Population Division releases chart on HIV/AIDS 

Supporting the global challenge of the fight against HIV/AIDS, the United nations Population Division has just released a new wall chart on the issue. It was a timely backdrop to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS that was convened in New York from 25 to 27 June 2001.

Entitled "HIV/AIDS: Population Impact and Policies 2001", the document includes data for each country on total population, number and percentage of adults living with HIV/AIDS, number of deaths from AIDS, number of AIDS orphans, life expectancy at birth with and without AIDS, condom use, and health expenditure per capita. Policy considerations include government's level of concern about AIDS, measures taken to prevent the spread of AIDS, and existence of a governmental AIDS policy coordination body.

Among some impressive statistics, the chart shows how life expectancy in Botswana during 1995-2000 is 23 years less than it would have been if there had been no AIDS-related mortality, and the shortfall will be 34 years by 2000-2005. In Asia, AIDS deaths will decrease life expectancy by at least three years in Cambodia and Myanmar by 2000-2005.

With millions of people infected and the limitations on funding for treatment and prevention, the chart provides useful information to promote international action to fight HIV/AIDS.

"HIV/AIDS: Population Impact and Policies 2001" (Sales No. E.01.XIII.6) is available for $5.95 from the Sales Section, United Nations, New York or Geneva, through booksellers worldwide, or by writing to the Director, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA. The wall chart is available in English and French versions. The wall chart is accessible on the Internet at http://www.un.org/esa/population/AidsWallChart/MainPage.htm

(SOURCE: UN Press Release, 11 June 2001)

Asian Parliamentarians adopt Regional Plan of Action for the Elimination of Violence Against Women 

Sixty-two Parliamentarians and community leaders from 14 countries in East and South-East Asia and the Pacific met in Bangkok from 19 to 21 June 2001 to discuss key issues of violence against women including domestic violence, rape, trafficking of women, prostitution and violence against women in armed conflict situations.

The Intercountry Workshop on Parliamentary Advocacy for the Elimination of Violence Against Women was organized by the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) and the UNFPA Country Technical Services Team (CST) for East and South-East Asia. The UNFPA and the Japan Fund for Parliamentarians provided funding support for the intercountry workshop. The participating countries included: Australia, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao People's Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Since the Programme of Action adopted at the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994 and the Platform of Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, increasing attention has been given by government to address the problems of violence against women.

The aims of advocacy efforts in eliminating violence against women are to obtain support of decision-makers to develop supportive legislation and policies and to encourage them to speak publicly in support of eliminating violence against women.

While many countries have laws, policies and programmes with the aim to safeguard and protect the interests of women, these laws have not been assessed in terms of relevance, coverage and effectiveness. The inadequacy of most national laws in protecting victims or sanctioning violent perpetrators has made legal reform an important priority for many groups working on violence against women.

The objectives of the intercountry workshop were: (a) to increase the knowledge and awareness of Parliamentarians on the magnitude, manifestations, causes and consequences of violence against women; (b) to review and assess current legal initiatives dealing with violence against women in the region with a view to adopting reforms for a more responsive legislation; (c) to draft and adopt a Regional Plan of Action for Legislation towards the elimination of violence against women.

The Regional Plan of Action which was adopted at the intercountry workshop is the first concerted advocacy effort in the Asian and Pacific region taken by law makers, decision-makers, influential leaders and community groups to draw attention on key issues of violence against women. It urges the Parliamentarians to work on five areas (e.g. public awareness, effective legislation, effective enforcement of the law, monitoring and evaluation, and regional coordination and cooperation) to eliminate violence against women in families, communities, nations and the region.

UNFPA and Rotary International join forces 

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Rotary International joined forces and agreed to cooperate on a range of projects to address the development needs of the global population.

According to UNFPA Executive Director Ms. Thoraya Obaid, poverty reduction and development will only be achieved through stronger cooperation among governments, the international community and civil society groups which excels in cooperation to promote societal needs. Rotary International, she continues, is one of these groups.

By the terms of the agreement signed, UNFPA and Rotary will work together to identify local population and development needs and seek ways to collaborate in addressing them. The Fund will encourage its offices to initiate consultations with Rotary clubs and districts in the field. Rotary will promote assistance for population and development programmes by, among other measures, encouraging its clubs and districts to support public and private funding for them.

