ALL PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP ON POPULATION, DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
ANNUAL REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES 2003/2004 2 All Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health
Annual Review 2003/2004
CONTENTS
Page
FOREWORD 5
COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND STAFF 7
NEW GROUP MEMBERS APRIL 2003 - MARCH 2004 8
APPG PD&RH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 10
PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITIES 11
APPG on PD&RH Committee Meetings 11
APPG on PD&RH Parliamentary Briefing Meetings 11
Other Briefing Meetings 13
European Meetings 17 Inter-European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development EuroNGO Council of Europe
Study Tours 19 Malawi and Uganda Slovakia China
General Written Briefings 24
General Correspondence 26
Parliamentary Debates, Questions and Early Day Motions 27 Debates Questions Early Day Motions
3 CONTENTS continued
Meetings and Correspondence with DfID and Foreign Office 30 Meeting between Secretary of State for International Development and MPs Meeting between DfID Senior Advisors and DfID’s Select Committee Meeting between DfID’s MDG and Reproductive Health team and SRHR civil society Meeting between DfID’s Permanent Secretary and Baroness Flather Correspondence between Foreign Office and APPG on PD&RH
DfID funding to Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights and 32 Population and HIV/AIDS
National Bills, Acts, Policies and Strategies 34 UK Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 UK Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 UK Gender Recognition Act 2004 UK Sexual Health and HIV Strategy DfID Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS Publications 2003/2004
National and International Conferences 35 Parliamentary Network on World Bank Board Meeting, Kenya, July 2003 Sexual and Reproductive Heath and Health Systems Development Conference: Exploring linkages and promoting dialogue, Leeds, UK, September 2003 AFPPD Medical Parliamentarians Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, December 2003 UNECE ICPD+10 Conference, Geneva, Switzerland, January 2004 ECLAC ICPD+10 Conference Santiago, March 2004 and Puerto Rico, June 2004 Communications Consortium Media Centre meeting, Washington, US, April 2004
Support to other Countries’ APPGs on PD&RH 37 Spanish APPG on PD&RH UK APPG Pro-choice
APPG on PD&RH Hearings 2004 38
APPG PD&RH PUBLICATIONS 43
Activity Reports 43
Hearings/Survey/Reports 43
ACRONYMS 44
ACCOUNTS 46
APPENDICES 47
4 FOREWORD
As the Chair of the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health, I am pleased to inform you that we have had a very active and successful year, despite the continuing opposition to international sexual and reproductive health and rights by the Bush administration and anti-choice groups, which are becoming more active in Europe.
We have recruited six new members to the UK APPG on PD&RH this year.
Members continue to be updated regularly on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights issues via committee meetings, parliamentary and general briefing meetings and receptions. Selected members have participated in study tours and national and international conferences.
Throughout the year members have been tabling written and oral parliamentary questions and Early Day Motions. Many members have participated in parliamentary debates and roundtable discussions and lobbied Ministers both in house and at international conferences.
The Female Genital Mutilation Bill (FGM) received Royal Assent in October 2003. The new FGM law extend to extra-territorial acts. A person assisting with FGM will be guilty under the Act and can be liable on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term up to 14 years or a fine (or both).
Legislation alone will not eradicate the practice but strengthening the UK law in this way sends a strong message about the unacceptability of FGM, which will hopefully have a deterrent effect.
It will also provide a useful springboard for taking forward the wider enforcement and education activities in consultation and collaboration with NGOs and social and health professionals.
DfID’s restructuring on the 1st April 2003 and the abolition of the Population and Reproductive Health unit had been of great concern to the group. The group lobbied for Reproductive Health to be a named section in the new structure through correspondence and meetings with the new Secretary of State for International Development. The group received a letter from Hilary Benn MP in June 2003, stating that they had dealt with the groups concerns as a consequence. The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) policy team had been renamed the MDG and Reproductive Health Team, and a reproductive health expert had been appointed. In addition a public policy statement on Reproductive Health was developed in 2003–2004 setting DfID’s position on Reproductive Health and the MDGs. 5 In the April 2004 Budget Report the Chancellor Gordon Brown MP announced that the UK Government will remain committed to the UN target for aid of 0.7% of GNP. The total
UK aid in 2003–2004 stood at 0.33% of GNP and will rise to 0.47% by 2007–2008. At this rate of progress, the UK should reach the UN target of 0.7% by 2013.
