INFORMATION SERVICE

September 2007

AFPPD Conducted Scaling-up of RHIYA Studies

Brussels, September 28: UNFPA and the European Commission (EC) organized the closing seminar of the Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in Asia (RHIYA), which brought together main stakeholders in the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. The seminar aimed to discuss what had been achieved and to look after the common strategies for scaling-up successful ASRH interventions. Among the highlights of the seminar was the presentation of country case studies, conducted by AFPPD's national parliamentary committees on population, in cooperation with UNFPA country offices, which assess the extent to which EU/UNFPA-supported youth empowerment interventions may be mainstreamed into the national health, and the youth policies and programmes.

The meeting was attended by parliamentarians from 7 project countries; representatives of EC, UNFPA and other NGOs; and key researchers of academic institutions. Mr. Sultan Aziz, Director of the Asia-Pacific Division of UNFPA, opened the seminar; while Mr. Thierry Lucas, Programme Manager of RHIYA, presented the overall achievements of RHIYA. Mr. Shiv Khare, Executive Director of AFPPD, moderated the session on "Generating the Political Will to Meet the Needs of Asia's Youth - Scaling up ASRH Interventions - National Follow-up to RHIYA Interventions and Good Practices" and Mr. Neil Datta, Secretary of the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development, chaired "EU-Asia Cooperation for Future ASRH Interventions".

Central Asian Inter-Parliamentarian Conference

Astana, September 20-22: AFPPD, in cooperation with the parliament of Kazakhstan, UNFPA and government of Japan, organized the Central Asian Inter-Parliamentarian Conference on "Family Policy in the Former Soviet Republics in the 21st Century". Forty parliamentarians, deputies and health ministers discussed ways of solving family policy, legal protection of family, reproductive rights of citizens, questions of demographics and ageing of population in the transition countries.

Dr. Prat Boonyawongvirot, MP (Thailand), Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health in Thailand and Secretary-General of AFPPD, and Mr. Khaled Philby, Representative of UNFPA-Uzbekistan, addressed the conference - which was opened by Mr. Kasim-Jomart Kemelul Tokaev, Senate Chair of Kazakhstan. Mr. Beksultan Tutkushev, MP (Kazakhstan) and Deputy Secretary-General of AFPPD, spoke on "Ageing Population, Legal and Social Problems". An inter-parliamentarian meeting on "Social Policy and Human Rights" also took place prior to the conference.

Yasuo Fukuda, AFPPD Chair, Japan's new Prime Minister

AFPPD, with great pleasure, informs that AFPPD Chair, Mr. Yasuo Fukuda, MP (Japan), is now the Prime Minister of Japan. He was elected as AFPPD Chair at the General Assembly of AFPPD in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2005. He recently chaired the AFPPD/APDA-organized Afro-Asian Parliamentarians Dialogue on August 28-29 in Tokyo, Japan. With the election of Mr. Fukuda as the Prime Minister of Japan, AFPPD is receiving messages of congratulations from parliamentarians, UN officials and others wishing him a successful prime ministership. AFPPD and its parliamentary group members have also extended their congratulations to him.

Parliament Staff at the Management Training in India

Ahmedabad, August 13-September 21: The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation and the Ministry of the External Affairs of India organized a six-week training programme on "Governance and Management of the Non-Profit Organizations (NPO)" for NGOs and donor agencies which aimed to provide the participants with the core knowledge, practical skills, and tools to govern, manage and lead a NPO/NGO effectively. The training, by bringing together the officers and members of NPOs/NGOs and donor agencies, provided a common platform to address many critical issues which are often dealt with in isolation. Mr. Edzuan Bin Zakaria, Administrative Officer of AFPPD-Malaysia, attended the training.

AFPPD Parliamentarians in World Bank's Field Visit to Haiti

Port-au-Prince, September 12-17: The Parliamentary Network on the World Bank (PNoWB) and the World Bank (WB) organized another field visit to Haiti which aimed to broaden the input of parliamentarians in the design and review of poverty reduction strategies, and to foster a better understanding among parliamentarians of WB's work. Along with the project visits, the programme included discussions with government officials, and representatives from the donor community and civil society. The AFPPD delegation to the field visit included Ms. Darlene Custodio, MP (Philippines); Ms. Tuenjai Deetes, MP (Thailand); and Mr. Phan Trong Khanh. MP (Vietnam).