(SOURCE: UN Press Release, 6 June 2001)

New UN report on urban settlements  

The United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) launched last month its first ever report on "The State of the World's Cities". Habitat Executive Director Ms. Anna Tibaijuka said the challenge of a divided city was the main message in the report: "not unlike Charles Dickens' time 150 years ago, the city is increasingly divided," she said. "The problems are the result of poverty and exclusion, in the context of globalization."

The Habitat chief said globalization had created opportunities, but had also led to many challenges, particularly for cities, which were now engaged in cut-throat competition to attract business.

Mr. Jay Moor, the coordinator of the report, told the press that one of the messages from the analysis was that institutions had not been developed well enough to manage cities. The report points out that the existing institutions governing the administration of cities are not adequate enough to manage today's sprawling urban centres.

To view this or related publications on-line, please visit the following URL: http://www.unchs.org/Istanbul+5/statereport.htm

For orders from North America, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Publications, 2 United Nations Plaza, Room DC2-853 Dept., New York NY. 10017, Tel: 212/963-8301 (800)253-9646, Fax: 212/963-3489, E-mail: publications@un.org, Internet: http://www.un.org/publications

For orders from Europe, Africa, Middle East, please contact: United Nations Publications, Sales Office and Bookshop, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland, Tel: (41)22 917-2614; (41)22 917-2613, Fax: (41)22 917-0027, E-mail: unpubli@unog.ch

Children in East Asia and Pacific unaware of dangers of HIV  

Children and adolescents in East Asia and the Pacific appear woefully unprepared to deal with the rapidly growing threat of HIV/AIDS in the region, according to the results of a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) survey.

The document, "Speaking Out! Voices of Children and Adolescents in East Asia and the Pacific," was based on testimonies of approximately 10,000 children and adolescents 9 to 17 years of age in 17 countries and territories, representing some 300 million young people in that age group. According to UNICEF, the survey is believed to be the largest and most comprehensive hearing of the views of young people ever carried out in the region.

The findings revealed that when asked about their level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS, 60 per cent of 9 to 13 year-olds and 25 per cent in the 14-17 age group said they knew "absolutely nothing" or "only the name". In addition, 70 per cent of children in the younger group said they were ignorant about sexual relations; for the older group that figure was 35 per cent. The number of 14 to 17-year-olds who said they lacked even basic knowledge about HIV/AIDS translates into 33 million across the region, according to UNICEF.

Other questions related to HIV/AIDS were asked only of the older age group. Sixty-eight per cent of the respondents correctly identify unprotected sexual intercourse as a major route of HIV/AIDS transmission, but only 41 percent say they knew what a condom was.

"The results of this survey should serve as a wake up call to the governments and societies in this region on how much more needs to be done to educate young people, especially about HIV and AIDS," said Mr. Mehr Khan, Regional Director of UNICEF's East Asia and Pacific Regional Office. "AIDS knows no borders and no country can consider itself immune. If this region is to avoid the fate of sub-Saharan Africa, where the spread of the epidemic has been truly catastrophic, we need decisive and urgent action."

The survey was carried out in Australia, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.

For further information, please contact: Mr. Mark Thomas (e-mail: mthomas@unicef.org), UNICEF East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office, Bangkok, Thailand, Tel: (66 2) 356 9407; switchboard (66 2) 356 9499 or UNICEF Beijing, switchboard (86 10) 6532 3131 thru 38.

(SOURCE: UN Press Release 14 May 2001)

Funds for family planning supplies needed to curb HIV/AIDS 

Addressing a conference of international donors and officials from developing countries, the head of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) warned of a sharp gap in funding for family planning supplies that are needed to combat the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS.

"The most alarming consequences of the financial shortfall, where a condom crisis exists today, are in the area of HIV/AIDS prevention," UNFPA Executive Director Ms. Thoraya Obaid said in Istanbul at the opening of the three-day conference, which seeks to highlight the worldwide problem of securing contraceptive supplies and condoms for family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention, and to identify what must be done in response.

UNFPA estimates that in 2002, $946 million will be needed to fund contraceptive commodities for family planning and condoms for preventing sexually transmitted infections. That figure is expected to rise to $1.8 billion by 2015. Ms. Obaid said that making these commodities accessible in developing countries through quality services would require additional expenditures of $4 billion in 2002, rising to some $9 billion per year by 2015.