The UK was the fourth largest donor to the UNFPA in 2003 and is committed to provide £80m in core funding to UNFPA between 2004 and 2007. Funding to IPPF has increased with 33% to £6 million annually. As a result of this increase, IPPF has agreed to do more to combat unsafe abortion.
Bilaterally Aid by Health & Population Sector continues to increase as noted in funding graphs in this annual report.
The APPG on PD&RH continues to encourage initiatives to increase individuals and couples access to comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health services in order to achieve social and economical progress, environmental protection and poverty reduction.
In 2004-2005 the APPG on PD&RH will be actively involved in the ICPD+10 preparations and events. The Parliamentary Hearings on Linking Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS organised for April 2004 is likewise of priority. Furthermore preparations for the UK presidency of the G8 and EU will be of importance in the beginning of 2005.
The group continue to foster the establishment of other country APPG’s on PD&RH.
Christine McCafferty MP Chair
6 COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND STAFF
The APPG on PD&RH committee is active in planning and running the group's business.
Chair Christine McCafferty MP (L)
Vice Chairman Viscount Craigavon (XB)
Secretaries Martyn Jones MP (L) Baroness Flather (C)
Treasurer Tony Worthington MP (L)
Officers Alice Mahon MP (L) Barbara Follett MP (L) Baroness Gould (L) Baroness Lockwood (L) Baroness Massey (L) Lord Rea (L)
Dr Jenny Tonge MP (LD)
Robert Key MP (C) Eleanor Laing (C)
Parliamentary and Policy Advisor Ann Mette Kjaerby
Address Room 563 Portcullis House House of Commons Westminster SW1A 2LW Tel: 020 7219 2492 Fax: 020 7219 2641 e-mail: [email protected]
7 NEW GROUP MEMBERS APRIL 2003 - MARCH 2004
New group members Evan Harris MP (LD) Evan Harris MP is a medical doctor. He is a member of the British Medical Association Medical Ethics Committee. He was the LD spokesperson on education and employment (1999–2001) and for Health (2001–2003). He remains a member of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee and an active member of the APPG AIDS.
Debra Shipley MP (L) Debra Shipley MP is an active member on Children’s issues. She initiated the Private Member’s Bill, which lead to the Protection of Children Act 1999. She is Treasurer to the APPG on Domestic Violence. Linda Perham MP (L) Linda Perham MP is a member of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry. She has introduced Bills on age discrimination, health and corporate social responsibility. George Foulkes MP (L) George Foulkes MP has held many senior Ministerial and opposition spokespersons positions over the years. Opposition spokesperson, Europe (1983–1985), opposition spokesperson, Foreign Affairs (1985–1992), Opposition spokesperson, Defence (1992–1993), Opposition spokesperson, Overseas Development (1994–1997). Junior Minister, Department for Development (1997– 2001), and Minister of State, Scotland Office (2001–2002). He is the executive of the International Parliamentary Union (British Section) and the Treasurer of Parliamentarians for Global Action. He is the Privy Counsellor who serves as a delegate to the Council of Europe and the Western European Union, and a Member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee as well as being the Prime Ministers UK representative on the Executive of the Socialist International. He is also a trustee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
Lord Joffe (Crossbench) Lord Joffe is a former human rights lawyer who defended Nelson Mandela in the 1960's. He is a strong supporter of the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill and an active member on the Mental Capacity Bill currently going through Parliament.
Lord Oxburgh (Crossbench) Lord Oxburgh has had a long career in the area of Science and Technology. He has been a member of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology since 2000.
All new group members have received a covering letter introducing them to the APPG on PD&RH. They have also received Marie Stopes International Briefing Pack on SRHR, the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action and the APPG on PD&RH Annual Report 2002-2003.
Young MPs were contacted in 2003-2004 in the hope that they would be interested in joining the group.
Please find enclosed sample letter as appendix 1 8 Group members promoted to Ministerial positions Charlotte Atkins MP (L) Charlotte Atkins MP was promoted to Transport Minister this year.
