INFORMATION SERVICE

June 2005

Japanese MPs at G8 Conference

Four Japanese parliamentarians Mr. Shigeo Uetake, Mr. Teruhiko Mashiko, Mr. Masatoshi Wakabayashi, and M. Gishi Hosono, represented AFPPD at the G8 Parliamentarians conference at Edinburgh, Scotland, organized by Inter European Forum of Parliamentarian and Parliamentarian Network of World Bank. The meeting was attended by parliamentarians from Canada, France, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, USA, Japan and other European and African countries. Ms. Imelda Henkin, Deputy Executive Director, UNFPA, Ms. Safiye Cagar, Director, IERD, UNFPA also addressed the conference.

Parliamentarians and speakers from African countries met in N'Djamena, Chad on 18 th –19 th May 2005 in a African conference of speakers organized by the National Assembly of Chad and with the support of UNFPA. At the meeting, speakers and representatives of African parliaments decided to give special emphasis on reproductive health and population at the September Global Speakers Conference on MDG's in New York.

IPPF South East Asia Review Reproductive and Sexual health Work

The IPPF South East Asian Regional Meeting of Family Planning Associations and other Stakeholders met in Kuala Lumpur on 1 st -2 nd June, 2005 to review the ICPD at 10 programmes undertaken by IPPF regional office and to discuss how to further implement the goals agreed in 2004 roundtables. Mr. Shiv Khare, Executive Director, AFPPD presented a paper on “How to Mobilize Parliamentarians for Reproductive and Sexual Health”. Mr. G. Giridhar, Director, UNFPA/CST spoke on how ICPD will contributes to meet each MDGs and Mr. Peter Chen of UNFPA, Bangkok also spoke at the meeting. Dr. Raj Karim, Regional Director, IPPF ESEAOR, said that with the cooperation of all stakeholders, the goals would be achieved.

The Asian Parliamentarians Conference on Renewable Energy was organised in Gifu, venue of expo in Japan by the Japan parliamentarians and AFPPD on 4-5 June 2005. Mr. Yoshio Yatsu, MP Japan and Chairman, AFPPD spoke on the inter-relationship of population and renewable energy at the conference. Parliamentarians from Asia and the Pacific region attended this conference.

30 Staff of National Parliamentary Committees underwent a weeklong training in Bangkok on proposal writing and log frame. Mr. Kevin Osborne of IPPF and Ms. Nichola Schaay of the University of the Western Cape, South Africa conducted the training. It is to be reminded that around 80 full time persons are working in various countries on parliamentary advocacy on population and development in the region.

AFPPD at World Bank Meeting in Vienna

World Bank organized a meeting of parliamentarian groups and agencies working with parliamentarians and on governance issues on 11-13 th , June 2005 in Vienna, which was hosted by the Government of Austria.

AFPPD Executive Director spoke on “Health Related MDGs and the Role of Parliamentarians”. Mr. Jean Christophe Bas, Development Policy Dialogue Manager, World Bank, conducted the meeting.

AFPPD at Civil Society Hearing on MDGs

The Asian Forum was the parliamentary group selected to be an active participant at the Civil Society Hearing on MDGs at UN, New York on 23 rd -24 th June 2005. The President of the UN General Assembly conducted the hearing. Several NGOs including AFPPD Executive Director Mr. Shiv Khare, Mr. Nada Chaya, PAI, and other representatives spoke on the need to give special emphasis to reproductive health and population issue.

AFPPD at UNFPA Executive Board Meeting

AFPPD Executive Director attended the UNFPA Executive Board Meeting on 22 June 2005 at the UN Headquarters, New York where several country-level programmes, including China programme was approved.

Focus Group on MDGs

Mr. Sultan Aziz, Director, Asia Pacific Division, UNFPA and Mr. Chaiyos Kunasunont. UNFPA/CST were part of the AFPPD new approach of Focus Group meeting to have intensive discussions with small and select group of parliamentarians. The Millennium Development Goals and reproductive health was the topic of discussion The Focus Group Meeting was organised by AFPPD in cooperation with the Philippine Legislative Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) on 29-30 June 2005.

Founder of IPPF and FPAI passes away

Founder of IPPF and former president of the Family Planning Association of India, Mrs. Avabai B. Wadia passed away on world population day July 11, 2005. Mrs. Wadia was the President of FPA, India for long time and of IPPF-London. In her 50 years of tireless work, she won several awards including U.N. population award and the Padma Shri (1971), Padma Bhushan (1981) from the Government of India. Mrs. Avabai B. Wadia will be dearly missed. May her soul rest in peace.