reproductive health

Evaluations from the Executive Board of UNDP/UNPF/UNOPS: Plenary Meeting 6

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The Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS came together to reconsider revised points to UNFPA’s policy for the prevention, response to and elimination of gender-based violence and harmful practices. Both the Director of Evaluation Office representative and the Executive Director touched upon updating policies to specify definitions, principals, and standards that have been previously established within the UNFPA. Four established areas regarding transparency highlighted within the UNFPA Evaluation Policy were discussed, with emphasis on joint evaluation (assessment of UN agency inter-relationships, i.e, UNFPA and WHO) and system-wide evaluation (assessment of UN as a whole). The Executive Director emphasized on result based management to take lessons learned from prior experiences to implement into new policies locally, regionally, governmentally, and internationally.

Delegates agreed on the necessity of UNFPA and cooperation between countries as well as sectors within the UN as a whole. The delegate from Switzerland on behalf of 20 other countries raised general concerns on resource allocation as well as the idea of system-wide joint evaluations, which was countered by the Director of Evaluation in explaining that resource allocation protects funding for the centralized evaluation core. Transparency will be combated with continued annual budget reports. More details regarding gender and human rights updates were also requested. Mexico highlighted a demand in attention for sexual and reproductive health treatment, specifically in younger people to strengthen political, economical, and social ties while Belgium voiced concerns for budgeting issues.

Meeting: Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme/United Nations Population Fund/United Nations Office for Project Services – Plenary Meeting 6

Date/Location: 23 January 2019, Economic and Social Council Chamber

Speakers: Executive Board: Director of Evaluation Office representative; Executive Director of UNDP, UNFPA, UNOPS; Burkina Faso; Switzerland (on behalf of 20 other countries); Mexico, Botswana, Belgium, Sweden

Written By: WIT Representative Jessica Shi

Using Data to Promote Policy Change and Advance Sexual and Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights

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imagesMr. Kumar discussed the use of data in promoting the rights of women and children. Ms. Gilmore stressed the need to aid women who do not have the ability to make choices. Credible data is needed to enable legislation and utilize resources. Ms. Helkena stated that 70% of women living in the Marshall Islands have reported experiencing an act of sexual violence. Ms. Summers represented the Guttmacher Institute and presented a comprehensive report that analyzes the costs and benefits of investing in sexual and reproductive rights. She explained that enormous benefits follow from greater investment in women’s health and medicine. Each dollar invested in contraception reduces the cost of pregnancy and HIV care by $1.50. Further, the $39 billion needed for such an investment only amounts to $25 per capita.  Princess Zeid highlighted that women are unable to participate when they, or their children, are ill. Discussions within the developing community have demonstrated a desire to include women and adolescents.

Conflict-related violence has been increasing since 2007, and women and children are 14 times more likely to die in the resulting circumstances. Ms. Gilmore addressed the need to address infant mortality–60% of infant deaths that take place in developing countries are preventable. She focused on desegregating society and understanding the difference between urban and rural communities, questioning where multidimensional health risk assessment fits into overall development planning.

Mr. Heeke discussed unconventional data sources, like social media, that are being used today. Ms. Helkena discussed social norms and budget allocations, focusing on mobilizing the public through parliamentary champions. Ms. Winegar highlighted the need to link data to stories and anecdotes to relate to the public and evoke action.

Meeting: Using data to promote policy change and advance sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights
Date & Location: 18 March 2015, Conference Room 11, UN Headquarters, New York
Speakers: Moderator Mr. Raj Kumar, President & Editor-in-Chief Devex; HRH Princess Sarah Zeid of Jordan, Advocate, maternal and newborn health; Molly Helkena, Assistant Secretary Ministry of Internal Affairs Marshal Islands; Kate Gilmore, Deputy Executive Director, Programme, UNFPA; Dr. Cynthia Summers, Vice President for Public Education, the Guttmacher Institute; Stefan Heeke, Executive Director SumAll.org, Adjunct Professor Columbia University SIPA; Chrysula Winegar, Global Mom Challenge
Written by WIT Representative: Ellie Guner
Edited by WIT Representative: Philip Bracey

Women’s Empowerment at the Regional Level: Focus on Developing Countries

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womenThe Annual Session of the UN Women Executive Board 2014, under item 6 of the agenda, discussed efforts towards empowerment of women at the regional level, and gender related challenges faced by developing countries.

