Monthly Information Service                                                                          No. 75 – April 2011

AFPPD News

1. Increasing  Political Science Contributions to the HIV Response
2. Demographic Changes Impacting Thailand
3. UNFPA Executive Director Visits Japanese Parliamentarians
4. AFPPD Standing Committees Urge PNG to Pass ‘Equality and Participation Bill’
5. Pakistani Parliamentarians Eliminating Violence Against Women
6. Parliamentarians at the UN Commission on Population and Development
7. AFPPD Joins Civil Society for UNFPA Global NGO Panel Meeting
8. Young Australian Parliamentarians’ Views
9. Bhutan is Newest AFPPD Associate Member

Affiliate Network and Related News

10. Indian State Government Empowering Women

Resources for Parliamentarians

UN Women has launched a new Global Virtual Knowledge Centre

The AFPPD Policy Tracking and Monitoring Unit

Announcements

Thailand Political scientists were joined by parliamentarians, activists, journalists and leaders of research and HIV-related funding agencies, for the workshop “Thinking Politically about HIV”, organized by UNAIDS in co-operation with the International AIDS Society (IAS) in Bangkok on the 27th–28th April.  With a total of 50 participants, the workshop aimed to enhance the level of the political sciences in the HIV response by increasing the supply of and demand for more political science contributions, establishing a practical research agenda, building  capacity in the global south, and identifying concrete steps to enhance the representation of political sciences in the forthcoming International AIDS Conference in Washington in 2012.  AFPPD was represented by Mr. Shiv Khare, Executive Director. 

 2. Demographic Changes Impacting Thailand

Thailand – Approximately 230 people including government representatives, international organizations, and experts, participated in the “Impact of Demographic Change in Thailand” Symposium organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) of the Royal Thai government in Bangkok on 27-28 April.  Prime Minister H.E. Abhisit Vejjajiva gave the keynote address at the two day event, where an expert report ‘The Impact of Demographic Changes in Thailand’ was launched by Mr. Najib Assifi, Deputy Regional Director UNFPA APRO and Mr. Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Secretary General NESDB.  AFPPD was represented by Ms. Sirisaranya Pakninrat, Program Associate.

 3. UNFPA Executive Director Visits Japanese Parliamentarians

Japan – Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA Executive Director, visited the Japan Parliamentarians' Federation for Population (JPFP), member of AFPPD, on April 26.  Issues under discussion included women’s access to contraception, youth and migration.  While in Japan, Dr. Osotimehin also met with Senior Vice- Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the AFPPD Standing Committee on Food Security, Hon. Chiaki Takahashi; and  the Minister of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, Hon. Michihiko Kano.  Ms. Safiye Cagar, Director of Information and External Relations Division (IERD), UNFPA, also accompanied Dr. Osotimehin on his visit.

 4. AFPPD Standing Committees Urge PNG to Pass ‘Equality and Participation Bill’

Thailand- The Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) Standing Committee on the Status of Women and AFPPD Standing Committee of Male Parliamentarians on the Prevention of Violence Against Women, in a letter of endorsement dated 24 April, put their full support behind the Equality and Participation Bill to be debated in the coming May session of the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Parliament.  The bill will create 22 women’s seats, in a motion put forward by the only female representative of the 109 member PNG Parliament, Dame Carol Kidu.  Currently there is no quota for female representation in the PNG Parliament.

 5. Pakistani Parliamentarians Eliminating Violence Against Women

Pakistan - 22 members of parliament attended a Young Parliamentarian's Forum on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) held at the Parliament of Pakistan. The open hearing, which took place on the 19 April, was organized by the Young Parliamentarians’ Forum of Pakistan under the AFPPD Small Grants Program, funded by AusAID.  Representatives of UNFPA were also present.

 6. Parliamentarians at the UN Commission on Population and Development

USA – The 44th session of the UN Commission on Population and Development (CPD) took place on April 11-15 at the UN in New York.  This year’s theme was “Fertility, reproductive health and development.’ Present were representatives from the regional parliamentarian forums AFPPD, the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF) and the Inter-American Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (IAPG).

 7. AFPPD Joins Civil Society for UNFPA Global NGO Panel Meeting

USA – members of a Global NGO Advisory Panel convened by UNFPA discussed ways to mobilize the broader NGO community and advocacy strategies in the run up to ICPD 2014 and Rio+20,  among other issues at a meeting held in New York from April 7-8.  Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA Executive Director, addressed the 12 member panel.  AFPPD Executive Director, Mr. Shiv Khare, participated as a member of the panel.

 8. Young Australian Parliamentarians’ Views

Australia – Research on ‘Young Australian Parliamentarians’ Views on Population and Development Issues’ has been published by the Australian Reproductive Health Alliance (AHRA), Secretariat of the Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (PGPD) with support from the AFPPD Small Grant Program.   The purpose of the research was to identify priority areas for young Parliamentarians’ engagement on issues of population and development as they pertain to the ICPD Program of Action.

 9. Bhutan is Newest AFPPD Associate Member

Bhutan – AFPPD is pleased to announce that the Hon. Speaker Gyalyong Tshokhang of Bhutan agreed the Parliament of Bhutan will join AFPPD as an Associate Member, and will take part in AFPPD programs and activities.

India - the Hyderabad state government started taking measures for the implementation of a 50 percent reservation of women in local body elections on 4 April as part of the women’s empowerment policy, following the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s promise during International Women’s Day celebrations in March.  The rule of 50 percent is also in force in the states of Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.

More information can be accessed at expressbuzz.com

 Resources for Parliamentarians

UN Women has launched a new Global Virtual Knowledge Centre to encourage and support evidence-based programming to more efficiently design, implement, monitor and evaluate initiatives to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.  The Global Virtual Knowledge Centre offers useful tools for parliamentarians including guidelines for the development of legislation, monitoring and evaluation, and evidence on what works to address violence against women and girls.  It can be accessed at here.

The AFPPD Policy Tracking and Monitoring Unit has created a population and development policy database, with a large number of policy and legislative resources available online.  Population policy updates are also being sent out electronically to parliamentarians, UN representatives and other interested professionals in the field of population and development to keep them informed and up-to-date on current issues. If you wish to be added to this list, please email afppdpolicytrackingunit@afppd.org

 Announcements

If you have any parliamentary news items that you would like to see included in our monthly E-news service, please email us at afppd@afppd.org, with “E-news item” in the header.