Additional funding, however, will work only as an integral part of a larger strategy, she said. "We have to promote gender equality and combat violence against women; to expand the reach of quality reproductive health services; and to overcome economic, social and cultural factors driving the spread of HIV/AIDS," she observed. "Young women and girls, in particular, need access to services to help them protect themselves."

(SOURCE: UN Press Release 3 May 2001)

China releases first results of 2000 census  

Roughly seven months after concluding the 2000 population census, China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has begun to release the first results. The reports show that China's population grew by 132 million in the 1990's, reaching a total of 1.266 billion. While this represents an increase of 11.66 per cent over the course of a decade, the result met the government's official goal of staying below 1.3 billion for 2000.

The numbers also show that China's urban population now adds up to 455.94 million, or 36.01 per cent of the total. This figure was rather different from the result obtained from the urban registration data at the end of 1999, which showed an urbanization rate of 31 per cent. The discrepancy, however, was probably due to the broader definition of "urban" used in the census.

Most of the data compiled by the 2000 census will not be available until next year. Nonetheless, some specific results which are already available include:

• The average family size is 3.44 persons per household, down from 3.96 in 1990;
• Population above 65 years old now reach 6.96 per cent of the total, an increase of 1.39 percentage points since the last census;
• The illiteracy rate of the population above 15 fell 9.16 percentage points since 1990 to 6.72 per cent;
• The number of people with primary education fell from 37.06 per cent in 1990 to 35.70 per cent;
• The number of people with university education rose from 1.42 per cent of the population in 1990 to 3.61 per cent;
• Ethnic minorities rose from 8.04 per cent of the population in 1990 to 8.41 per cent in 2000.

For further information, please visit the following URL: http://www.prb.org/regions/asia_near_east/DissectingChinas2000Census.html

General Assembly reviews HABITAT progress 

The welfare of the world's population was under highlights during the special session of the General Assembly, held from 6 to 8 June, which reviewed the progress made since the second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II).

"Cities had always been crossroads of culture, and today urban areas were the driving forces of development and globalization", said UN Secretary-General Mr. Kofi Annan. Nevertheless, he continues, this fact has generated problems that must be addressed. This concern is also demonstrated by Im Chhun Lim, representative of Cambodia: "less than 15 per cent of my country's population live in cities; however, there is a great possibility that the capital and other urban areas will see an influx from rural areas in the coming ten years."

With that objective in mind, delegates of Member States gathered in New York to discuss strategies to maximize the benefits of the world's rapid urbanization and minimize the pitfalls associated with its fast pace, so as not to further marginalize or exclude large segments of the population.

Governments of the Member States of the United Nations also renewed their commitment to the welfare of the world's population, stressing the twin goals of Habitat II: adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development.

National delegates outlined the steps their countries have taken to implement the principles. The main tools were the encouragement of social and economic policies designed to meet the housing needs of families and their individual members, with particular attention to children; and to promote changes in attitudes, structures, policies and other practices relating to gender in order to eliminate all obstacles to human dignity and equality in family and society.

Decentralization was regarded as a major strategy, with national governments recognizing the value of local authorities' capacity and practical knowledge, in partnership with civil society and the private sector, to meet the needs of their cities.

Other strategies included social and legislative reform of property rights, home ownership and security of tenure. Preservation of natural resources and the environment have been integrated into many human settlement policies.

But action is still needed, declared Mr. Jargalsaikhany Ankhsaikhan, representative of Mongolia. "Many countries have made progress towards fulfilling their Istanbul Commitments. However, there is a need to further develop cooperation at all levels, and to strengthen and make more effective the UN Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) as the focal point for implementing the agenda."

The Final Declaration of the Special Session recommended the strengthening of international assistance to developing countries in their efforts to alleviate poverty, including by creating an enabling environment to facilitate the integration of the developing countries into the world economy, improving their market access, facilitating the flow of financial resources and implementing all initiatives regarding debt relief.

(SOURCE: UN Press Releases, 4, 6, 7 and 8 June 2001)

Dr Nafis Sadik and Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning win 2001 United Nations Population Award 

Dr Nafis Sadik, former Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP) will share the 2001 United Nations Population Award.

Each winner will receive a diploma, a gold medal and an equal share of a monetary prize. The Award is presented to individuals and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to increasing the awareness of population problems and their solutions.

