDS patients in the country's new "30-baht-per-visit" national health scheme, by supporting the lawsuit against Bristol-Myers Squibb that opened the door for Thailand to produce a critical anti-HIV drug at half the cost, and by prevailing upon the government to ban a food supplement being callously advertised as an AIDS miracle drug. He has represented AFPPD in several HIV/AIDS related meetings and conference.

UNFPA Asia Director Meets Parliamentarian.

Mr. Sultan Aziz, Director Asia Pacific Division of UNFPA. Who inspired Cebu (Philippine) Focus Group Meeting on RH and MDG's recently visited Philippine and Vietnam.In Philippine he discussed PLCPD (Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development) programme and their impact. He called on Hon. Jose Gde Venecia, speaker of the parliament. During his visit in Vietnam he met Madam Nguyen Thi Hoai Thu, chair of social affair committee & VAPPD of Vietnam parliament and other parliamentarians. He also discussed parliamentarians advocacy Programmes.

With the election of the parliament of Iran, the Population and Development Committee of the parliament was reconstituted on August 9, 2005, with Hon. Ahmand Khas Ahmadi as chair, 60 Parliamentarians are members of the Committee. The committee also discussed their involvement in AFPPD Programme.

The Executive Director of AFPPD Mr. Shiv Khare, participated at the 6th global Health Promotion Conference in Bangkok. Around 700 officials and NGO's attended the conference. A Bangkok charter was the out come of the conference, which was opened by the Prime Minister of Thailand.