Secretariat News

This month we are busy completing various donor reports for our activities in 2007. One of these is the report to the 4th APCRSH Committee, and to IPPF on the youth space activities APA conducted in Hyderabad, India in October 2007. The committee is keen to hear how these activities can be included in the next APCRSH to be held in China in 2009, and so we are compiling the responses of participants into a recommendations paper. The link below takes you to a 2 minute (10 question) survey on the Youth Space and the Orientation session from APCRSH last year, and we would really appreciate your feedback and thoughts.  Please complete the survey if you were there and send back to us.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=WDiYYJE5lz67uxmdKDzCGw_3d

Thanks to those who have replied with a preference for APA's 2008 Conference theme.  For those who have not had a chance to do so as yet, please let us know ASAP so that we can start planning this exciting event.

Member Updates

Tod Preston and Suzanne Ehlers Promoted to Vice President At Population Action International

**Suzanne will join the APA Steering Committee as a replacement member for Terri Bartlett who resigned from the Steering Committee in November, 2007.**

Washington, DC To build on the success Population Action International (PAI) has experienced in reaching out to national elected officials and to international policymakers and advocates, its Public Policy/Strategic Initiatives department has been split into two distinctive divisions. Tod Preston has been promoted to Vice President for U.S. Government Relations and Suzanne Ehlers** has been promoted to Vice President for International Advocacy. The creation of two distinct departments will help achieve a more intense focus and more robust knowledge base in both the domestic and global arenas, at a time of increasing interdependency and collaboration. To read more about the changes at PAI, have a look at their website by following this link here.

Regional News

Global South Countries Increasing Health, Development Cooperation

Some of the world's "emerging economies" -- such as Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, South Africa and Thailand -- recently have increased their trade with and development assistance to other developing nations, the Inter Press Service <http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=40799> reports. The United Nations in a report released last month provided examples of the increasing cooperation between developing countries, including HIV/AIDS treatment assistance and aid to Africa. According to the report, Brazil has provided locally manufactured antiretroviral drugs to about 11 other developing countries, such as Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Colombia, East Timor, El Salvador, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Sao Tome and Principe. In addition, the study said that Brazil coordinates an international HIV/AIDS technical cooperation network that includes Argentina, China, Cuba, Nigeria, Russia, Thailand and Ukraine. The network aims to facilitate the transfer of technologies for the production of antiretrovirals.

The report also found that India has allocated about $200 million for the New Partnership for Africa's Development <http://www.nepad.org/> and provided West African countries with about $500 million in aid. In addition, China has pledged to double aid to Africa by 2009 to about $1 billion, as well as to establish a China-Africa development fund of about $5 billion aimed at encouraging Chinese companies to invest in the continent.

"Clearly, today there is growing economic complementarity and capacity for developing countries to advance their development through mutual cooperation," Munir Akram, the outgoing chair of the Group of 77 developing nations, said at a meeting last week. He added that many "developing countries are investing their surpluses in other developing countries, and many are engaged in extensive development cooperation" (Deen, Inter Press Service, 1/15).

To read the full article, follow this link here.

Australia's Approach to Eliminating Violence Against Women

The elimination of violence against women is a priority of the Australian Government, both domestically and overseas.

Eliminating discrimination against women, including violence against women, is one of the gender policy objectives of the Australian aid program. Australia recognises that violence is a key factor preventing women from exercising their rights and achieving social and economic equality. Examples of approaches adopted in AusAID funded activities that have been successful or innovative in developing countries follow this link here.

International News

Exploding population

By Gunnar Heinsohn International Herald Tribune
Thursday, January 17, 2008

Most foreign observers of the violence in Kenya have blamed it on the abuse of power by Kikuyu politicians, a rigged election and economic hardships. But why now?
Corruption, ethnic rivalry and voting irregularities, after all, are as old as Kenyan independence in 1963. One reason Kenyans have been able to cope with these troubles heretofore is because they've also been enjoying greater political freedom and prosperity. Between 1975 and 2006, per capita income grew at least threefold. And since 1997, the number of political parties competing in national elections has grown from 11 to 26. No wonder the recent massacres took even Kenyans by surprise. Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan who was awarded the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, told an interviewer she was stunned "that it could happen in Kenya"- as if this pearl of East Africa was not to be compared with Congo, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and all the other African countriesafflicted by bloodshed and chaos.