Dr Sadik, a Pakistani national, was the winner of the individual award. She retired as Executive Director of the UNFPA in December 2000, a position she had held since 1987. According to the citation, the impact made by Dr Sadik on the world of population during her tenure as Executive Director cannot be overemphasized. She led the world's largest source of multilateral assistance to population programmes. UNFPA's influence on world population policy is arguably stronger than that of any other agency or organization, largely because it speaks on behalf of all nations.

Dr Sadik was also Secretary-General of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) which took place at Cairo in 1994. According to the citation, the Conference resulted in enormous changes to the field of population. The Conference saw a change in global consensus that put human rights, and specifically women's rights, at the heart of the population debate. Dr Sadik was particularly effective in steering this consensus through the Conference because of her personal commitment to issues of women's rights and women's health and because of her exceptional leadership skills.

Dr Sadik's training as a medical doctor, in which she specialized in women's and reproductive health, lent her an enormous advantage in directing a worldwide series of successful efforts to improve the health and well-being of women and children, the citation continued. This perspective was especially salient because of her background of medical practice and program administration in Pakistan, where she witnessed the need for quality programs among women and the poor. Many observers credit Dr Sadik for the substantial increase in the proportion of females who hold important positions in the population world.

Dr Sadik made major contributions to the research on population, family planning and reproductive health, according to the citation. She wrote numerous articles for the leading journals in the field, and also edited several important books. Three books in particular deserve recognition: Population: the UNFPA Experience (New York University Press, 1984); Population Policies and Programmes: Lessons Learned from Two Decades of Experience (New York University Press, 1991); and Making a Difference: Twenty-five Years of UNFPA Experience (Banson, London, 1994).

JOICFP was the winner in the institutional category. JOICFP has made very significant contributions to population issues in the developing world and in Japan as well. JOICFP is the most experienced Japanese non-governmental organization internationally active in the field of population and reproductive health. JOICFP has projects in 26 countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa, and is especially committed to contributing to health and education.

JOICFP has contributed to population questions and their solutions in three major areas. They are: the community-operated integrated approach to family planning; the sharing of Japanese expertise through human resource development; and what JOICFP calls "Multi-dimensional Advocacy and Resource Development for the issues of population and reproductive health/reproductive rights". Since the Cairo ICPD Programme of Action, and again at the ICPD+5 last year, the Japanese approach of integrating family planning with maternal and child health is gaining much attention.

JOICFP has conducted training programmes for managers, project implementers, health staff and field workers in the field of population and reproductive health since 1968. For over 30 years, JOICFP has provided training for more than 1,200 participants from 73 countries.

The two winners will receive their awards at a ceremony to be held in June at United Nations Headquarters in New York. There were 10 nominations for the 2001 award, including eight individuals and two institutions.

Readers wishing to obtain further information may contact the Secretariat of the Award, UNFPA, Mr William Ryan, tel: (212) 297-5279 e-mail: ryanw@unfpa.org

Meeting under way at Istanbul on securing reproductive health supplies 

A global meeting of stakeholders concerned with ensuring access to reproductive health supplies will conclude on 5 May at Istanbul.

Participants at the gathering, the theme of which is " Meeting the Reproductive Health Challenge: Securing Contraceptives and Condoms for HIV/AIDS Prevention", are addressing the problem of observed shortfalls in reproductive health supplies throughout the developing world.

The organizers of the meeting, the Interim Working Group on Reproductive Health Commodity Security (IWG), hope that the key elements of the problem will be identified and consensus will be achieved on the next steps to be taken and on the roles of stakeholders as implementers of an action plan.

Readers wishing to obtain more information may contact Christine Onyango at the following e-mail address: conyango@popact.org

(Source: Planning Committee of the Interim Working Group on Reproductive Health Commodity Security)

New publications available on population issues 

"Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in India Today -- An Eye-witness Account of Achievements and Needs" is the title of a new publication published by the Inter-European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (IEPFPD).

It recounts IEPFPD's first international visit to India, which took place in January 2001 in collaboration with the IPPF European Network, South Asia Region and the Family Planning Association of India.

This report looks into specific aspects of sexual and reproductive health and rights confronting India today, namely, the onset of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the subcontinent, the role and place of women and young people as well as the role of NGOs, the Family Planning Association of India and local-, state- and federal-level governments. The report concludes with the Declaration of Intent adopted by 10 parliamentarians from nine different European countries.

