NEWS RELEASE

Solomon Islands study tour focuses on sexual and reproductive health and rights

Date: 5th July 2011

Dr. Jackie Blue, National MP and Chair of the New Zealand Parliamentarians’ Group on Population and Development (NZPPD) arrived in Honiara , Solomon Islands today as part of a study tour organised by Family Planning International.

Dr. Blue will spend a week in the Solomon Islands as part of a delegation including journalists and NGO staff. The purpose of the study tour is for parliamentarians and media representatives to get an on-the-ground understanding of the sexual and reproductive health and rights challenges in the Solomon Islands .

“This study tour will provide me with an opportunity to meet with local leaders and hear from local women about some of the sexual and reproductive health challenges they face on a daily basis. I’m looking forward to learning more about the work that is being done at all levels to address these issues and see how these efforts can be supported.” Dr Jackie Blue said ahead of the tour.

The delegation will be visiting family planning clinics, maternal health wards, remote areas where access to health services can prove challenging, and meeting with relevant government officials, donor agencies, NGOs and other stakeholders in the field.

The study tour will demonstrate the importance of Millennium Development Goal 3 (Gender equality and the empowerment of women) and Goal 5 (Improved maternal health) and their relationship with sustainable economic development.

“The benefit of this study tour is that it will give the participants – some of whom have already shown demonstrable support for sexual and reproductive health and women’s empowerment in the Pacific – an opportunity to see first hand the reproductive health situation in the Solomon Islands and how they can best help improve the lives of Pacific women. Seeing is believing.” says Family Planning NZ’s Director of International Development Sumi Subramaniam .

The study tour is funded by the Asia Pacific Alliance for sexual and reproductive health and coincides with the Pacific Society for Reproductive Health (PSRH) conference. Dr. Blue is a key-note speaker at this conference, presenting on the NZPPD’s report Making Maternal Health Matter.

Background
Family Planning International (www.fpi.org.nz) is the international unit of Family Planning New Zealand and works to motivate awareness and action so that all people can enjoy sexual and reproductive rights. The unit has a particular focus on the Pacific region.

ENDS

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