But does Kenya really have nothing in common with its violence-plagued neighbors? Find out here

Gunnar Heinsohnis a sociologist with theRaphael Lemkin Institute for Comparative Genocide Research at the University of Bremen.

UN News

Resources and Opportunities

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Partnerships in Sexual and Reproductive Health: Strange Bed Fellows?

One of the elements of successful access to youth friendly sexual and reproductive health services consist of successful partnerships between civil society, government, and the corporate world. The key elements that define successful partnerships for any organization are trust openness, respect and interdependence.

This paper provides a summary of the impact on emerging issues on partnerships for NGOs working in sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Maternal and child undernutrition: an urgent opportunity

Nutrition is a desperately neglected aspect of maternal, newborn, and child health. The reasons for this neglect are understandable but not justifiable. When one considers specific actions to improve maternal and child survival, one is drawn to particular interventions-vaccination, oral rehydration therapy, and the treatment of infection and haemorrhage. In recent years, this portfolio of responses has broadened to embrace the health system-human resources, financing, and stewardship. Somehow, nutrition has slipped through the gap.

And yet we know that nutrition is a major risk factor for disease *. What public-health experts and policymakers have not done is to gather the evidence about the importance of maternal and child nutrition, catalogue the long-term effects of under-nutrition on development and health, identify proven interventions to reduce undernutrition, and call for national and international action to improve nutri-tion for mothers and children. The five-part Series on maternal and child undernutrition , launched this week by The Lancet, aims to fill this gap in global public health and policy action.

The key messages of the Series, which has been written by an independent team of public-health scientists led by Robert Black, Zulfiqar Bhutta, Jennifer Bryce, Saul Morris, and Cesar Victora, are critically important for all those concerned with the health and wellbeing of women and children. Under-nutrition is the largely preventable cause of over a third-3.5 million-of all child deaths. Stunting, severe wasting, and intrauterine growth restriction are among the most important problems. There is a golden interval for intervention: from pregnancy to 2 years of age. After age 2 years, undernutrition will have caused irreversible damage for future development towards adulthood.

The compelling logic of this scientific evidence is that governments need national plans to scale-up nutrition interventions, systems to monitor and evaluate those plans, and laws and policies to enhance the rights and status of women and children. Although complex and fraught with political disagreement, none of these solutions are separable from global treaties and negotiations over trade, agriculture, and poverty reduction. This latest Lancet Series concludes, not surprisingly perhaps, that the international nutrition system is broken. Leadership is absent, resources are too few, capacity is fragile, and emergency response systems are fragmentary. New governance arrangements are urgently needed. An agency, donor, or political leader needs to step up to this challenge. There is a fabulous opportunity right now for someone to do so. But who?

WOMEN'S WORLDS CONGRESS 2008

Universidad Complutense, MADRID, SPAIN

3-9 July, 2008

CALL FOR PAPERS

The 10th International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women, Women’s Worlds / Mundos de Mujeres 2008 will be held in Madrid, Spain July 3-9, at the Complutense University. The motto of the Congress is “Equality: no Utopia” and the general theme “New Frontiers: Dares, Challenges and Changes”. Violence and migrations will be part of the central themes. Please, visit the Congress website at: http://www.mmww08.org/

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IN EMERGENCIES CONFERENCE 2008 IS NOW ACCEPTING ABSTRACTS.

THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 31, 2008 - JUST ONE WEEK AWAY.

