APA UPDATE #17 September 2011

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E-NEWS AND INFORMATION ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS

FROM THE SECRETARIAT

Advocacy workshop on funding for family planning and reproductive health

Approximately 30 APA members and their developing country partners are looking forward to a dynamic and productive workshop  that will take place on 19 October, in the run up to Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights (APRSHR6). Jointly convened by APA and Family Planning International New Zealand, this Workshop aims to introduce strategic planning tools to gain skills to advocate for increased funding for family planning and reproductive health. The Workshop will be facilitated by Ms. Priya Emmert of the  Futures Group and will close with a special session by Jill Sheffield, President of Women Deliver.

APA Representation at High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS and MDGs

APA Secretariat has been invited to be represented, in observer status, at the Asia-Pacific High-level Intergovernmental Meeting on the Assessment of Progress Against Commitments in the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  The high level intergovernmental meeting will take place 1-3 November in Bangkok, and is organized by Economic and Social Division of Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in cooperation with the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UNWOMEN), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).

MEMBER NEWS

Save the Date! Family Planning Pacific Forum

The ‘Family Planning Pacific’ Forum  aims to bring together stakeholders who are working in the Pacific towards the achievement of MDG 5b: 'Achieve, by 2015, Universal Access to Reproductive Health’.  Coordinated by Family Planning NSW on behalf of Sexual Health and Family Planning Australia (SHFPA), it will take place in Sydney, Australia on 15 - 16 November.  The objectives are to build a common understanding of the key issues and challenges to MDG5b in the Pacific; to strengthen collaboration among civil society and with key donors on achieving universal access to RH in the Pacific; to develop strategies including key recommendations to address the challenges. The project is part of the APA Advocacy Grants Programme.  More information will be made available shortly, but for further advance information please contact Ann Brassil on +61 2 87524311 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Raks Thai Abstracts Accepted to APCRSHR6

Congratulations to Raks Thai Foundation in Thailand on being accepted to present research abstracts at APCRSHR6.  Manop Jaitika, Nopparuch Muenkaew  and Sopida Suwannasopit from Raks Thai will be participating at the conference  in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, October 19-22.   The abstracts present a project that is supported by the APA Advocacy Grants Programme.

Family Planning New Zealand Highlighting Critical Pacific Women's Rights Issues

Critical Pacific women's rights issues  were highlighted by  Women's Rights and Advocacy in the Pacific (WRAP) , alongside the Pacific Island Forum Leaders meeting in Auckland, New Zealand.  APA member Family Planning International in New Zealand is the co-chair of WRAP, which organized two events where leading human rights experts discussed women's rights and participcation in the Pacific  "Women's Lives are on the Line: Sexual and Gender Based Violence in the Pacific" on 6 September, and "Women, Politics and Change" on 7 September.

Emerging Economy MPs Emphasize Critical Importance of SRHR

Parliamentarians from six Asia-Pacific Emerging Economies recognized that safeguarding Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for all people is of critical importance for all countries and communities across the region, as a priority for achieving equality, security, development and peace.  The Statement of Commitment from the Regional Consultation on ‘Emerging Economies and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights’ organized by Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) and partners is now available. Read the Statement here.

NEWS, RESOURCES and OPPORTUNITIES

New Resource Explores the Links between HIV and Gender Inequality with Women from Fiji and PNG

“Experiences and Perspectives of Women Living with HIV in Fiji and Papua New Guinea: a Qualitative Study” has been published by the Pacific Islands AIDS Forum, to explore the connection between HIV and gender inequality. Read the study here.

SE Asian Opportunity for Research Training in Gender, Sexuality and Women's Rights and other current Human Rights Issues

An opportunity to gain research training on gender, sexuality and women’s rights; rights of vulnerable and marginalized groups; ASEAN and human rights; and other current human rights issues is being organized by the South East Asian Human Rights Studies Network (SEAHRN).  The ‘Training on Academic Research in Human Rights and Peace and Conflict' will take place 24-28 October in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, with scholarships available for South East Asian nationals.  Deadline of application is 23 September.  For more information access the call for applications and application form here.

7 Billion Actions

7 Billion Actions is call to action as the world’s population will top seven billion people in October 2011.  The United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, is leading this innovative global initiative utilizing the power of social media, with a number of  events being live-streamed –  read more and participate here.

Deadline Extended for Disability, Sexuality and Rights Online Course

The deadline for a 9 week online course for practitioners and activists in Sexuality Disability, Social Justice, Public Health, Development and Media has been extended to 25 Septermber.  The course is being organized by CREA, and will run from 17 October - 17 December.  Read more and apply here. 

AWID Resources for Monitoring and Evaluation

The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) has several resources  available  for the  monitoring and evaluation (M&E)of women’s organizations, including   Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation for Women's Rights Thirteen Insights for Women's Organizations and the The Power of Investing in Women's Rights and Empowerment a Mid-term Summary of the MDG3 Fund and its Gender Equality Outcomes.

AWID has also produced a ‘wiki’ on M&E, to stimulate experience sharing and build a body of practical knowledge and experience of M&E in terms of measuring gender equality (or other related human rights issues).  Active participation s encouraged, to shape the contents to fit your needs and aims. Read more and access the wiki here.

New website for DSW

Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung (DSW) has a new website.  Access the website here.