Another publication is "Annual Report 2000", the first annual report of IEPFPD. This report provides a concise overview of the steps which led to the creation and formal launch in December 2000 of IEPFPD. The Declaration of intent, agreed at the launch in Paris by parliamentarians from 23 parliaments in Europe, is reproduced in full.

IEPFPD is an independent international non-profit organization which regroups at European level the all-party parliamentary groups on population and development. The secretariat for IEPFPD is provided by the IPPF European Network.

Readers wishing to obtain copies of either of these publications may contact Neil Datta at the following e-mail address: ndatta@ippfen.org

(Source: IPPF European Network, 20 April)

Council of Europe adopts report on Demographic Change and Sustainable Development 

The need to promote awareness of population and development issues was given strong support recently by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The outcome of the meeting could have implications for members of Asia-Pacific POPIN in terms of increased assistance for national projects and programmes in the ESCAP region.

The Parliamentary Assembly adopted on 27 April 2001 a report on Demographic Change and Sustainable Development, which strongly reasserted its support for the Programme of Action adopted by the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held at Cairo in 1994.

It asked what measures were being taken by the member states of the Council of Europe to meet the ICPD commitment to allocate 0.7 per cent of GNP to official development assistance and 4 per cent of the development aid budget to population and reproductive health programmes.

The parliamentarians took the view that governments should systematically include the population dimension in development policies and programmes and redefine development assistance in all sectors, including, education, culture, health and family policy, all of which have an influence on demographic behaviour.

Lastly, the Assembly urged its members to promote awareness of population and development issues in the national parliaments, initiate legislative reform where necessary and support the establishment of regional parliamentary networks and exchanges on these issues. In this context, it expressed strong support for the activities of the Inter-European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development.

The report is part of the follow-up to the Inter-parliamentary Conference on Population and Sustainable Development, which was held by its Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography at Bucharest in 1999 in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation) European Network.

Readers wishing to obtain more information may contact Mr Neil Datta at the following e-mail address: ndatta@ippfen.org

(Source: IPPF European Network, 27 April)

Commonwealth to help developing countries prepare for globalization 

To help some developing countries in the Asian and Pacific region, among others, to bridge the "digital divide" the Commonwealth is holding discussions with a number of international and private sector organizations on ways to help those countries harness new technologies, especially the Internet.

The Commonwealth is more prepared than many other organizations "to adapt to and meet the challenges of globalization", Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said recently. This preparedness stems from the organization's adherence to a set of values that focuses on improving the future of its citizens as well as the association's shared language and systems, Mr McKinnon noted.

Speaking at an Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) conference in Cyprus in the last week of April, Mr McKinnon said that, in spite of the constraint of a small budget, the Commonwealth Secretariat had learned to be flexible and creative and thus meet most of the demands of member governments quickly and effectively. "We have been particularly successful in the area of education. Over the past several years, we have been able to at least double our resources through partnerships and co-funding and to run cutting-edge, innovative projects in the broad fields of formal and non-formal education, among others".

He said that the way the Commonwealth works with its members and other organizations coupled with its flexibility will set the standard for how other organizations tackle globalization in the future. "I am also confident that the Commonwealth will be able to help its members and partners benefit from the opportunities emerging", the Secretary-General added.

The conference, which was held from 23 to 26 April, was organized by ACU in collaboration with the University of Cyprus. It explored the possibility of forging links between the universities of the Commonwealth, the European Union and other regional groupings in the context of globalization.

Mr McKinnon expressed regret that only a very small number of its 1.7 billion citizens could take advantage of the rapid development of information and communications technologies. "In many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, most people are still living in the 19th century. They are getting left further and further behind", he said, adding that the Commonwealth would try to help correct that problem.

(Source: CNIS Commonwealth News and Information Service)

AIDS experts call for urgent action 

A group of world experts on AIDS met recently with representatives of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) at Mont Pelerin, Switzerland, in an effort to help shape the next phase of the global response to the epidemic.

Members of Asia-Pacific POPIN attached to their country's Ministry of Health or otherwise involved in reproductive health issues will be interested to learn that the high-level private meeting was organized in advance of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on AIDS, which will be held at New York in June.

The meeting sought to clarify global goals and targets under discussion by United Nations Member States and to set priorities in defining how to deal with HIV/AIDS.

While calling for antiretroviral therapy to be made as widely available as possible, the expert group warned against unmonitored or careless use, since the therapy rapidly loses its effectiveness if the virus becomes drug-resistant.

