News for November, 2011

Britain launches new contraceptive drive

November 30th, 2011

Stephen O’ Brian, the Development Minister, recently annouced Britain’s pledge of £35 million for contraceptive supplies in poor countries at the International Conference on Family Planning in Dakkar.  This new money will help UNFPA to prevent hold-ups in the supplies of hormonal contraceptives and condoms.  It will also support a rapid response-style unit to procure and deliver supplies to countries facing stock-outs, whilst governments work to remedy the contraceptive flow through more long-term arrangements. This contraceptive drive is intended to prevent more than 2 million unintended pregnancies and avert nearly 220,000 unsafe abortions.

DFID’s press release is available at: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/News/Latest-news/2011/contraception-drive-will-save-womens-lives/

Category: UK
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Countdown 2015 Europe at International Family Planning Conference in Dakar

November 29th, 2011

We are attending the International Family Planning Conference in Dakar to present Tracking European Donor Funding and Policy Changes for RH and FO in ODA. An Huybrechts, from IPPF European network, is on multiple panels at the event.

Category: Countdown 2015 Europe News
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Key actions in relation to SRH in Ireland’s National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325

November 29th, 2011

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr. Eamon Gilmore T.D., and former President, Mary Robinson, today announced the launch of Ireland’s National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 relating to women, peace and security.

The Plan sets out how Ireland will promote the objectives of Resolution 1325, which calls for an increase in the participation of women in peace processes, the protection of women and girls in armed conflict, and recognition of the link between conflict and gender-based violence.  Ireland joins an increasing number of countries choosing to launch national plans in relation to implementation of Resolution 1325, including the UK, Norway and the Netherlands. Read more…

Category: Ireland
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Development Minister makes strong case for SRH as a key element of Irish Aid’s work

November 24th, 2011

Development Minister makes strong case for SRH as a key element of Irish Aid’s work

In an opinion piece in the Irish Times of October 31st entitled Reproductive Healthcare a GlobaI Issue, Minister of State for Development and Trade, Ms Jan O’Sullivan, TD,  stated that, “Providing women with access to reproductive healthcare – family planning services and healthcare during pregnancy and birth – is not just an end in itself. It also has a transformative effect on women’s vulnerability to poverty, hunger and economic and social discrimination”.

Read more…

Category: Ireland
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French parliamentary commission reviews ODA budget for 2012

November 7th, 2011

On 7 November, the ODA budget bill was reviewed by French MPs, in a session that was also attended by the Ministry of Cooperation, Henri de Raincourt.

The discussions tackled the topic of Family Planning on several occasions. Two MPs – Danielle Bousquet and Philippe Tourtelier – in particular insisted on the fact that gender is a key approach to make substantial progress on Reproductive Health and Family Planning issues. The category of young adolescent girls, in this perspective, is an essential one to take into account.

The full transcription of the debate can be found here.

Category: France
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