APA UPDATE #16 September 2011

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E-NEWS AND INFORMATION ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS

FROM THE SECRETARIAT

Results Available from Online Consultation on Key Affected Women and Girls in HIV/AIDS

The Summary Report from the online consultation on “What Strategies would you prioritise to address the needs and rights of key affected women and girls in HIV and AIDS programmes?” jointly conducted by APA Secretariat and Citizen News Service (CNS) is now available.  Access the Report here.

Women’s Forum at ICAAP10 Highlights SRHR Needs of Key Affected Groups of Women and Girls in the HIV/AIDS Epidemic

SRHR needs of vulnerable groups of women and children were stressed in the key messages from the Women’s Forum on August 25, in the run-up to International Congress on AIDS in Asia Pacific (ICAAP10), in Busan, Republic of Korea.  APA Secretariat and APA Member Raks Thai were represented at the Women’s Forum, along with close to 40 women, girls and NGO representatives for key affected groups of women and girls in the HIV/AIDS concentrated epidemic in the Asia Pacific region.  The key messages from the Women’s Forum were delivered to global leaders at the Opening Ceremony of ICAAP10. Read the Statement here.

MEMBER NEWS 

APA Member Appointed to NGO Delegation for UNAIDS PCB

Ms. Jane Bruning, National Coordinator at Positive Women Inc. in New Zealand, has been appointed as an alternate delegate to the UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board (PCB). Read more here.

AFPPD Regional Parliamentarians’ Consultation on Emerging Economies and SRHR 

Mobilizing to increase the allocation of Official Development Assistance (ODA) for sexual and reproductive health rights-related (SRHR) programmes, and taking a broader and more strategic approach to South-South cooperation for SRHR, were among the actions called for by parliamentarians from six Asia Pacific countries at the Regional Parliamentarians’ Consultation on Emerging Economies and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights organized by APA member Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) and partners,  in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Read more here

SRHR Key Issue in New ‘Pacific Young Women’s Leadership Strategy’  

The new 'Safe. Respected. Included. Connected. Skilled: A Pacific Young Women's Leadership Strategy'  was developed after consultations with young women in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Australia, Solomon Islands and New Zealand, and an expert reference group of representatives from regional organizations, including  the Director of Family Planning International (FPI), New Zealand. SRHR was identified as a key issue in the strategy.   Read more here.

NEWS, RESOURCES and OPPORTUNITIES

UNAIDS Executive Director Emphasizes Key Issues in the Asia Pacific HIV/AIDS Epidemic at ICAAP 10

In his speech at the Opening Ceremony of ICAAP10, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe stressed the evolution of the HIV Epidemic in Asia Pacific.   Three key issues were underscored : 1. the region has only about one-third of the funding needed to achieve universal access; 2. the available money isn’t being allocated in a smart, cost-effective way; 3. across the region, new infections are highly concentrated among vulnerable populations—men who have sex with men, transgendered people, sex workers and people who inject drugs—but the community organizations that serve these groups receive only a tiny fraction of AIDS resources.  Read more of the speech here.

Civil Society Statement on Violence at ICAAP10

Members of civil society organizations have released a statement regarding violence which took place on 27 August 2011, during a peaceful protest against Free Trade Agreements (FTA) inside the ICAAP conference site, when Korean and international participants were subject violent abuse at the hands of the South Korean police. A statement addressing the failure of the AIDS Society of Asia and the Pacific, the Local Organising Committee and the UN to predict, prevent and effectively intervene in the violence that took place on the 27 of August has also been released. Read the Civil Society Statements here For more information, see also 10th ICAAP Turns its Back on Human Rights article by Citizen News Service.

What Works for Women

What Works for Women is a new website which provides strategies and evidence on a full range of gender-sensitive programming for women and girls.  Evidence for HIV/AIDS Intervention is a comprehensive review of data from HIV/AIDS interventions for women and girls was taken from  nearly 100 countries  and produced by the Open Society Institute. 

Booming Reproductive Tourism in Asia Threatens Local Medical Services

Local health services in low income countries and women of reproductive age are the little-publicized victims of booming demand for cheap assisted reproduction from people in rich countries, a review in the journal Reproductive Health says.  Read more here.

New UNAIDS Report Highlights Inadequate Focus on Key Populations at Risk of HIV in Asia Pacific

The AIDS epidemic in Asia and the Pacific is at a crossroads, according to the new ‘HIV in Asia and the Pacific: Getting to Zero’ report by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). While the region has seen impressive gains – including a 20% drop in new HIV infections since 2001 and a three-fold increase in access to antiretroviral therapy since 2006 – progress is threatened by an inadequate focus on key populations at higher risk of HIV infection and insufficient funding from both domestic and international sources. Read the Report here.

Intelligence Brief on Anti-Choice Opposition In Europe

Opponents of sexual and reproductive health and rights have been active across Europe in the first semester of 2011.  The European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF) has produced an overview of antichoice initiatives across Europe from January - August 2011.  Access the Intelligence Brief here.

IPPF New Director General

The new Director General of International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Mr. Tewodros Melesse, took up his position on September 1.  Read more here.

APCRSH Early Bird Registration Deadline

September 17, 2011 is the deadline for Early Bird Registration for the 6th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights (APCRSHR), being held from 19-22 October 2011 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

EuroNGOs SRHR and Development Cooperation Conference Deadline Extended

The deadline to register for the “Future Perspectives on Development Cooperation – Putting SRHR on the Right Track”  EuroNGOs Conference and AGM, from 13^th-14^th October 2011 in  Warsaw, Poland,  has been extended until the 9^th September 2011.  Read more here.