IMPO/AFPPD at WHO's Regional Committee Session

Jeju, September 10-14: The 58th session of WHO's Regional Committee for the Western Pacific was convened in South Korea to review WHO's work in Asia-Pacific to ensure that WHO's Health programmes are effective and on track. A number of health issues were discussed - such as the creation of a new initiative to improve the quality of heath; the assurance of an action plan against the avian influenza; and the progress made in addressing tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria. Mr. Shigeru Omi, Regional Director of WHO, briefed the committee on how countries were fairing towards achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals. Ms. Troeung Thavy, MP (Cambodia); Mr. Hap Omaly, National Officer of the Cambodia Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development; and Senator Raja Ram Nadayasan of Malaysia attended the session on behalf of the International Medical Parliamentarians' Organization (IMPO).

New Zealand and Australian Forums Planned Joint Activities

Canberra, August 14-15: Ms. Steve Chadwick, MP (New Zealand) and Chair of the Standing Committee on Women of AFPPD, and Ms. Naomi Williams, Information and Parliamentary Coordinator of the Family Planning Association International Development, met the officials of the Australian Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (APGPD) to discuss future joint activities - including open hearings, study tours and mentoring in the Pacific. They also met with representatives from the Department of Health and Ageing, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Australian Agency for International Development, where they shared the New Zealand Parliamentarians on Population and Development's (NZPPD) recent activities and plans, and consulted on the focus of future collaborative activities.

Indonesian Forum's Advocacy on Health, Population and Tobacco Control

Jakarta, September 24: The Indonesian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development organized an advocacy meeting on population, health and tobacco control bills to give awareness to parliamentarians on the importance to amend and initiate these bills. The meeting also brought experts to provide vital information to parliamentarians on the bills and to discuss ways to accelerate the process.

European Parliamentarians' Study Tour to Cameroon on Malaria

Yaounde, August 26-September 1: The European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF) organized a study tour to Cameroon on malaria for young decision-makers and parliamentarians from Europe. They were introduced to the successes and challenges related to the fight against malaria and visited various local initiatives dealing with malaria prevention. Meetings with officials from the ministries of public health, finance and others working on malaria-related issues provided the participants an overview of the ministries' activities within the country. A working session was organized where the delegation and the local parliamentarians exchanged views and shared best practices against malaria.

European Parliamentarians on Democracy and Active Citizenship Conference

Strasbourg, September 12: Parliamentarians from Europe gathered for a major international conference on "Representative Democracy, European Affairs and Active Citizenship", jointly organized by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly and the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies. The conference aimed to take stock of representative democracy at its various levels and to outline the future inter-parliamentary cooperation between parliaments. In a final declaration, the parliamentarians said that legislators at all levels were still ‘decidedly subordinate' to governments in building Europe, and must be allowed to have their say in and contribute to European policy.

Family Planning Compensation Hiked in India

Concerned over the decline of sterilization performance in India, the Ministry of Union Health and Family Welfare increased the compensation for people who adopted family planning methods. The compensation has been doubled for men to boost male participation in family planning. But despite this, sterilization saw a further fall of 4.3 percent during 2006-07 as compared to the previous year.

US Congress Repealed Global Gag Rule Despite President's Veto Threat

Washington DC, September 6: Despite US President Bush's veto threat, the congress passed the bill that includes provisions overturning the Global Gag Rule, which prohibits US from funding overseas organizations that support abortion. The bill also repealed other destructive policies impeding US family planning, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS assistance. The amendment was led by Senators Patrick Leah and Barbara Boxer.

Spanish Contribution to UNFPA Increases

The Spanish government increases its core contribution to UNFPA from EUR 665,000 in 2005 to EUR 10 million in 2007. The trend is very positive for co-financing as well - Spain went from pledges amounting from EUR 3.1 million in 2005 to EUR 5.3 million in 2006.

AFPPD in Action

AFPPD is currently engaged in the preparation for the following events:

• 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 "Brainstorming Meeting of Parliamentarians Advocacy on MDG" in Bangkok, Thailand on 6-7 November
  AFPPD's 5th Asian Women Parliamentarians' and Ministers' Conference in Beijing, China on 27-28 November
• AFPPD and UNFPA-CST, Bangkok's workshop on "Reproductive Health Commodity Security (RHCS) Advocacy in Strengthening National Capacity for Achieving RHCS" in Bangkok, Thailand on 11-13 December