Group Staff Member The group was fortunate to receive administrative support by David Chaplin, an under- graduate student of politics from Leeds University for 6 months this year.
9 APPG PD&RH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Aim
The APPG on PD&RH aims to encourage initiatives to increase access to and improve sexual and reproductive health and rights services worldwide
Objectives Raise the profile of population, and sexual and reproductive health and rights including family planning issues in Parliament and internationally;
Provide parliamentary backing to the Secretary of State for International Development in his negotiations with the Treasury with a view to increasing the UK Overseas Development Aid to 0.7% of GNP;
Keep under review population trends and sexual and reproductive health and rights programmes/policies/legislation nationally and internationally;
In consultation with Government departments, international agencies and NGOs, assess how this country might respond to requests from outside for support and to press for action by Parliament and the Government;
Study the results of research into the causes and consequences of population changes and the effect that access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services has and draw these to the attention of both Houses of Parliament;
Increase awareness of the interdependence between countries, with reference to poverty reduction, women’s equality, access to sexual and reproductive health and right services, environment, consumption and pollution and the impact of legislation, policies and practices of one country upon others.
10 PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITIES
APPG on PD&RH Committee Meetings The group held 4 committee meetings between April 2002–March 2003.
April 8th 2003 June 18th 2003 October 15th 2003 (AGM) February 10th 2004
Please find enclosed committee meeting minutes as appendix 2
APPG on PD&RH Parliamentary Briefing Meetings 11 Parliamentary briefing meetings/receptions were organised this year to update group members on national and international SRHR/population and international development issues.
April 2003: IPPF Strategic plan and DFID Restructuring Newly-appointed Dr Steven Sinding, Director General of IPPF and his wife were invited to a welcome dinner at the HoC. Dr Steven Sinding briefed group members on IPPF’s restructuring, new strategic plan and gave members an overview of the recent restructuring within DfID.
MPs and Peers welcomed presentations in their preparation for the following days meeting with Clare Short MP, Secretary of State for International Development and her advisors.
Please find enclosed an organogramme of the IPPF restructuring as appendix 3
April 2003: Sector Wide Approach (SWAP) and Reproductive Health Linda Humphrey, a MSI Consultant, briefed group members on SWAP and reproductive health.
MPs and Peers welcomed the presentation and discussions that followed. Questions around the issue of SWAP and reproductive health were included in the briefing for the meeting with Clare Short MP, Secretary of State for International Development and her advisors the following day.
Please find enclosed Linda Humphrey’s PowerPoint presentation as appendix 4
July 2003: World Population Day Reception, “One billion adolescents: the right to health, information and services”. Hilary Benn MP, then Minister of State for International Development and SRHR NGO representative Ros Davies from Interact Worldwide called attention to the World Population Day, which United Nations' Population Fund (UNFPA) designated the 11th July in 1989 'to focus attention on the importance of world population and reproductive health issues’. MPs, UN-, Embassy-, SRHR and HIV NGO representatives, academics and civil servants attended the reception. The theme of 2003 World Population Day was: "One billion adolescents: the right to health, information and services".
Hilary Benn MP said: “DfID regards reproductive health as an essential and inseparable element of good health and human development. It is both vital to and dependent on progress towards the Millennium development Goals, especially those on child and maternal health, HIV and gender equality. Reproductive Health continues to be a key priority for DfID and we remain firmly committed to the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development target of achieving access to reproductive health for all by 2015.” 11 Please find enclosed the invitation and Christine McCafferty MP’s welcome speech as appendix 5
Please find enclosed articles appearing in national newspapers relating to population issues as appendix 6
September 2003: Health Select Committee Report on UK Sexual Health. David Hinchliffe MP and Chair of the Health Select Committee briefed members on the Health Select Committee 3rd Report on Sexual Health in the UK.
Please find enclosed briefing for Members attending meeting as appendix 7
October 2003: UK Network on Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights. 5 UK Network members briefed group members on the Network and its new leaflet, SRHR and the Millennium Development Goals, comments to DfID’s Annual Report, DfID restructuring and its SRHR position paper. Members were also briefed on the shortage in reproductive health commodity supplies. Optimum Population Trust was also meant to brief group members also, but decided to postpone briefing to a later date.