The group of 30 experts also called for urgent action by the world's leaders to commit both the financial resources and the political will to bring the AIDS epidemic under control. The experts reviewed statistics on the costs of the epidemic and endorsed the US$ 7-10 billion figure estimated to be needed to mount an effective response to AIDS in developing countries.

According to the expert group, investment now would prevent tens of millions of new infections while extending the lives of additional millions of people already living with HIV.

At the close of the meeting, the experts issued a declaration calling on leaders to take advantage of the United Nations Special Session on AIDS from 25 to 27 June to mobilize funds and commitment to halt the spread of the epidemic.

(Source: UNAIDS Press Release, 10 May 2001)

New report issued on population policies and women's rights 

Members of Asia-Pacific POPIN wishing to expand their coverage of published material on population policies and women's rights will be pleased to learn of the availability of the most recent issue of the Population Bulletin.

Produced by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), the latest Population Bulletin is focused on "New Population Policies: Advancing Women's Health and Rights". The 40-page report provides a comprehensive overview of the new policies that place women at the centre of efforts to address population concerns.

The report explains how the international consensus reached at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo transformed the world's approach to population policies and made reproductive health part of international dialogue. It also looks at how governments are trying to incorporate this approach into their policies and programmes.

Although the gains have been uneven, and non-existent in some places, more countries than ever before are taking steps to provide women with better opportunities and to link and improve a range of reproductive health services.

The report was funded in part by PRB's MEASURE Communication project. Copies are available free of charge for those working in developing countries. To order, readers may contact Ms Donna Clifton at the addresses below, and be sure to give your complete address and contact information.

To view this or related PRB publications on-line, please visit the following URL: http://www.prb.org/pubs/population_bulletin/bu56-1/intro.html

(Source: MEASURE Communication, Population Reference Bureau, 1875 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 520, Washington, DC 20009 USA; e-mail: dclifton@prb.org)

HIV infections on the decline in Cambodia 

As members of Asia-Pacific POPIN are aware, HIV/AIDS is a major cause of morbidity in several countries and areas in the ESCAP region.

In fact, Cambodia is one of only three developing countries in the world where the HIV/AIDS epidemic appears to have slowed. This was one of the conclusions of a consensus workshop on the epidemiology of HIV and AIDS conducted by the Cambodian Ministry of Health in Phnom Penh in early May. The workshop was sponsored by the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund, Family Health International and the Ministry of Health, and was attended by national and international experts.

Data generated from the national HIV surveillance system demonstrated a steady decline in the number of persons infected with HIV in Cambodia over the past three years. During the 1990s, Cambodia had a rapidly escalating HIV epidemic and by 1997 it had the highest HIV prevalence in Asia.

The estimates prepared at the workshop suggest that in that year there were 210,000 HIV-infected adults (15-49 years old) in Cambodia, representing 3.9 per cent of this age group. However, it has recently been estimated that there are currently only 169,000 HIV-infected adults (2.8 per cent of this age group). The new figures confirm a trend that was observed at the annual consensus meeting last year.

The decline in HIV infections can be attributed to a reduction in the number of persons newly infected each year, for example, the rate of HIV infections among sex workers below 20 years of age dropped from more than 40 per cent in 1998 to 23 per cent in 2000, as well as to the increase in the number of people dying from AIDS each year, which would be expected in an epidemic that has lasted more than 10 years.

The Workshop noted the worrying implications of the fact that increasing numbers of people who became infected with HIV in the early 1990s are now dying; this will place increasing stress on Cambodia's health services in the coming years. The number of people dying each year from AIDS is already greater than the total number of hospital beds in Cambodia's public health services.

The decline in the number of persons newly infected is a tribute to the pragmatic, broad-based, comprehensive, frank and open national HIV/AIDS prevention programme. The key components of HIV prevention activities in Cambodia have been open and pragmatic information, education and communication through a variety of channels, as well as vigorous promotion of condom use during high-risk sexual encounters, in particular through the national "100% Condom Use" in all commercial sex establishments.

Dr Mam Bunheng, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Health, said that the fundamental goal of the government is to ensure that "a condom is available where needed". He continued by stressing that the government will continue to tell people that the "up-to-date person carries a condom in his pocket".

