October 2005

LAUNCH OF UNFPA STATE OF WORLD POPULATION REPORT 2005

On 12 October the UNFPA launched its State of World Population Report around the world. The PGPD hosted the Australian launch of the report, titled The Promise of Equality: Gender Equity, Reproductive Health and the Millennium Development Goals.

Launch

Senator Marise Payne, Hon Secretary of the PGPD, hosted the launch at Parliament House, which was attended by parliamentarians, members of the diplomatic corps, other UN agencies and academics. In introducing the report, Senator Payne gave a powerful speech on the importance of the MDGs and reproductive health in combating poverty.

Ian Howie, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam, officially launched the report, and outlined its key themes in his speech.

Dame Carol Kidu MP, Minister for Community Development in PNG, gave the keynote address. She spoke on the current situation in PNG in relation to HIV/AIDS and reproductive health, women's role in society, and the role of policymakers and donors in addressing these issues.

Audio files and transcripts of the speeches are available from the speeches page of the PGPD website.

Motions supporting the Report

PGPD members from the Senate, the Western Australian, South Australian, Tasmanian and New South Wales Parliaments put motions in their respective parliaments highlighting the Report's launch and commending the UNFPA for its work.

Australian Government support for the State of World Population Report

Hon Bruce Billson MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, issued a press release supporting the issues the Report raises.

'Gender and health policy issues impact on development and security and the current AusAID White Paper process is examining how we can better work with partner governments to address serious health and gender challenges,' Mr Billson said.

'Australia is committed to helping people in need in the region and we have almost doubled our support this year for the UNFPA to $4 million and are investing $600 million in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the decade to 2010.'

The full press release can be viewed in the resources section of the PGPD website.

A report including recommendations is being developed by a Core Group of experts and AusAID officials and presented to the Minister in Decemberr.

OTHER PARLIAMENTARY GROUPS

More than 200 participants, including parliamentarians, attended a regional forum, entitled “the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in the 2005 World Summit”, on August 4, 2005, in Brasilia, Brazil. Hosted by the Brazilian Special Secretariat for Women's Affairs at the Brazilian Federal Senate facilities, the forum was held ahead of the 2005 World Summit. The Inter-American Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (IAPG) was one of the forum's organizers. At the conclusion of the forum, the participants from the nine Latin American countries unanimously adopted the “Brasilia Declaration” which calls for political commitment on the inclusion and recognition of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the outcome document of the 2005 World Summit as an essential element for achieving the MDGs.

EVENTS

General Assembly of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development

The 8th triennial General Assembly of the AFPPD has been scheduled to take place from November 12 to 13, 2005, in Jakarta, Indonesia. The President of Indonesia and Executive Director of UNFPA will address the Assembly.

Click here for further information about AFPPD.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

UNFPA responds to Pakistan earthquake

In the wake of the massive earthquake that struck Pakistan on 8 October the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has been working to restore maternal and child health services in the affected areas, to meet the urgent needs of women, including pregnant women and those with newborns.

As is the case in so many natural disasters, women who were in their houses and children at home or in schools were especially affected. The health and welfare of pregnant women is a major concern in this ongoing crisis. Throughout Pakistan, an estimated 540 mothers die for every 100,000 live births. As many as 9,000 births are expected per month in the affected areas. The earthquake wiped out the already limited maternal health facilities, and many female health providers were killed, injured or displaced. Pregnant survivors are anaemic, malnourished and especially susceptible to infections and disease. Many inter-uterine deaths and miscarriages have been reported.

Tens of thousands of women in the affected areas are currently pregnant, and need adequate nutrition, medicines and antenatal care to deliver safely. Even in the best of circumstances, some 15 per cent of pregnant women also require emergency obstetric care to avoid maternal and infant deaths. The Fund is concerned that the physical and psychological trauma caused by Saturday’s devastating quake could push this figure even higher.

UNFPA has appealed to donors for $9 million to support reproductive health needs and $1 million for hygiene supplies.

Press releases and news features on the UNFPA's response is available from the UNFPA website.

Dr Farhat Malik operated to save the life of Bushra, 17, following childbirth complications

Cambodia - EVAW bill passed

The National Assembly of Cambodia unanimously approved a bill on domestic violence, aimed at protecting victims of domestic violence and preventing domestic violence, on September 16. The law was initiated by the Ministry of Women's Affairs.

MEMBER NEWS

New members

PGPD welcomes new members Senator Ruth Webber (ALP) and Bob Sercombe MP (ALP) from the Federal Parliament, Hon Sheila Mills MLC (ALP) and Hon Vincent Catania MLC (ALP) from the Western Australian Parliament and Hon Sandra Kanck MLC (DEM) and Hon Kate Reynolds MLC (DEM) from the South Australian Parliament.

White Paper on Australia's Overseas Aid Program

The Australian Government is currently undertaking a review of its overseas aid program through the development of a new White Paper.

PGPD met with Hon Bruce Billson MP (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs) and Bruce Davis (Director-General, AusAID) to discuss the Government's White Paper on Australia's Overseas Aid Program.

The meeting provided a forum for the PGPD to input into the development of the White Pape. Members discussed population and RH issues, in particular the empowerment of women, the integration of HIV/AIDS programs with sexual and reproductive health programs, and the level of funding for population activities.

Meeting with Dame Carol Kidu MP, Minister for Community Development (PNG)

PGPD members had the opportunity to meet with Dame Carol when she visited Canberra to address the launch of the UNFPA State of World Population Report. Dame Carol gave an overview of key issues facing PNG in the areas of community development and HIV/AIDS, and discussed with PGPD members the practicalities of policymaking in these fields.

Meeting of NSW state members of PGPD

PGPD members from the NSW State Parliament will hold a meeting, to be attended by Secretariat staff, on 9 November. Many of the PGPD’s state members participate in AFPPD international conferences, meetings and study tours, and many have made speeches and put motions on behalf of the Group in their respective parliaments. The Secretariat is currently building the capacity of the PGPD's state-based members, to support and encourage them in furthering the objectives of the PGPD at the state level.

NEW RESOURCES

The latest resources added to the PGPD web site are:

• UNFPA State of World Population Report 2005 "The Promise of Equality: Gender Equity, Reproductive Health and the Millennium Development Goals"
• Analytical Reports feeding into White Paper on Australia's Aid Program

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