Sexual Health In Pacific Needs Urgent Investment

Sexual And Reproductive Health In Pacific Needs Urgent Investment To Achieve Millennium Development Goals

Melbourne, 31. August 2010: Without increasing investment in sexual and reproductive health in the Pacific, many of the Millennium Development Goals in the region will struggle to be achieved, stated New Zealand-based Family Planning International at a workshop on ‘The Unfinished Agenda of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights’ at the 63rd United Nations Department of Public Information/NGO (UN DPI/NGO) conference in Melbourne.

“Maternal mortality, low contraceptive prevalence rates, gender-based violence and high teenage pregnancy rates are all serious challenges threatening the sustainable development of Pacific Island countries. They are issues that cut across and influence all sectors of society, so it is absurd not to prioritise tackling them” said Sumi Subramaniam, Director of International Development at Family Planning International.

“This requires, among other things, greater coordination and communication between regional organisations and greater investment in data collection in the region to ensure programmes and policies are well-informed”.

The workshop was held together with the Japanese Organisations for International Cooperation in Family Planning, Marie Stopes International Australia, Sexual Health & Family Planning Australia, Burnet Institute and the Asia Pacific Alliance

Family Planning International also used the conference as an opportunity to introduce its latest resource, ‘Integrating HIV & Sexual and Reproductive Health: a Pacific specific mapping’, which identifies linkages and integration activity around HIV and sexual and reproductive health services in the Pacific region.

The UN DPI/NGO conference takes place from 30. August to 1. September and brings together NGOs from all over the world to discuss progress on global health and achieving the Millennium Development Goals, which are the themes for this year’s conference.

It is only the third time the UN DPI/NGO conference has been held outside of UN Headquarters and is the largest UN event that has ever been held in Australia. Having the conference in Australia has allowed for strong NGO representation from the Pacific, including from Fiji, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.

UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, speaking through video message on day one of the conference, also highlighted the importance of investing in women’s and children’s health saying, “it is the area where we are most behind”.

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