To facilitate a greater dissemination of national experiences, to explore even better ways of advocating condom use and to finalize technical instruments to promote such programmes, WHO will organize the "Meeting on Condom Promotion in High Risk Situations in Asia" in Hanoi, Viet Nam, from 13 to 17 August 2001.

Readers wishing to obtain more information may contact Dr Gilles Poumerol, WHO Regional Adviser in HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, by e-mail at: poumerolg@wpro.who.int

More data are available from the WPRO website: http://www.wpro.who.int (readers should click "combating communicable diseases" then "sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS", or go directly to the following URL: http://www.wpro.who.int/themes_focuses/theme1/focus4/t1f4data.asp)

(Source: WHO/WPRO press release WP/PR/8, 8 May 2001)

Information technology in poorest countries focus of forum on the digital economy at Brussels conference 

All developing countries can benefit from the advances being made in digital technology, according to an international meeting on the poorest developing countries in the world.

The wealth of opportunities being created by information and communication technology (ICT) in the world's poorest countries was the focus of a forum held on 18 May at the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, in Brussels.

The forum — entitled "The Digital Economy: Change the Perception" — addressed how to extend the benefits of the Internet and other digital technologies to the least developed countries (LDCs), with presentations by business people who had successfully taken advantage of the Internet, as well as international officials involved in initiatives to effect change in digital technology.

Speakers noted the considerable challenges facing entrepreneurs in the developing world who wished to break into "e-commerce". A lack of infrastructure, training, laws, payment methods and resources were among the problems they faced. They stressed, nevertheless, the huge potential for economic growth offered by digital technology, and pointed out that the Internet and related technology could "level the playing field" for LDC businesses seeking to compete internationally.

In an opening statement, Mr Rubens Ricupero, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said that the famous management expert, Mr Peter F. Drucker, had best captured the essence of the information revolution when he had said it should not be compared to the industrial revolution, but rather to Gutenberg's printing press. That model showed the advantages, as well as the problems, of new ICT. Some had embraced the technology and others had been frightened by it.

What mattered most was not the physical invention, but the attitude with which the invention was approached, he added. That was even more crucial when the invention dealt with the dissemination of information. He stressed that three elements must be considered in any discussion of ICT and LDCs: the need to focus on people; the need for adequate public policy frameworks; and the need for good partnerships.

The first half of the meeting was devoted to a series of discussions on: products and services; tele-services; and e-infrastructure for local e-commerce.

When the panel on tele-services opened, Mr Sanjib Raj Bhandari, Chief Executive Officer of Servingsminds, Nepal, said that his company was a multimedia contact centre, which out-sourced its services to the English-speaking countries. It tried to be anywhere from 40 to 60 per cent cheaper than North American companies, and employed the latest technologies. The company had faced marketing challenges, which had been overcome by building a world-class Web site and convincing people that the company had the experience needed to provide the services. Perhaps, the largest problem had been overcoming the perception of Nepal as a country that was more geared to tourism and other industries than to the Internet.

Mr Carlos Braga, Acting Director, Development Gateway Programme, and Manager at the World Bank, said that ICT and connectivity made it possible to bridge distances. It also made it possible to connect to the world's base of knowledge, and facilitated "leapfrogging" in the development process. The question was how to use technology to address human and social needs. The velocity of the expansion of modern information structures had been without parallel, he noted. He gave an overview of the Development Gateway Foundation initiative undertaken by the Bank, which sought to facilitate access to relevant information for development.

Mr R. Badrinath, Director, Division on Trade and Support Services, International Trade Centre, presented "Building the E-Trade Bridge for LDCs", an action-oriented programme to assist small businesses in building a bridge across the digital divide. Mr John Bryant, CEO, Operation Hope, spoke on e-finance, digital empowerment and twenty-first century digital literacy for underserved communities, and Mr David Souter, of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organizations, spoke on integrating LDCs into the digital economy.

A representative of Japan's technology sector gave an overview of his country's efforts to support LDCs in the ICT fields. Japan was devoted to providing substantial official development assistance (ODA) for ICT, he noted.

At the outset of the meeting, Mr James Hattoir of CNN interviewed Mr Ram Sharan Mahat, Minister of Finance of Nepal, who noted that about half of Nepal's rural territory was without telephones, and the government was taking measures to address that issue, with an eye to creating the basic infrastructure for the ICT field. The private sector was showing great interest in investing in Nepal's ICT field, he noted, adding that the private sector was better suited than the Government - which could create better infrastructure and laws - to take the lead in all the value added services. The Internet was still a luxury for the urban elite in Nepal, and the government wanted it to be available for all citizens. The democratization of the ICT sector was essential.