• safe motherhood including emergency obstetric care and post-abortion care, family planning, STIs/HIV/AIDS, and gender-based violence among populations affected by conflict and natural disaster
• collection and use of reproductive health (RH) data for needs assessments, programme monitoring and evaluation and programme management
• RH service delivery during crisis, stabilization, post-conflict and re-development
• reaching all populations, including women, youth and men, with RH service delivery during crisis
• successful models of partnerships among local, regional and international organisations
• the increasing involvement of humanitarian agencies in RH activities
• the increasing involvement of RH agencies in humanitarian settings
• the protracted nature of crises
• advocacy for policies and funding which support the provision of RH for populations affected by conflict or natural disaster
• other topics relevant to the field of RH in emergencies

RH in Emergencies Conference 2008 will take place from June 18-20 in Kampala, Uganda. For more information or to submit an abstract using our online submissions tool, please visit the RH in Emergencies Conference 2008 website at http://www.rhinemergenciesconference.org/2008.

OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED

Gender & Development Journal

In November 2008, a special issue of the international journal, Gender & Development, will focus on Gender, Development and Leadership. Gender & Development provides a opportunity for all involved in development which upholds gender equality and women's rights to reflect on their work and share learning. Published three times each year, each journal issue focuses on a particular 'hot topic' in gender and development. In addition there are resources listings and non-thematic reviews of recent publications in the field, as well as a section on Views, Events and Debates.

Researchers, practitioners and activists are invited to submit their ideas for this issue, by a deadline of 7 February 2008.

What concrete strategies are being tried in different contexts worldwide, to promote and support women leaders in economic, political and social institutions - including states, financial institutions, community institutions, and the household?

Do women leaders make a difference in terms of gender equality outcomes, and pro-poor outcomes? How can women leaders with progressive agendas be supported? What attracts women to conservative or fundamentalist political groupings?

What else needs to change to ensure the specific interests of women living in poverty are reflected and met?

What should the role of development organisations be in supporting women's leadership? What are the challenges?

If you would like to write on any aspect of these themes or others relevant to the topic, please send a paragraph outlining your proposed idea to gadeditor@oxfam.org.uk. Commissioned articles will need to be completed for a deadline of 7 April 2008.

We particularly welcome contributions from first-time writers with policy and practice-related experience to share, and will provide the necessary support for you to share your development experience and expertise through the journal.

Please visit their website, www.genderanddevelopment.org, for more information about Gender & Development, including the aims of the journal, full Guidelines for Contributors, and to search and view individual articles previously published in the journal. Gender and Development is published by Routledge for Oxfam GB, reflecting Oxfam's commitment to supporting gender equality as an essential element of sustainable human development with justice. Information about subscribing to the journal is available at http://www.informaworld.com/gad

Dates for the Diary

JANUARY 2008

Prevention of drug related HIV transmission Consultation, 28 – 31^st January, Goa, India

The first Asian consultation on the prevention of drug related transmission of HIV/AIDS will bring together Parliamentarians, Policy-Makers, INGOs, and Community Groups to develop a program of Action and to review policy and services for HIV positive people, Drug Users and communities in Asia.

http://www.responsebeyondborders.com/

FEBRUARY 2008

Seminar: “Strategies in Life Skills Development for Adolescents”, 5-15 February 2008, Bangkok, Thailand

Intended for implementers of adolescent sexual and reproductive health and life skills development programmes, this course will provide participants with competencies in various areas of life skills development for adolescents. Course content will include examining the underlying purpose of introducing life skills as well as activity planning. More information can be found here.

MARCH 2008

3rd National Conference on Population, Health and Environment, March 5 – 7, 2008, Taal Vista Hotel, Tagaytay City, PHILIPPINES.

The theme of the Conference will be “Scaling Up PHE”. The conference explores increasing the impact of integrated PHE projects and programs in various dimensions: geographically, programmatically, organizationally, and networking. The conference will look at the potential for intensifying, replicating and expanding the population, health and environment programmatic approach to different landscapes (urban and rural settings; from a community to an ecosystem approach; across varying landscapes such as coastal and upland areas; and others; and to different strategic points of intervention (disaster mitigation, poverty alleviation, food security, HIV-AIDS programming, and others). The gathering will explore the successes and challenges of scaling up PHE projects and programs in the Philippines.