Please find enclosed the briefing pack prepared by the Network including possible PQs as appendix 8
November 2003: World Aids Day Reception, Reproductive Health and the challenge of HIV/AIDS. Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under-secretary of State for International Development, Dr Julia Cleves, Principal Adviser, AIDS in Africa, UNAIDS and Edward Zzimbe, MSI Uganda, briefed members and SRHR NGO community on Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS challenges in connection with the World AIDS Day and MSI’s Guardian insert in the Guardian on SRHR and HIV/Aids. MSI’s latest campaign was: ‘Cover the world with condoms – Help fight HIV/AIDS.’
Please find enclosed the invitation, The Guardian insert and condom campaign, and press release as appendix 9
November 2003: APPG on PD&RH Strategy Meeting. The APPG on PD&RH held a strategy meeting to discuss group priorities, aims and objectives. The group agreed on the group’s overall goal, aims and future activities.
Please find enclosed strategic plan as appendix 10
February 2004: Female Genital Mutilation book launch: ‘Treating the Tears’ by Haseena Lockhat. Haseena Lockhat launched her FGM book ’Treating the Tears’ with support from Middlesex University Press at this briefing meeting. David Blunkett MP, Home Secretary attended and spoke at the book launch. Discussions took place around the new FGM Act. The book can be viewed on www.mupress.co.uk
Please find enclosed invitation, press release and press cutting as appendix 11
February 2004: APPG on PD&RH and APPG AIDS joint meeting on Commodity Security Supply supported by Interact Worldwide. Interact Worldwide briefed MPs and Peers on the international Commodity Security Supply problems.
Please find enclosed briefing and possible PQs on the issue, which were distributed to all group members as appendix 12
12 March 2004: APPG on RD&RH and Aids joint meeting on Microbicides for HIV & STI Prevention. Gareth Thomas MP, Under-secretary of State for International Development, Dr Zeda Rosenber, International Partnership for Microbicides and Professor Jonathan Weber, Imperial College, briefed UK APPG on AIDS and PD&RH members on the latest developments in microbicides.
Please find enclosed invitation and briefing and Christine McCafferty MPs introductory remarks as appendix 13
March 2004: APPG on PD&RH meeting with DfID civil servants to discuss the newly drafted SRHR position paper. DfID civil servants presented the outline and main points of the newly drafted DfID SRHR position paper. Group members raised issues of concern.
Please find enclosed PowerPoint presented by DfID and briefing sent to group members attending the meeting as appendix 14
Other Briefing Meetings Committee members and Parliamentary and Policy Advisor attended 25 other briefing meetings during the year.
May 2003: APPG Pro-Life, the Patient (Assisted Dying) Bill. A perspective from the Hospice Movement and from the Netherlands. Lord Alton, Treasurer of the APPG Pro-Life hosted a meeting in Parliament in preparation for the Euthanasia Bill debate in the HoL. Group members and advisor attended the meeting.
Please find enclosed invitation to meeting as appendix 15
May 2003: APPG AIDS Parliamentary Hearings on Migration and HIV. The UK APPG on AIDS held Parliamentary Hearings on Migration and HIV. A comprehensive report was prepared, which is available on their website: http://www.appg-aids.org.uk/ Advisor attended the hearing meeting on Integration into UK Society and recommendations.
Please find enclosed briefing information as appendix 16
June 2003: APPG AIDS: ‘Resistance, the Complication in Treating HIV Today.’ Dr Anton Pozniak and Dr Deenan Pillay briefed MPs and interested parties on the theme HIV/AIDS drug resistance and complications in treating HIV today. Advisor attended briefing.
Please find enclosed invitation as appendix 17
June 2003: FPA Annual evening reception. Hazel Blears, Minister for Public Health, was the key note speaker at the FPA annual reception. The Minister spoke about the Sexual Offences Bill and the Health Select Committee’s Report on Sexual Health in the UK, as well as the role of the independent advisor committee on Sexual Health in the UK. Group members attended the reception.
Please find enclosed invitation as appendix 18
13 July 2003: APPG Pro-Choice meeting. Sandra Gidley MP and a member of the Health Select Committee, reported back on the National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV, with particular reference to abortion issues at this Pro-choice meeting. Advisor and group members attended the meeting.
