URUGUAY: Plan for Social Protection Has Not Led to Parity in Employment
El Pais reported on January 27 that although there is an outline for increasing women’s attendance in high school and tertiary education in Uruguay, the number of women working in the monetized market is lower than that of men, which is a huge waste of human capital, said Fernando Filgueira the assistant representative of UNFPA in Uruguay. Dr. Filgueira discussed the magnitude of the care crisis and its effects on our country. Read in Spanish: El Pais
ECUADOR: Provincial Forum Creates Space for Change
El Mercurio reported on 27 January on a provincial forum, called “Women's health in Manabi,” which was developed at the University Extension in Bay Caráquez Eloy Alfaro. The forum was supported by the Provincial Government of Manabi, the municipality of Sucre, the Provincial Health Department, Cantonal Council of Health and UNFPA. Read in Spanish: El Mercurio
KAZAKHSTAN: Workshop Held on Gender-Based Violence and Health
Kazpravda reported on 27 January that Republican Consultative Workshop on the integration of issues on gender-based violence (GBV) response into the public health care system of the Republic of Kazakhstan was held on 26 January in Astana. The event was organized by the National Commission for Women Affairs and Family-Demographic Policy and UNFPA’s Country Office for Kazakhstan. The workshop was attended by decision makers such as Vice Minister of Health Care, representatives of the President's Administration, Parliament members, experts of the ministries and departments, as well as NGOs and experts from international organizations and other UN agencies. Today, in the Republic of Kazakhstan, there are more than 20 crisis centres for women and NGOs that focused on GBV. According to workshop participants, in order to effectively respond to incidents of gender-based violence, it is necessary to reinforce a response of health care sector to GBV and to consolidate the efforts of the state and nongovernmental sector. Following the meeting, participants adopted a series of recommendations which indicated the specific measures needed to improve the efficiency of health care system in terms of providing assistance to victims of violence." Read: Kazpravda and in Russian: Kazpravda
BELARUS: Population Decline Continues
Belarusian News reported on 27 January on the country’s continued low fertility rate and population decline. The population decrease has continued since 1994. During the last year 108,000 children were born, which is 1,100 less than in 2009. The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection informs that this is not a surprise. The generation of the demographic recession of the 1990’s has entered reproductive age. UNFPA Programme Analyst Tatyna Haplichnik stressed that there is a notion of generation fertility. It can be evaluated only when a generation of women is out of their reproductive age, after 49. The experts also stressed that the European tendency is that more and more women give birth for the first time after 35 and even 40. Read in Russian: Belarusian News
BELARUS: UNFPA Reaffirms Support for Gender Equality
BelTA reported on 27 January that UNFPA affirmed its plans to continue providing assistance to Belarus to promote gender equality. UNFPA office director Alana Armitage said this during her meeting with Marianna Shchetkina, Labour and Social Security Minister of Belarus, who visited Geneva in her capacity as head of Belarus’ delegation at the 48th session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. The parties discussed UNFPA efforts to promote reproductive health and gender equality in Belarus. They spoke about the important role of the Labour and Social Security Ministry in addressing the demographic issues in Belarus. They also discussed the role of UNFPA international expertise during the 2009 population census, the National Demographic Security Program and the implementation of the National Action Plan to Promote Gender Equality. Read: BelTA
BELARUS: Belarus to Take Part in UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board Session
Multiple media outlets reported on 27 January that Belarus will take part in the first regular session of the Executive Board of the UNDP/UNFPA in 2011. The session will be held from 31 January to 7 February at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York and will assess the effectiveness of the UNDP and UNFPA in key areas of operational activities of the UN system. The session will be attended by a Belarusian delegation headed by Deputy Permanent Representative of Belarus to the UN Zoya Kolontai. Belarus will suggest approaches to optimization of the operational activities of the UN system and concentration of financial resources on the most important ways to ensure the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. Read: BelTA and in Russian: Interfax, REGNUM and watch in Russian: CTV
GLOBAL: CONTINUING COVERAGE OF APPOINTMENT OF UNFPA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BABATUNDE OSOTIMEHIN
CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Congo-site and Les Depeches de Brazzaville reported on 27 January on the appointment of Nigerian Professor Babatunde Osotimehin as new Executive Director of UNFPA. Dr. Osotimehin is the fourth Executive Director and first African ever to lead the organization, which was created in 1967. Read in French: Congo-site and Les Depeches de Brazzaville