News for the ‘European Institutions’ Category

Health and SRH are universal rights: Countdown 2015 Europe at the European Development Days 2012

October 22nd, 2012

The 7th edition of the European Development Days took place in Brussels on October 16th and 17th 2012. In this context, Countdown 2015 Europe, IPPF EN and Marie Stopes International, together with other health, SRHR and HIV/AIDS organizations, organized the high-level panel meeting “Building a social contract for health”.

This debate examined the role, strategies, actions and challenges of the EU in implementing the right to health and SRH through external actions, including by financing universal health coverage and by prioritizing access to basic health care services that poor, vulnerable and marginalized populations need the most. Panelists included:

  • Indu Capoor, Director, Centre for Health Education, Training and Nutrition Awareness
  • Jean-Marc Chataigner, Deputy Director General, Global Affairs, Development and Partnerships, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • David Evans, Director, Department of Health Systems Financing, World Health Organisation
  • Rosemary Museminali, Representative to the African Union, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
  • Dr Jan Paehler, Policy Officer, Health Sector, Directorate General for Development and Cooperation – EuropeAid, European Commission
  • Stefan Seebacher, Director, Health Department, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

For a good overview of the main points discussed and the interesting conclusions, please visit the high level panel meeting page on European Development Days website. Read also why the EU must use its financial and political influence to deliver universal heath coverage, according to MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen and Indu Capoor.

Category: Countdown 2015 Europe News, European Institutions, Joint Activities
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Council Conclusions on increasing the Impact of EU Development Policy: an Agenda for Change adopted!

May 24th, 2012

On the 14th of May the Council Conclusions on increasing the Impact of EU Development Policy: an Agenda for Change were adopted.

 

Some highlights:

 

  • A clear commitment towards eradicating poverty
  • Two pillars of EU development Aid: The promotion of human rights, democracy, the rule of law, good governance and inclusive/sustainable growth
  • Mentions a rights-based approach, promoting in particular the right to universal and non-discriminatory access to basic services, with a focus on poor and vulnerable groups.
  • The need for significant progress on gender equality,
  • support and promote civil society in partner countries,Support to social inclusion and human development: at least 20% of EU aid
  • Increased focus: EU bilateral development cooperation will be concentrated in a maximum of three sectors per partner country
  • Increased collaboration and coordination with Member States to reduce aid fragmentation

 

As you can see from the above- there are many positive elements however there is no clear reference to health or Family Planning.

 

You can find the full text here: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/130243.pdf

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European funding for RH/ FP

May 11th, 2012

One of the core functions of the Countdown 2015 Europe partners is to collect financial data on their government’s official development assistance (ODA) to reproductive health and family planning. The database is not available to the public – please enter your username and password below to access it.

However, an overview of how the European Union is funding Reproductive Health and Family Planning in developing countries is now available online!

For more overviews of European donor funding for RH/ FP, please click here.

Category: European Institutions
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No gender equality without access to Family Planning according to the European Parliament

April 19th, 2012

On the 13 of March the European Parliament votes in favour of the annual report of the European Parliament on the state of gender equality in the EU for 2011. The Rapporteur of the rapport is Dutch MEP Sophie In’t Veld, who is the chair of the European Parliamentary Working Group on European Parliament Working Group on Reproductive Health HIV/AIDS and Development.

Every year the European Commission produces a progress report on the state of gender equality in the EU to which the European Parliament gives its opinion in the form of an annual, strategic own initiative report. The report touches upon many different topics like equal pay, sexual violence etc.  and we are happy to see the European Parliament took a clear stance in favour of access to family planning. The report:

expresses concern in this respect about recent funding cuts to family planning and sexual education and also restrictions on access to sexual and reproductive health services in some Member States

Notes that this year the world population has reached 7 billion; expresses its conviction that family planning should be at the top of the political agenda;

You can find the full report here

 

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EU MDG Initiative: 36 Countries receive additional support to tackle major development issues

January 9th, 2012

At the Millennium Summit in 2000, the UN agreed to adopt a list of eight goals of international development that should be achieved by 2015 in order to reduce extreme poverty. Meeting these Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is one of the main objectives of EU development policy.

While evidence shows that global progress over the past ten years has been relatively good for the goals on poverty, HIV/AIDS, malaria, education and gender, many countries are still off-track on some MDG5 and regional trends indicate that Sub-Saharan African countries in particular lag much behind other regions.

The European Union is allocating €700 million to proposals by those countries which aim at accelerating progress on the most off-track MDGs: eradicating hunger, improving maternal health, curbing child mortality and improving access to water and sanitation. All selected proposals are results-oriented, with clear and measurable indicators to demonstrate the benefits of additional funding. The remaining €300 million will be provided as a reward to well-performing countries as part of the 10th EDF Mid-term Reviews.

Please find the official Commission communication with a  table presenting  the indicative allocations and the targeted MDGs for each of the selected proposals at: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/11/930 

 

 

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Category: European Institutions, Uncategorized
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