Please find enclosed minutes of meeting as appendix 19
July 2003: IPPF ‘Lust for Life’ meeting supported by Cherie Blair. Cherie Blair, the Prime Minister’s wife, hosted the SRHR IPPF ‘Lust for Life’ meeting at Downing Street No 10. Selected members attended.
Please find enclosed The Telegraph article on the reception as appendix 20
September 2003: Population Action International, MSI and IPPF’s Mexico City Policy- Access Denied publication launch. Population Action International, Marie Stopes International and International Planned Parenthood Federation launched its first study to document the impact of the Bush Administration’s Mexico City Policy: ‘Access Denied: U.S. Restriction on International Family Planning’. The study found that the controversial policy is taking a heavy toll on the lives and health of women, children and families around the world. Group members and advisor attended the launch.
Please find enclosed invitation as appendix 21
Christine McCafferty MP published an article in e-Politix Health Bulleting in November 2003 on the anti-abortion lobby.
Please find enclosed article as appendix 22
October 2003: APPG on Aids: Student Stop AIDS campaign – Unite to fight AIDS Tour. APPG on AIDS organised this briefing meeting for MPs on the Student Stop AIDS Campaign, which brings together student groups committed to fighting HIV/AIDS, linking them with youth activist across the world. The youth informed attendees on issues of concern and success stories.
Please find enclosed invitation and briefing as appendix 23
October 2003: UNFPA State of the World Population Report 2003 launch. Dr Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director UNFPA launched The State of the World Population Report 2003: ‘Making 1 billion count: Investing in adolescents’ health and rights.’
Advisor and group members attended the launch. The Report was subsequently distributed to all group members. The report received good press coverage.
Dr Thoraya Obaid met with group committee members later to discuss the group’s future Hearings on Linking Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS.
Please find enclosed invitation to the World Population Report, press launch and articles in the Mirror and the Guardian, which include interview with Christine McCafferty MP as appendix 24
October 2003: Trafficking of Women, LSHTM. Advisor attended a meeting at the LSHTM on the health risks and consequences of trafficking in women. Findings from a European study and a presentation of the WHO Ethical and Safety Recommendations for Interviewing Trafficked Women.
Please find enclosed invitation as appendix 25 14 October 2003: International Family Health publication: HIV/AIDS and drug Misuse in Russia: Harm Reduction Programmes and the Russian Legal System. Group members attended the above launch.
Please find enclosed invitation as appendix 26
November 2003: APPG Pro-Life, Sexual Health of the Nation. Professor Michael Adler, Consultant on the UK Sexual Health and HIV Strategy, Dr Trevor Stammers, St. George’s Hospital Medical School, London, Dr David Paton, Nottingham University and Dr Daniel Low-Beer, Cambridge University briefed MPs and Peers on the UK Sexual Health and HIV Strategy. Advisor infiltrated with local news reporters in order to balance the argument and correct certain misinformation.
Please find enclosed invitation as appendix 27
November 2003: Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) launch of recommendations on public consultation on sex selection techniques in the UK. The HFEA public consultation on sex selection techniques in the UK was launched. It recommended that the current UK policy of only allowing sex selection to avoid serious sex-linked disorders should continue.
Please find enclosed invitation and press statement of findings as appendix 28
November 2003: APPG on AIDS meeting on the role of Palliative Care in HIV/AIDS in the Developing World. Dr J. O’Neil, Deputy Director and Chief Medical Officer, Global AIDS Co-ordinator’s Planning Task Force, UK Department of States, Dr L. Mpanga Sebuyira, Director of Clinical Services and Clinical Education, Hospice Africa Uganda, and Dr L. Gwyther, CEO of St Luke’s Hospice, Cape Town and Lecturer in Palliative Medicine, University of Cape Town briefed MPs and Peers on the role of palliative care in HIV/AIDS in the Developing World. Group members and advisor attended the meeting.