Visit the website for more conference information and to register before January 30 2008.

JUNE 2008

HARVARD UNIVERSITY JOHN F. KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

LEADERS IN DEVELOPMENT: MANAGING POLITICAL & ECONOMIC CHANGE

JUNE 9 - 20, 2008

During times of great change, leadership is critically important. This is particularly true today in developing and newly industrialized countries where the pace of political and economic change is accelerating rapidly. Today's leaders face an increasingly complex tapestry of economic, political, and social challenges.

Leaders in Development is designed for leaders in public affairs whose responsibilities place them at the center of these issues. During the program, participants will:

• Sharpen problem solving, analytic, and strategic action skills to help them plan, introduce, and sustain major policy and institutional reform.
• Consider new ways to strengthen representative politics and open markets, and manage the challenges of globalization.
• Share experiences with their counterparts in other countries in a collective search for effective responses to change.

Participants return to their countries with enhanced understanding of the tasks of leadership in promoting reform, greater knowledge of changes taking place internationally, and a renewed commitment to working with others to develop their societies.

For more information, follow this link here

JULY 2008

G8 Summit 2008, 7-9 July 2008, Tokyo, Japan

The G8 Summit 2008, which will include global health as a focus theme, will take place in Tokyo, Japan. An outline of the summit, including preliminary and fixed dates of minister meetings, as well as additional information, can be found at the official website.

Preparatory Ministers Meetings:

April 5-6 2008, Tokyo: Development Ministers Meeting
May 28-30 2008, Yokohama: TICAD IV – Tokyo International Conference on African Development
June 13-14 2008, Osaka: Finance Ministers Meeting
June 26-27 2008, Kyoto: Foreign Ministers Meeting

AUGUST 2008

International AIDS Conference – Mexico 2008

The AIDS 2008 theme, Universal Action Now, underscores the continued urgency of the pandemic and reminds us of the responsibility we have to take individual and collective action. For scientists, researchers, people living with HIV and other civil society leaders and professionals working in the field of HIV/AIDS, AIDS 2008 is an ideal opportunity to meet new colleagues and learn from the experiences of others engaged at the local, national and international levels. Join us in México City and help bring us closer to the goals of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. For more information about this conference visit the IAC Website.

SEPTEMBER 2008

Global Course: Achieving the Millennium Development Goals: Poverty Reduction, Reproductive Health and Health Sector Reform (Sep 15-27 2008), Bangkok, Thailand

The course explores key elements in designing efficient, equitable and financially sustainable population policies and reproductive health programs in the context of health sector reform and Millennium Development Goals. After attending the course, participants learn to recognize how the changing international and national policy environments affect their work in population and reproductive health and to identify the linkages among health, gender and poverty.

This two-week course is designed for staff from governments, donor agencies, international organizations, the World Bank, and NGOs working in the health sector. In addition, it targets staff from training and research institutions, as well as academics and researchers working in the areas of health, public administration and social sector reform.

The course is a face-to-face learning event and will be held at the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. The sessions will consist of presentations, readings, case studies and group work. Participants must have a good working knowledge of English to participate.

Information about how to apply and fees can be found through the website which you can access by following this link here.

NOVEMBER 2008

The AWID International Forum on Women's Rights and Development, November 14 - 17, 2008, South Africa.

You can expect to be enlightened, provoked and inspired by an exceptional group of thoughtful, forward-looking and fiercely committed women and men. You can expect to move beyond simply talking to getting involved in global action plans and campaigns that will emerge out of the Forum, but will last well beyond it. You can expect to work hard and gain an abundance of new skills, new knowledge, new colleagues, and new ideas for the long road ahead. You can expect to be welcomed, nurtured, fortified and challenged by a group of like-minded activists, academics and practitioners. And finally, you can expect to have more fun than you thought was possible at a conference!

For more information, visit the AWID Website.