NIGERIA: UNFPA Improves Lives of 100 Obstetric Fistula Victims in Kano
Daily Trust reported on 2 August that UNFPA has supported and empowered 100 repaired fistula victims in Kano in line with its mandate to promote the rights of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity and furthered its contribution to the elimination of obstetric fistula in collaboration with Virgin Unite. UNFPA provided startup capital, in the form of various equipment, including forty sewing machines, twenty knitting machines and forty pieces of baking equipment. Read: Daily Trust
YEMEN: Psychosocial Support Training for IDPs Concludes in Aden
14 October reported on 2 August on the conclusion of a three-day workshop in Aden governorate that trained 25 participants on how to provide psychosocial support to IDPs. The workshop was organized by Yemeni Family Care Association (YFCA) with the support of UNFPA. The training is among the activities that UNFPA and YFCA do in Aden governorate that have included distributing the dignity kits to IDPs women and launching mobile clinics.
BRAZIL: City Council and UN Sign New Agreement
Multiple media outlets reported on 1 and 2 August that the Municipality of Salvador and UNFPA signed a new Technical Cooperation Agreement aiming to continue the ongoing actions to promote sexual and reproductive health, maternal mortality reduction, comprehensive sexuality education and improved health care for adult women and adolescents. Within the framework of this cooperation, UNFPA supports the City Hall in results-oriented public management, incorporating gender equity, race and age perspectives to the work. The agreement was signed by Mayor Joao Henrique and the head of UNFPA in Brazil, Harold Robinson. According to Mayor Joao Henrique, the main focus of this initiative with UNFPA is “to promote a constant exchange of knowledge and strengthening of management and institutional capacities." Read in Portuguese: JusBrasil, Bocao News and Salvador Diario
GEORGIA: CONTINUING COVERAGE OF 2010 WOMEN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SURVEY FINDINGS
Tabula and IMEDI reported on 21 July – 2 August on the 2010 Women’s Reproductive Health Survey. Tamar Khomasuridze, UNFPA Assistant Representative was invited to the leading Georgian TV channel “IMEDI” to speak about positive trends in the RH status of women in Georgia. The 2010 Women Reproductive Health Survey findings were presented to the general public at the start of July and since then it has evoked wide interest among the population. Such vital interest was caused predominantly by the positive trends observed: Between 2005 and 2010 the abortion rate dropped significantly to 1.6 abortions per woman, a 48 per cent decline, the use of modern contraceptive methods has almost doubled, from 20 per cent in 1999 to 35 per cent in 2010; the infant mortality rate has continued to steadily decline, from 41.6 per 1,000 live births in 1995-1999 to 14.1 in 2005-2009. “We are on good track to achieve MDGs 4 and 5,” said Ms. Khomasuridze. Read in Georgian: Tabula. Watch in Georgian: IMEDI
THE PHILIPPINES: Not a Sin for Catholics to Back RH, says Miriam
Malaya reported on 2 August that Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago told the Catholic Church to follow the Vatican Council II document stating the principle of "primacy of conscience." She said reproductive health bills have been passed by countries with a Catholic majority, particularly Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Italy, Poland, Paraguay, Portugal, and Spain. "When the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, now known as the UN Population Fund, profiled 48 Catholic countries, only six countries did not have a reproductive health law. The Philippines is one of them," she said. Read: Malaya
PAKISTAN: Maternal Death Ratio Rises
Right Vision News reported on 2 August that one out of every 89 Pakistani women, faces death from maternal causes, whereas complications of childbirth still account for one fifth of deaths among women of childbearing age, according to current available maternal mortality figures. Given the immense needs, UNFPA in collaboration with the government and civil society partners started to deliver urgently needed maternal health services through mobile service units as part of an outreach programme for areas that had no facilities, said a press release issued today. Damaged health facilities were refurbished and female healthcare providers were recruited to restart basic services.
ZAMBIA: Challenges of Maternal Fistula
Times of Zambia reported on 2 August on causes of obstetric fistula and challenges for efforts to eliminate it. The article noted that “There is also not a standard training manual until last month when UNFPA launched its manual, for healthcare providers from low-and middle-income countries involved in the prevention and management of fistula.”
