August 2010
APA UPDATE #14 AUGUST 2010
E-NEWS AND INFORMATION ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS
FROM THE SECRETARIAT
Tackling the Unfinished Agenda of SRHR in Melbourne
Come and join our workshop "The Unfinished Agenda of SRHR: Achieving the Right to Health in Asia and the Pacific" at the UN DPI Conference in Melbourne on Tuesday, 31 August at 11:45am to 1:15pm. The workshop will present a mapping on unmet sexual and reproductive health needs and donor aid. APA Executive Director Rose Koenders will present findings of APA’s new desk review “Making Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Count: Asia and Pacific Resource Flows Project 2010”. Speakers Japanese Organisations for International Cooperation in Family Planning, Marie Stopes International Australia, Family Planning International New Zealand, Sexual Health & Family Planning Australia (SH&FPA) (all APA members) and Burnet Institute will share their civil society experiences in increasing commitments to achieve the MDGs.
21st International Youth Conference
APA Chairperson Sumie Ishii welcomed more than 120 participants to the 21st International Youth Conference in Seoul, Korea which took place from 18-25 August 2010 with the theme “The Role of Youth in Achieving the Cairo Agenda”. APA Advocacy and Communications Officer Mae-anne Llanza explained linkages between Population, Sustainable Development and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights. The conference was hosted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Republic of Korea and organized by National Council of Youth Organisations (APA member) in Korea. The conference was held in cooperation with the Asia-Europe Foundation, European Youth Forum and Planned Population Federation of Korea (APA member).
MEMBER NEWS
Workshop on Setting up Effective NGO and Parliamentary Alliances at the UN DPI/NGO Conference
APA Members Australian Reproductive Health Alliance and Sexual Health and Family Planning Australia will hold the workshop “Setting Up Effective NGO and Parliamentary Alliances to Facilitate Political Support for Achieving the MDGs” at the UN DPI/NGO conference. The workshop will be held on Monday, 30 August, 2:30pm. It will discuss how developing partnerships with parliamentary consultative groups, such as Australia’s Parliamentary Group on Population and Development, has led to two successful campaigns that have changed Australia’s domestic and overseas aid policy. It will stress on how NGOs can effectively inform, invigorate and support members of parliament to achieve the MDGs if they can develop appropriate and mutually beneficial frameworks.
PAI on International Youth Day
As Population Action International (PAI) celebrates International Youth Day, they salute young people around the world who are taking action to ensure access to family planning and reproductive health services. PAI engages youth as creative and strategic partners through the umbrella of its Young People's Initiative. Read more.
NEWS, RESOURCES and OPPORTUNITIES
Global Maternal Health Conference 2010
The Maternal Health Task Force at EngenderHealth and the Public Health Foundation of India will hold the Global Maternal Health Conference 2010 on August to 1 September at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India. The conference aims to build on the existing momentum around MDG5 to coalesce and catalyze the maternal health field. Lessons learned, neglected issues, and innovative thinking will be the underpinnings of the conference, and the anticipated outcome is increased consensus around the evidence, programs and advocacy needed to improve maternal health. Read more.
World Youth Conference Mexico 2010
The World Youth Conference 2010 is happening in Mexico City from 24 to 27 August. The conference will bring together government representatives and civil society organizations to identify priorities of action on youth to be addressed in the international development agenda beyond 2015. The central themes of the conference will include eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; giving greater response to HIV/AIDS and improving maternal health, among others. The conference is an initiative of the Government of Mexico, in partnership with the UN system and civil society organizations. Read more.
Put Yourself on the Maternal Health Map
Women Deliver, in partnership with the Maternal Health Task Force at EngenderHealth, is conducting a mapping of all organizations working on maternal health issues. Results will be published and added to the interactive map on the Maternal Health Task Force website. This information will provide an important resource and linking tool for the global field.
The Sino-implant (II)
Sino-implant (II) is a long-acting, safe, highly effective, popular and now affordable contraceptive implant. Previously, the high cost of this contraceptive has been a major barrier to its availability in many countries. FHI is facilitating the introduction of Sino-implant (II). As of 2009, this implant cost about 60 percent less than others available, according to the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition database. Read more.
Study of Microbicide Gel Shows Reduced Risk of HIV & Herpes Infections in Women
The study showed that the vaginal gel significantly reduces a woman's risk of contracting HIV and herpes from infected partners. The results of the ground-breaking safety and effectiveness study of the antiretroviral microbicide gel study were reported by the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria. They said the gel, containing Aids drug tenofovir, cut infection rates among 889 women by 50% after one year of use. Read more. Read about the gel and the study here.
"Men-streaming" Gender in Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV: A Toolkit for Policy Development and Advocacy
This MenEngage and IPPF toolkit helps organizations create affirmative policies which promote the positive roles that men can play in improving their own sexual and reproductive health - and those of women and children. The toolkit highlights how engaging men in sexual and reproductive health and rights and HIV policies, is not simply a goal in its own right, but can help move towards the goal of gender equity. Access the toolkit here
Preparing for UN Women
Preparations are underway for the newly established UN Women (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women). The new UN entity will be fully operational by January 2011. For more information, visit their interim website