A report on the joint field visits of the Executive Boards of UNDP/ UNFPA/ UNOPS, UNICEF, UN Women and WFP to Panama and El Salvador, was presented at the United Nations headquarters today. The purpose of these visits was to learn about the role, functions and efforts of various UN entities at the regional level, where delegations visited project sites in different areas.

The highlight of today’s meeting was Ciudad Mujer (Women’s City), which is a flagship project of the El Salvador Government. The Secretary for Social Inclusion of El Salvador, Dr. Vanda Pignato, emphasized that women undergo numerous disadvantages due to lack of opportunities through various dimensions of human development. Ciudad Mujer, therefore, deals in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, response to violence, education and vocational training, processes to strengthen economic autonomy, food security and integral childcare, all in compliance with the Millennium Development Goals. This initiative by El Salvador has inspired other delegations in their efforts towards women’s empowerment.

Delegations highlighted the importance of collaboration between government institutions and civil society with support from several UN agencies to combat violence against women, which is widespread in developing countries. They also highlighted the importance of ensuring that women’s rights are protected and fulfilled.

H.E. Mr. Gonzalo Koncke Pizzorno, in support of developing countries, underscored that the method used to classify developing countries in the UN forum does not take into account the challenges faced by these countries. The challenges are multifaceted and therefore, developing countries require special consideration through holistic answers and approaches.

 

Meeting Title: 5th Meeting of the Annual Session of the UN Women Executive Board 2014
Speakers: H.E. Mr.Gonzalo Koncke Pizzorno, Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Uruguay and President of the Board of Executive Directors of UN Women; Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka Executive Director Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations; Ms. Lakshmi Puri Deputy Executive Director, Intergovernmental Support and Strategic Partnerships Bureau Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations; Mr. John Hendra Deputy Executive Director, Policy and Programme Bureau Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations; Dr. Vanda Pignato, Secretary for Social Inclusion of El salvador
Date: 19 June 2014
Location: CR 2, CB, United Nations HQ, New York
Written by WIT representative: Nusrat Laskar
Edited by WIT Representative: Marli Kasdan

 

Orientating the Post-2015 Agenda

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The second day of the Forum on Youth focused on young people’s input into the post-2015 development agenda. Image

Mr. Russell-Moyle opened the proceeding by reaffirming that it is the tradition for young people to be agents of change. He urged young people to adopt various roles and strategies to make their voices count, whether it be respectfully communicating their wishes or passionately protesting against the darker shades of society. He encouraged advocates not too lose sight of the long-term goal of making young people the center of decision-making, for their work may “not reach our skyscraper of ambition, but will build our foundation of success”.

Mr. Awasthi briefed the conference on the consultation of young people on the post-2015 agenda. He believed that the crowdsourcing exercise of the Global Partnership on Youth on the post-2015 agenda provides a good reference point on which member states can refer to when consulting youth domestically. Mr. Awasthi pointed out several differences between the ideas raised by the General Assembly’s Open Working Group on Sustainable Development and that in the crowdsourcing process, and said that such differences illustrate the need to consult young people on issues of their concern. For instance, young people spoke out strongly in demanding the SDGs to enshrine provision for education in ICT, reproductive health and human rights, which is overlooked by member states in the Open Working Group.

The Forum continued with breakout sessions on the five thematic priorities identified in the crowdsourcing process, namely education, employment and entrepreneurship, health, peace and personal security and governance and participation. Meetings discussed the youth collaborative document proposing goals and crucial targets for the youth population: ‘The Global Youth Call: Prioritizing Youth in the Post-2015 Development Agenda’. 

 

Meeting Title: Post-2015 working sessions (“#Youth2015: Realizing the future they want”)
Speakers: Mr. Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Vice-President, European Youth Forum (Keynote Speaker); Mr. Prateek Awasthi, Technical Analyst, Adolescents and Youth, United Nations Population Fund (Moderator of Interactive Dialogue); Various Youth Delegates.
Location: United Nations Headquarters, Conference Room 1
Date: 3 June 2014
Written by WIT representative: Harrison Chung
Edited by WIT representative: Sophia Griffiths-Mark