In This Issue

1. AFPPD receives United Nations Population Award

2. Indigenous Parliamentary Seminar on Climate Change

3. Follow-up on Thai Senate subcommittee on Population

4. USAIDS: Reconvening in Bangkok

5. EPF Parliamentary Delegation on the Status of Women

6. Parliamentarians at Women’s Deliver Conference

7. Parliamentarians at World Youth Conference in Mexico

8. Japanese Parliamentarians Appeal for G8 on Family Planning

 

 1.   AFPPD receives United Nation Population Award

BANGKOK —The Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD), along with Bill and Melinda Gates, has won this year’s United Nations Population Award, announced by the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the Award was given to individuals and institutions for outstanding work in population and in improving the health of individuals. Mr. and Ms. Gates were awarded the UN Population Award in the individual category.

The United Nations Population award, first established in 1983, is presented every year to individuals and institutions in recognition of increasing awareness of population issues and their solutions. “This is the recognition of Parliamentary work of AFPPD around Asia-Pacific and the contribution made by parliamentarians in population and development,” said Senator Dr. Pinit Kullavanijaya, the Secretary General of AFPPD based in Bangkok.

 2.   Indigenous Parliamentary Seminar on Climate Change

Bangkok Manila - On 25-26 March 2010, AFPPD organized a parliamentary Seminar entitled “Asia-Pacific Regional Seminar on Indigenous Peoples, Climate Change and Rural Poverty: Promoting Innovative Approaches and Solutions” in collaboration with the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD). The goal of this Regional Seminar was to analyze innovative approaches and solutions to issues facing indigenous peoples, including the impacts of climate change and economy. This Seminar hopes to create a platform for sharing knowledge, information and solutions to the impact of indigenous peoples, with a focus of poverty alleviation.

This two day event was attended by a large number of Indigenous Parliamentarians including Young Minister, Ms. Agatha Sangma and addressed by Senator Dr. Pinit Kullavanijaya, Secretary General of AFPPD, Ms. Vicky Tauli-Corpuz, Chairperson of UNPFII, and Mr. Edcel C. Lagman, MP Philippines. Chairperson of National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Atty. Roque N. Agton delivered the opening address.
Topics of this seminar included the current overview of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the impact of climate change on the sustainability of indigenous livelihoods in Asia and the Pacific, Policies on engagement with indigenous peoples, and new approaches and solutions in adapting indigenous peoples to climate change, and how media can play as role in awareness of the impact of climate change on indigenous peoples.  

 3.  Follow up on Thai Senate Subcommittee on Population

Bangkok - On March 4, 2010, the Thailand subcommittee on Population met in continuation of their meeting from February 5, 2010 to review progress on achieving MDG-5. This meeting, chaired by Sen. Dr. Pinit Kullavanjaya Secretary General of AFPPD, focused on the issues regarding statistical analysis of numbers relating to MDG-5, namely maternal mortality. Also discussed were the indications that could be and should be used in order to correctly measure maternal mortality. This Subcommittee meeting was attended by NGO members of international organizations, and local Thai government and non government organizations.  

 4. USAIDS: Reconvening in Bangkok

Bangkok-Executive Director of AFPPD Shiv Khare, attended a meeting in Bangkok early March. USAIDS organized a conference from 6-11 March entitled Reconvening Bangkok 2007 to 2010 – Progress Made and Lessons Learned. The meeting was a follow-up of a technical meeting in Bangkok in 2007.
The meeting reviewed the programs, as well as lessons learned in the movements of the scaling-up of Family Planning – Maternal and Child Health, and the best practices in Asia and the Middle East region. The Conference also discussed achieving MDG-5, and state of the art approaches available in the area of Family Planning, as well as pragmatic solutions and their integrations with Reproductive Health and Stronger Health systems. 

5. EPF Parliamentary Delegation on the Status of Women

From 1-5 March 2010, the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF) arranged a parliamentary delegation to the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York. The aim of the delegation was to reinforce the voice of Members of Parliament at UN level, and to insure that delegates are equipped with first-hand information about the latest developments and initiatives at the UN with regard to sexual and reproductive health and rights, women’s empowerment and gender equality. The EPF delegates benefited from briefings with major actors and prominent voices in the field. These included Ms. Safiye Cagar, Director of IERD, UNFPA, Ms Thea Fierens, Director for the division of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, UNFPA, and UN Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro and the permanent observer to the Holy See to the UN, He. E. Archbishop Celestino Migliore.  

 6. Parliamentarians at Women’s Deliver Conference

Women Deliver 2010, a global conference, will be held in Washington DC on June 7-9 2010. The previous Women Deliver conference was held in 2007 in London. The theme of the conference will be: “Delivering Solutions for girls and women,” The meeting plans to focus on political, economic, social/cultural, and technological solutions. The conference aims to further prove that maternal and reproductive health is a global priority and will move the dialogue to the global arena with the message firstly, that MDG’s will not be achieved without investing in women, and secondly, that there is enough time, if properly funded, to achieve MDG-5 within the year 2015. A number of parliamentarians will be s ponsored by AFPPD and other regional forums. 

 7. Parliamentarians at World Youth Conference in Mexico

The Government of Mexico is preparing to host the World Youth Conference (WYC) in Monterrey, Mexico from 24-29 August 2010. This conference is an initiative of the Government of Mexico with support from other governments, civil society and the United Nations system. The conference will consist of a Government Youth Forum which will bring delegations from 196 countries headed by a minister responsible for youth. The major outcome expected from this process is a ministerial declaration on youth on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that will most likely have an impact on discussions at the MDG review and other international events. There will also be a Parliamentarian’s Forum. Mr. Cecilio Garza, Ambassador of Mexico visited AFPPD to discuss possible cooperation and participation.  

 8. Japanese Parliamentarians Appeal for G8 on Family Planning

The 2010 G8 Summit is being held in Canada on June 25-26. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon was reported to have said that while the G8 meeting will address issues regarding maternal health, it will not deal “in anyway…with family planning.” In response, the Japanese Parliamentarian’s Federation for Population (JPFP) has sent an official appeal to the G8 Heads of state and government leaders involved in the G8 Canada Summit that issues of family planning and sexual reproductive health be addressed in the G8 Summit agenda. This appeal was unanimously agreed by the 77 Japanese Member of Parliament, who are representatives of both the ruling and opposition parties of Japan. The document has been signed by Mr. Yasuo Fukuda, former Prime Minister of Japan and Chairman of AFPPD and APDA, and Mr. Wakako Hironaka, MP Japan.

This E-Newsletter is published by
Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD)
Phyathai Plaza Bldg., Suite 9-C
Phyathai Road, Ratchathewi
Bangkok, 10400 Thailand