Please find enclosed invitation and briefing as appendix 29
December 2003: SafeHands for Mothers launch. A new Reproductive Health NGO: Safehands for Mothers, was created to assist health professionals in their fight to prevent deaths and suffering in pregnancy and childbirth. The driving force behind the NGO is Nancy Durrell McKenny a Canadian photographer. The NGO centres on photographs of maternity and childbirth. The filming and photography communicate the need brilliantly to donors. Tony Worthington MP and Treasurer of the APPG on PD&RH is a trustee of the NGO. Group members and advisor attended the launch.
Please find enclosed invitation and press release as appendix 30
January 2004: APPG Pro-Life meeting on Induced abortion as a risk factor for breast cancer: the facts Professor Joel Brind of human biology and endocrinology at Baruch College, the City of University of New York, also President of the Breast Cancer Prevention Institute, Poughkeepsie, New York spoke about the linkage between induced abortion and breast cancer. Advisor attended the meeting, which was fairly well attended by the press. Questions were posed by the press, advisor and many other attendees, which reinforced the fact that no link has been made between induced abortion and breast cancer as the speaker had inferred.
Please find enclosed invitation as appendix 31
15 January 2004: HFEA Annual General Meeting. Melanie Johnson MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health was the keynote speaker at the annual HFEA meeting. Melanie Johnson MP announced that the Government has taken on board the HFEA public consultation in November on sex selection. She further announced that sperm donors from next year will no longer be anonymous, as it is believed to be in the child’s ‘best interests’ to be able to trace his/her biological parent. The meeting touched on the European Union Tissue Directive, the Role of Registers, and the State of Welfare of the Child and the Future Role of the Primary Care Trusts in IVF. Group members also members of the Science Select Committee and advisor attended the meeting. Robert Key MP later briefed APPG on PD&RH committee members on the meeting.
Please find enclosed invitation, outline of meeting and a briefing as appendix 32
February 2004: Gender Perspective in HIV/AIDS – Have We Forgotten? Dr Geeta Rao Gupta, President of the International Center for Research on Women briefed attendees on the Gender Perspective in HIV/AIDS at the LSHTM. Advisor attended.
Please find enclosed invitation as appendix 33
February 2004: A UNAIDS initiative: The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS: HIV prevention and protection efforts are failing women and girls. Ludfine Anyango, National HIV/AIDS Coordinator, ActionAid Kenya, Peter Piot, Executive Director, Joint UNAIDS, Mary Robinson, Executive Director, Ethical Globalization Initiative and Emma Thompson, actress, spoke at this press conference, which highlighted the plight of women and girls in light of the growing global HIV/AIDS epidemic. Advisor attended the press conference.
Please find enclosed invitation to press launch and briefing as appendix 34
February 2004: Interact Worldwide showcase 2004. Joan Ruddock MP was the guest speaker at the preview of Interact Worldwide’s international and domestic work, featuring the launch of the sexual health video ‘Parallel Lives’. Advisor attended the meeting.
Please find enclosed invitation as appendix 35
February 2004: UNFPA and Alan Guttmacher “Adding it up: The benefits of Investing in Sexual and Reproductive Health Care” press conference. Dr Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director, UNFPA and Sharon Camp, President of Alan Guttmacher Institute introduced and summarised the Report: ‘Adding it up: The benefit of Investing in Sexual and Reproductive Health Care’. MPs, Peers and advisor attended the press launch and briefings were subsequently distributed to all group members.
Please find enclosed invitation, briefing, press launch and statement by Sharon Camp as appendix 36
March 2004: APPG AIDS meeting: More Disturbing Symptoms: How Primary Care Trusts are Managing the Rising Challenge of Sexual Health and HIV. Terrence Higgins Trust together with two other major agencies involved in sexual health and HIV in the UK summarised their second annual survey on how Primary Care Trusts are managing the rinsing challenge of Sexual Health issues and HIV in the UK. Advisor attended the meeting.
Please find enclosed invitation and key findings of survey as appendix 37
16 March 2004: UNICEF UK presents ‘Childscapes’ Exhibition in Parliament. Group members and advisor visited the exhibition, which was a pictorial journey through the UN convention on the Rights of the Child.
Please find enclosed invitation to visit exhibition as appendix 38
March 2004: Durex briefing dinner MPs and advisor attended a Durex briefing dinner and were informed about Durex’s work to improve sexual health nationally as well as internationally.