In another interview, conducted at the start of the second half of the meeting, Ms Linda Duberly of Granada Media, spoke with Ms Sultana Nazneen, Managing Director, Grameen Communications, a non-profit organization committed to poverty alleviation in Bangladesh through the provision of multi-purpose information services for isolated regions.

(Source: DPI news release DEV/2327, dated 18 May)

IPPF Governing Council meets in Chiang Mai, Thailand 

Members of Asia-Pacific POPIN serving the NGO sector among their various audiences will be interested to learn that senior volunteers meeting at the Governing Council of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) in Chiang Mai, Thailand have resolved that there should be capacity building at all levels of the Federation to intensify efforts in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care.

Recognizing that HIV/AIDS is the pre-eminent health and human rights and social problem facing individuals and communities, they have said that education on and services for sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS should be fully integrated into existing sexual and reproductive health programmes.

While noting that significant efforts have been made by IPPF since 1995 to improve the number of women at decision-making level, the Governing Council has urged IPPF to ensure that gender be clearly recognized as a cross-cutting issue at all levels of the Federation and that it must be an integral part of sexual and reproductive programme development, implementation and evaluation.

The Governing Council adopted a new youth policy and recommended that financial and human resources be made available to ensure its implementation. It also resolved to monitor the representation of young people on family planning associations and regional boards, with the long-term aim of institutionalizing the objective of 20 per cent youth participation at all levels of the Federation.

(Source: IPPF, 20 May)

European Commission and UNFPA aim to improve reproductive health among Asian youth 

The European Commission and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have committed US$26.3 million to the Initiative for Reproductive Health in Asia, which will cover a number of member countries in Asia-Pacific POPIN.

It is the largest commitment the EC has made to improve sexual and reproductive health of underserved people in South and South-East Asia.

Asian and European organizations will team up to implement 40 projects in Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam, with an emphasis on "providing youth-friendly reproductive health services", including establishing mobile clinics and staging "quiz shows" for school-age children. The projects also will involve programmes that raise the awareness of teachers, care providers and parents concerning youth reproductive health issues.

(SOURCE: Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 16 May; Initiative for Reproductive Health in Asia: http://www.asia-initiative.org)

Viet Nam introduces interactive theatre for educating people on reproductive health  

A team of charity organizations is using interactive theatre as an imaginative way to inform young people about HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancies and other reproductive health issues in Nghe An, Viet Nam.

With support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the European Commission, a group of 12 dynamic young people form a troupe of performers. Through a series of training activities, the troupe gains essential skills and knowledge in interactive theatre, communication, facilitation and adolescent reproductive health (ARH). This process is designed to enable the troupe to organize and conduct theatre performances on ARH, which serve to not only inform and educate young people, but more importantly to initiate a constructive dialogue with the audience on the still very sensitive issue of adolescent reproductive health.

The feedback from the audience as well as the local authorities has been very encouraging. Adolescents are not recognized as a target group in the official government policy for population and RH, which targets married couples only.

There is considerable lack of knowledge about reproductive health issues in the 10 to 24 age group and there has been a dramatic increase in abortions among single, unmarried women. Moreover, adolescents account for approximately half the 99,000 HIV/AIDS cases in that country.

The theatre project, implemented by the World Population Foundation (WPF), together with the District Women s and Youth Unions, is one of six projects in Viet Nam, operating under the European Commission (EC)/UNFPA Initiative for Reproductive Health in Asia (RHI).

(SOURCE: EC/UNFPA Initiative for Reproductive Health in Asia, 12 June 2001; for more information, readers may contact the following e-mail address: Caroline.kent@dsw-hannover.de)

Electronic directory for professionals working in field of health 

Asia-Pacific POPIN members will be interested to learn that an electronic version of a popular directory has recently been made available by the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP).

The INASP-Health Directory 1999 is available free, in full, at the following URL: http://www.inasp.org.uk/health/directory/index.html

The Directory, which will be updated on an ongoing basis, is the leading reference on international programmes working to increase the availability of appropriate, reliable, low-cost information for health professionals in developing countries and countries in transition.

Intended for use as a reference and networking tool for all those with an interest in health information provision, the Directory includes sections on:

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