Following the formal opening of the G77 High-Level Panel of Eminent Personalities of the South, UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin posed along with other eminent figures, including Heads of State of the Pacific Island Nations.
SUVA, Fiji — If alarming rates of Violence Against Women are to be effectively addressed, the status of women needs to be elevated.
UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin emphasized the fundamental, often unacknowledged, contributions of women – to families, communities and economies – during the launch of the Pacific Regional ICPD Review report. The persistence of alarming rates of gender-based violence is one of the critical issues in the region.
Dr. Osotimehin speaks with UNESCAP Executive-SEcretary Dr. Noeleen Hayzer. Photo © UNFPA/Ariela Zibiah
The Pacific regional review is the first such report to be issued as part of the global assessment of the implementation of Programme of Action from the 1994 Cairo Conference Population and Development.
Dr. Osotimehin argued that the status of women in our societies needed to be lifted as a fundamental step towards efforts towards addressing sexual and reproductive health and violence against women. He also emphasized the need for continuing investments in the education of the girl-child.
Dr. James Fong responds to the Executive Director’s questions during a site visit to a family planning clinic in Suva. Photo © UNFPA/Ariela Zibiah
“There are 600 million adolescent girls in the world today. Imagine if they were educated to the point where they were economically viable, where we can make sure they can exercise their rights, where we can make sure they will not be abused … we would have a peaceful world because women are peacemakers, because women build nations.
“We are going to make sure that women and girls around the world have better access to education, to information and to health services, including reproductive health services.”
The Executive Director has been designated as an Eminent Person of the G77, which met last week with Fiji serving as host and chair. The Future Landscape of South-South Cooperation was the focus of the meeting.
UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin was escorted to the venue of the Pacific Regional ICPD Review report launch by young people from the Nasova Methodist Church youth group, a beneficiary of UNFPA peer education programme. Photo © UNFPA/Ariela Zibiah
The links between family planning and intergenerational cycles of poverty as well as the need to economically empower women, ensuring they played a more significant role in decision-making processes and in actual governance, were major themes discussed by Dr. Ososimehin and several of the Pacific leaders in attendance.
During his three-day visit, Dr. Osotimehin also visited the Colonial War Memorial Hospital and family planning clinic. He also spent time with a group of young people, and encouraged them to make a difference in the world.
Related resources
Fiji, UNFPA Chief Stresses Women’s Empowerment, Girls Education
May 14, 2013 by
About Team CelebrationTeam Celebration is a devoted group of women dedicated to sharing information that will better the lives of all women making this space a truly convenient Resource for Women globally. Speak Your Mind: You are invited to leave comments and questions below.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You simply type a KEY WORD into our SEARCH BOX at TOP RIGHT of Homepage and a list of associated topic articles offering truly educational and informative features will be at your fingertips.
