BANGLADESH: Negative Attitudes Lead to Violence
Bangladesh Today, The Independent, Prothom Alo and Kalerkantho on 21 December reported on a dissemination seminar organized jointly by the Internatioanl Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh(ICDDR, B) and UNFPA. The ICDDR,B conducted a survery on men's attitudes and practices regarding gender and violence against women in Bagladesh with the support of UNFPA and Partners for Prevention. The survey was released at the seminar. UNFPA Representative Arther Erken addressed seminar participants saying, "We need to nurture more gender equitable young men through our individual actions, through positive male role models, through effective policies and education programmes."
BANGLADESH: World at 7 Billion Revisited
The Financial Express on 21 December published a piece by Strategic Directions Officer at UNFPA in Dhaka Tauhid Alam on the world at 7 billion. The article "provides some messages along with a few critical facts, figures and prognosis of global population trends as well as an analysis of global population challenges." Read in English: The Financial Express
NIGER: CARMMA Launched
Le Sahel reported on 21 December on the launch of the Campaign to Accelerate the Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) by Niger Republic President, Mr Issoufou Mahamadou. All the republic institutions Presidents, the two First Ladies, government members, ambassadors and chiefs of diplomatic missions, religious and traditional leaders and many health experts took part in this ceremony.
During the ceremony, the President of Republic announced his decision to create a high council for accelerating the reduction of maternal death in Niger.
In his speech on this occasion, the UNFPA Niger Representative, Dr. Edwige Adekambi Domingo, urged religious and traditional leaders to continue their actions of awareness of the populations for the adoption of best behaviour for maternal health.
Dr. Adekambi reiterated the commitment of technical and financial partners to support Niger in its efforts to fight against maternal mortality. Read in French: Le Sahel
TANZANIA: Speaker Makinda on Launch of Three UN reports
The African on 21 December reported that in the spirit of Delivering as One in Tanzania, three UN agencies – UNFPA, UNICEF and UNWomen - jointly launched their global reports together with the Adolescent in Tanzania report. Commenting during the launch, Speaker of the National Parliament, the Hon. Anne Makinda, said UNFPA’s global report focuses on “People and Possibilities in a World of 7 Billion,” the theme is particularly timely for Tanzania as we embark on the 2012 Population and Housing Census. “Population growth is a critical issue for Tanzania as it is with a number of other developing countries. Our country has one of the highest rates of population growth in the world; on average every Tanzania woman gives birth to five or six children,” Hon. Makinda further commented.
TANZANIA: Law on school girls pregnancy obsolete, must go
The Daily News on 21 December published an interview with a teenage girl, a grade four school drop out in Tanga region. Her neighbor, who later paid some monetary fine to the girl's parents and was let free, impregnated the girl. Teenage pregnancy is still a problem in some of the regions in Tanzania, but, to date, there is no definite law that states clearly that a pregnant girl should be allowed to continue with her studies. There have been pleas for the government to tackle the problem in order to give teenage girls a second chance in education. At a workshop organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the city this year, it was revealed that only 27 per cent of women in the country have access to family planning – a situation alarming as it results in uncontrollable population growth.
LAO People’s Democratic Republic: Essay Winners of World at 7 Billion Contest Announced
KPL on 21 December reported that the Ministry of Planning and Investment, in cooperation with UNFPA, announced the winners of the essay competition "The World at 7 billion: Opportunities, Challenges and Implications for Lao Development." The feature contest was part of the 7 Billion Actions Campaign, a global initiative led by UNFPA to highlight the critical role population changes play in shaping our world's future.