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CONFERENCE BACKGROUND
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After the International Conference on
Population and Development (ICPD) in 1994, there has been an enthusiastic
response of non-government organizations (NGOs), governments, and donors.
Serious efforts have been made to carry forward and translate the ICPD
Programme of Action into policies and programmes within countries. Countries
in the Asia Pacific region that have begun to operationalise sexual and
reproductive health (SRH) programmes are facing major financial and
organizational challenges. Concerted efforts will be needed to sustain
programme momentum in the region as many problems remain unaddressed. SRH
programmes have begun to be operationalised but are at different stages of
development. The integration of family planning, HIV/AIDS and SRH envisioned
at ICPD is slowly taking place, albeit constrained by established patterns
of funding, bureaucratic prerogatives, organizational barriers, and limited
training opportunities for health service providers. The rights agenda, as
yet nascent, needs to be seriously developed and strengthened.
One billion youth 10-24 years of age, of which more than 700 million are
adolescents (10-19 years) live in Asia; 1 in 5 persons in the region is
15–24 years old. Not only are their numbers large but they are experiencing
rapid changes in a fast-changing world. The sheer size of this population
coupled with the dramatic changes in their life-styles and life
circumstances pose serious challenges for developing programmes to address
their SRH needs. Efforts are underway to engage the participation of the
civil society and decentralization processes have been initiated in many
countries. However, local systems of governance need strengthening to
translate SRH concepts within systems that have for decades implemented
top-down, bureaucratic programmes. It is clear that strong political
commitment can accelerate progress and involvement of stakeholders can make
a difference. Although there is considerable diversity in the region,
several countries are confronting common problems. There is clearly a need
to share and learn among the countries of the region.
In the Asia Pacific region, conferences on sexual and reproductive health (SRH)
have been organized every two years to bring together multiple stakeholders
to take stock of progress and to share experiences/best practices. These
conferences have provided a common platform for stakeholders in the region
to discuss and debate issues to enhance understanding and promote the
agenda. The first Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health
and Rights was held in Manila, the Philippines in February, 2001. The second
was held in Bangkok, Thailand in October, 2003 and the third in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia in November, 2005. The Fourth Asia Pacific Conference on
Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights (APCRSH) is scheduled to be held
on October 29-31, 2007 in Hyderabad, India.
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THEME
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The overarching theme of the conference is “
EXPLORING NEW FRONTIERS IN SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS”.
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OBJECTIVES
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The objectives of the conference are:
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Enhancing understanding of the elements and principles for rights-based
programming on sexual and reproductive health in the Asia Pacific region.
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Developing newer discourses to inform future research and programming to
address sexual and reproductive health needs from the perspective of young
people, including adolescents.
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Engaging multiple stakeholders in advocacy to reinforce the centrality of
sexual and reproductive health for the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals.
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MESSAGES
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Message from Mr. A.R. Nanda, Chairperson,
India Organising Committee and International Steering Committee
The India Consortium on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights has been
awarded the priviledge to host the Fourth Asia Pacific Conference on
Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights (APCRSH). As the Chairperson of
the International Steering Committee and India Organising Committee I would
like to extend a cordial invitation to you all who are involved in the field
of sexual and reproductive health and rights to attend and participate in
the forthcoming Conference that will be held in Hyderabad, state capital of
Andhra Pradesh in India October 29-31,2007.
The theme of the Conference is “Exploring New Frontiers in Sexual and
Reproductive Health and Rights” which represents a logical continuation from
the previous three Conferences in order to develop new discourses in the
field of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.
The Conference will be organised in the form of plenary sessions, symposia,
parallel and satellite sessions to explore, discuss and exchange experiences
and views on the current and emerging issues in the field of sexual and
reproductive health in the Asia Pacific Region and throughout the world.
There will also be skill-building and empowerment workshops and poster
sessions during the Conference.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Conference, and sharing with you the
knowledge and experiences of the participants in striving and achieving the
ICPD Programme of Action as well as the Millennium Development Goals with a
focus on adolescents sexual and reproductive health and rights.
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INTERNATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE
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| NAME |
ORGANISATION |
| Chairperson |
| Mr. A. R. Nanda |
Executive Director, Population Foundation
of India, New Delhi, India |
| Members |
| Dr. Kamaruzaman
Ali
|
Chairperson, Federation Family Planning
Association of Malaysia (FFPAM) |
|
Mr. Sultan Aziz
|
Director, Asia Pacific Division, United Nations
Population Fund, (UNFPA), USA |
|
Dr. Denis Broun
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India Country Director, UNAIDS, India |
|
Dr. Benjamin D. de Leon |
President, The Forum for Family Planning and Development
Inc., Philippines
|
|
Dr. Eden Divinagracia
|
Executive Director, Philippines NGO Council on
Population, health and welfare (PNGOC), Philippines |
|
Dr. Warunee Fongkaew
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Chair, Youth Family and Community Development (YFCD)
Project, Chiang Mai University, Thailand |
|
Dr G. Giridhar
|
CST Director and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Representative, Thailand |
|
Dr Gill Greer |
Director General, International Planned Parenthood
Federation (IPPF), London |
|
Prof. Terry Hull
|
Professor of Demography and the John C. Caldwell Chair
in Population, Health and Development at the National
Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The
Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
|
|
Dr. Zhang Kaining
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Director, Yunnan Reproductive Health Research
Association, P.R. China |
|
Mr. Shiv Khare |
Executive Director, Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on
Population and Development (AFPPD), Thailand |
|
Mr. Agniva Lahiri
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Coordinator, Network of Asia Pacific Youth (NAPY), India |
|
Mr. Anders Molin
|
Head health division, SIDA, Sweden |
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Ms. Poonam Muttreja
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India Country Director MacArthur Foundation, India |
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Dr. Jay Satia |
Executive Director, International Council on Management
of Population Programmes (ICOMP), Malaysia |
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Ms. Saira Shameem
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Executive Director, Asia-Pacific Resource and Research
Centre for Women (ARROW), Malaysia
|
|
Ms. Mu Sochua
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Chairperson, Peace and Development Institute, Cambodia
Former minister of women's veteran's affair of Cambodia.
Founder and Former director of Khemana, 1st local
organization for women in Cambodia |
|
Mr. Wasim Zaman
|
Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Regional Technical Team for South and West Asia,
Kathmandu, Nepal |
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INDIA
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
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|
Chairperson |
|
Mr. A. R. Nanda
Executive Director, Population Foundation of India,
New Delhi, India |
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Member Organisations |
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Academy for Nursing Studies (ANS),
Hyderabad
|
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Centre for Health Education, Training and Nutrition
Awareness (CHETNA), Ahmedabad
|
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Centre for Operations Research and Training (CORT),
Baroda
|
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Child In Need Institute (CINI), Kolkata
|
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Family Planning Association of India (FPAI), Mumbai
|
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Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi
|
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Indian Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS (INP+),
Chennai
|
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Indian Society for the Study of Reproduction and
Fertility (ISSRF), Mumbai
|
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International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), New
Delhi
|
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MAMTA – Health Institute for Mother and Child, New Delhi
|
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Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of
India
|
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Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of
India
|
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Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of
India
|
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National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), Government of
India
|
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Planning Commission, Government of India
|
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Population Council, New Delhi
|
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The Humsafar Trust, Mumbai
|
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United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New Delhi
|
| Voluntary Health
Association of Assam, Assam |
| World Health
Organization (WHO), New Delhi |
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