Global Conference to Reinvigorate Conversation on Status of Women’s Health and Rights

NGO Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Development in Berlin September 2-4

CONTACTS

Catherina Hinz, Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW), +49 511 943 7320 Jennifer Woodside, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), +49 511 943 7320 Kathy Bonk, CCMC, +1 202 326 8700

RESOURCES

Official Web site of the Berlin Global NGO Forum The Lancet: "Sex, rights, and politics—from Cairo to Berlin" Fact Sheets: Overview The Cairo Consensus Chronology ABC of MDGs Glossary Economic Growth & Sustainable Development Education: Key to Success Family in the 21st Century Gender Equality, Equity & Empowerment of Women Investing in Health, Rights, & the Future Prevention First: HIV/AIDS Resources and Supplies Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights The Population Connection: Other Emerging Issues Young People

Berlin, August 28, 2009 – Next week, more than 400 delegates from the around the world will gather here for a new conversation assessing 15 years of work toward better sexual and reproductive health and rights for women in developing countries.

Global Partners in Action: a Non-Governmental Organization Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Rights and Development is set for 2-4 September. Preceded by a Youth Forum of young leaders on 1 September, the conference marks 15 years since the historic International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo brought about a seismic change in thinking on these issues. It moved the global debate from ideas of “control” and “demographics” to a focus on sexual and reproductive health and well-being, with a new emphasis on individual rights and gender equality.

The Lancet published a comment on August 28 by Gill Greer (IPPF), Katie Chau (Youth Coalition, Ottawa, Canada), Catherina Hinz (German Foundation for World Population) and Sivananthi Thanenthiran (The Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women) that underscores the importance of the global gathering:

"Although there has been progress, this has been selective and uneven. The right to the highest attainable standard of health, particularly sexual and reproductive health, continues to elude millions of people, especially the poor and marginalised. Statistics speak for them-selves.

Over 200 million women currently lack access to modern contraceptives, and demand for contraception is expected to increase by 40% by 2050. There are more than 1.5 billion people aged between 10 and 25 years—the largest generation of young people in history and they will need sexual and reproductive health services. Globally there are about 33 million people living with HIV, with 2.7 million new infections in 2007, most of which are sexually transmitted infections. Every year, more than half a million women die in pregnancy or childbirth, including 67000 women from unsafe abortion. Millions more suffer injury, illness, or disability."

Global Partners in Action will bring together field activists, young people, parliamentarians and representatives of donor countries, multilateral aid organizations and the private sector to start a new dialogue leading to a more vibrant movement, using the new technology that has changed the world since 1994. The theme: Invest in Health, Rights and the Future.
Conference findings will contribute to United Nations observations of ICPD@15 later this year.

An opening news conference is scheduled Wednesday 2 September at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, which is co-hosting the Forum with UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.

Featured news conference and Forum speakers include:
Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development
Thoraya A. Obaid, Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Helen Clark, Head of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Gill Greer, Director-General, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)
Laura Villa Torres, Associate Youth Programming, Ipas
Nadita Das, Indian filmmaker, actor and activist

For inquiries about registration, please contact MediaCompany ngo-forum@mediacompany.com, Phone +49 (0)30-28 88 45 3 23. For other inquiries please contact Nora Gissel at nora.gissel@gtz.de, Phone +49 (0)30-726 14 407.

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