NIGERIA: UNFPA Improves Lives of 100 Obstetric Fistula Survivors in Kano
The Daily Trust reported on 2 August that UNFPA has supported and empowered 100 repaired fistula survivors in Kano in line with its mandate to promote the rights of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity and in furtherance of its contribution to the elimination of Obstetric Fistula in collaboration with Virgin Unite. UNFPA provided startup capital in the form of various equipment including forty sewing machines, twenty knitting machines and forty pieces of baking equipment. The article noted that UNFPA also instituted a monitoring plan to ensure that the skills acquired are put to good use and the equipment used for the intended purpose. Read: Daily Trust
NAMIBIA: Census Information Denied to Readers
The Namibian reported on 2 August that important information on the population and housing census is being denied the readers of The Namibian due to the advertising ban imposed by the government in December 2000. The advertisement reads “Counting our people for development” and underscores the importance of participation by all during the exercise which will run between 28 August and 10 September. UNFPA, which is a major sponsor of the double-spread advertisement that is being run repeatedly in other newspapers, said that it cannot exert pressure on the National Public Commission (NPC) to run the advertisement in this newspaper. "We don't do that," said UNFPA operational manager Luis Augustinus when asked if the UN body could not flex its financial muscle to get the advertisement in The Namibian, which is the newspaper with the largest distribution figure in Namibia.
CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): UNFPA Representative Launches Special Reproductive Health Radio Programme
Radio-Congo broadcast on 2 August the first of an 18-special radio series dedicated to population and reproductive health issues. This UNFPA-sponsored educational programme gathers experts, policy-decision makers, health workers, civil society representatives, and others to discuss reproductive health and population issues in Congo, will be dubbed in local languages and is expected to reach 1.5 million listeners across the country. Senator Prosper Abbas, Vice President of the Social Affairs, Health, Gender Senate Commission, and UNFPA Representative David Lawson featured in the inaugural show. The main topic of discussion was maternal health and gender. Mr. Lawson said, "I hope that this programme will help carry on educational and practical messages, information and tips useful to millions of people in Congo, including young people on reproductive health that will help reduce maternal mortality, HIV infection, early pregnancy, and sexual violence."
COMOROS: Mediation Committee of Women for Peace in Mohel
Al Balad reported on 2 August on a ceremony by the women’s committee for peace in the region of Djando in Moheli, setting up the framework of a UNFPA/PBF, managed to reconcile two locations (Itsamia and Hamavouna), which were engaged in conflict related to the preservation of turtles. The ceremony was attended by UNFPA’s Assistant Representative and the Commissioner General for Solidarity, Social Cohesion And The Promotion Of Gender.
COMOROS: UNFPA Provides Medical Equipment and Ambulance to Government
Al Watwan reported on 2 August that UNFPA provided medical equipment to support reproductive health and an ambulance to the Minister Of Health, Solidarity, Social Cohesion And The Promotion Of Gender of the Union at the island of Moheli. The UN Resident Coordinator and Representative of UNFPA officially handed over the equipment, worth 26 million Comorian francs, in the presence of the Assistant Representative of UNFPA, local authorities and representatives of beneficiary.
EAST AFRICA: CONTINUING COVERAGE ON HORN OF AFRICA FOOD CRISIS
Reuters reported on 2 August that according to the head of UNFPA, the Horn of Africa food crisis shows the need to provide the world's poor with better access to family planning as part of efforts to prevent future tragedies. The United Nations has declared a famine in two regions of southern Somalia, where 3.7 million are going hungry, with over 12 million people now in need of urgent aid throughout areas including northern Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia. Despite regular food shortages and high infant mortality, the region's population has more than doubled since it was hit by major droughts in 1974, spurred by factors such as limited contraception use and a tradition of large families. While stressing the root cause of the crisis was the recent rain failures, UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin said it highlighted the plight of those living in parts of the world where the land struggles to support human life. "We need to improve food production . . . and to work with member states to ensure women and particularly young girls have access to education, including sexual education, and access to health services and reproductive health services including family planning," Dr. Osotimehin told Reuters in a telephone interview. Read: Reuters. Read in Spanish: Reuters
Ms. (United States) reported on 2 August that in an effort to save the lives of pregnant women and women with newborns in the drought-stricken areas of Somalia and some parts of Ethiopia and Kenya, UNFPA is distributing reproductive healthcare kits. The health kits include sanitary pads, soap, underwear and other hygiene items. Headscarves are also included so women can walk to food distribution centres without being harassed by Islamic extremists. Over 3,500 kits have already been distributed to Kenyan women. UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin said, "We are deeply concerned by the gravity of the situation in the region. We call upon the international community to urgently look after the unique needs of pregnant women and mothers whose families' survival are particularly at risk." Read: Ms.