HAITI: UNFPA Presents Investigations Of The Demographic Situation In Haiti
Radio Vision 2000 reported on 12 January that “The socio-economic and medical situation of the Haitian population worsened in Port-au-Prince and in the areas most affected by the earthquake,” according to the UNFPA Representative. Igor Bosc, who spoke on the occasion of the presentation of a series of investigations by UNFPA concerning the demographic situation of Haiti on January 11, 2011, underlined an employment decrease of 28 to 22 per cent while school attendance dropped from 38 to 33 per cent. On the other hand, the pregnancy rate among young girls, since January 12, 2010, went from 4 to 12 per cent, added the UNFPA Representative.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Training on Femicide Begins
El Nuevo Diario reported on 12 January that The Ministry of Women and the National Judicial College began a training session in order to raise awareness and improve judicial response capabilities and quality when dealing with issues of femicide, gender, and respect for the human rights of women. The workshop, “Violence, Femicide and Justice” was headed by Alejandrina German, Minister for Women, Dr. Jorge A. Judge Subero, President of the Supreme Court, and UNFPA Representative Sonia Vasquez. Read in Spanish: El Nuevo Diario
VIET NAM: Choice and Consequence
Vn Economy reported on 12 January that the imbalance in the sex ratio at birth has been increasing rapidly in Viet Nam in recent years, according to a study by UNFPA released in October. With evidence from the 2009 Population and Housing Census, UNFPA Representative Bruce Campbell said that there is a large array of factors that can be correlated with significant differences in SRB levels. Read: Vn Economy
DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA: How Statistics About N. Korea Are Compiled
Chosun Ilbo (Republic of Korea) reported on 12 January that North Korea’s second census in 2008 was taken, with support from UNFPA, to obtain basic data for humanitarian aid to the country. Read: Chosun Ilbo
SWAZILAND: Deaths Double in Last Ten Years
The Times of Swaziland reported on 12 January that although the country’s mortality rate is higher than before, more women are surviving childbirth than in the past. This was revealed by UNFPA Representative Hassan Mohtashami, who said this was an indication that Swaziland’s health services had improved, with greater access to midwives and emergency obstetric care. Dr. Mohtashami said government programmes had, however, not reached their optimum goals yet. Read: The Times of Swaziland
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Rape. Re-Rape. Gang Rape. But, Really, Who Cares?
Gender Links published a column on 12 January by Nikki Whaites on the lack of media attention to the ongoing “epidemic” of rapes in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She wrote, “The exact number of women and girls who have experienced sexual abuse in the DRC is not known. In 2008, UNFPA reported 15,996 registered cases of sexual violence across the country. And 65% of those were children, the majority girls – 10 per cent were under the age of 10.” Read: Gender Links