Please find enclosed invitation together with their global sex survey as appendix 39
March 2004: Regulating Assisted Conception Video link Seminar Advisor attended the video link seminar on assisted conception at the London School of Economics.
Please find enclosed briefing enclosed as appendix 40
European Meetings Inter-European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development The close collaboration between the UK APPG on PD&RH and the IEPFPD and its members continue.
Many inquiries and requests for information from other APPG on PD&RH secretariats have been dealt with via e-mail either directly or via the IEPFPD. Many requests for information have been referred to the UK APPG on PD&RH website.
At the Annual General Meeting in Lisbon in May 2003 Martyn Jones MP took up the position as the UK representative at the IEPFPD after Christine McCafferty MP stood down.
Martyn Jones MP attended IEPFPD committee meetings in July 2003 and November 2003 in Brussels. APPG on PD&RH committee members were briefed upon his return on the discussions and the outcome of the meetings.
The UK APPG on PD&RH has signed up to various European led campaigns during the year including the statement of commitment on reproductive health supplies.
Please find enclosed statement of commitment and briefing on reproductive health supplies as appendix 41
In April 2004 Baroness Thomas and advisor attended the fourth IEPFPD Annual General Meeting in Ankara, Turkey. The IEPFPD Executive Committee considered the future status of the IEPFPD Secretariat. The IEPFPD became independent of IPPF in 2004. At the AGM Baroness Thomas presented the APPG on PD&RH annual activities and summarised the day’s events and discussions.
Please find enclosed Press Release on the AGM and Baroness Thomas briefing notes APPG on PD&RH Annual Activities and the IEPFPD closing statement as appendix 42
In December the IEPFPD organised a young MP’s meeting on SRHR. Young MPs were approached in the UK Parliament to attend the meeting; however the new young MPs have either taken up Ministerial positions or were unable to attend. In response to a request from the IEPFPD, Viscount Craigavon extended an invitation for them to visit the UK Parliament. The visit was greatly appreciated.
17 EuroNGO On behalf of the group, advisor attended the EuroNGO Annual Meeting in Finland, October 2003. The meeting was hosted by the Finnish FPA.
Please find enclosed DAC funding graphs presented at the EuroNGO meeting, which was forwarded to group members as appendix 43
A group of EuroNGO members developed a media project: ‘To better communications’ which took off in 2003. The overall aim of the project was to ensure media attention to the tenth anniversary of the ICPD Programme of Action around Europe. Advisor attended one of the planning meetings in Lisbon, Portugal in January 2004. Two big European-wide events were planned namely the ICPD+10 Bill event in July 2004 and a candle-lit event to commemorate the many women dying in childbirth around the world in October 2004, which will be reported on in next years annual report.
Please find enclosed summary of planned events from meeting in Lisbon January 2004 as appendix 44
Council of Europe Chair of the APPG on PD&RH continues to be a member of the Social Health and Family Committee in the Council of Europe (CoE). Advisor has been in regular contact with the CoE secretariat and the IEPFPD to coordinate and support Christine McCafferty MP and other MPs activities in the CoE on SRHR issues. Various reports on SRHR and Population have been debated in the CoE this year:
1. European Strategy for the promotion of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights – Christine McCafferty MP (UK, Labour Party). Christine McCafferty MP was successful in having her European Strategy for the promotion of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights adopted by the CoE Assembly in October 2004. This report can be seen as the CoE’s contribution to the 10th Anniversary of the ICPD PoA. A small conservative group CARE tried to influence the report by urging parliamentarians to refer the report back to committee on the grounds that Sexual and Reproductive Health are not relevant in a Europe with ‘declining birth rates’. The IEPFPD with support from the UK APPG contacted parliamentarians and provided them with briefings on CARE and its previous radical positions on these issues.
Advisor attended one of the CoE Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights debates in the CoE in Paris this year. At the debate advisor met with other UK MPs including George Foulkes MP, who subsequently agreed to join the UK APPG on PD&RH.
Please find enclosed briefing for debates at the CoE on SRHR in Europe as well as briefing note and briefing on CARE and the full CoE SRHR Report as appendix 45
2. Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men. Impact of the ‘Mexico City Policy’ on the free choice of contraception in Europe - Mrs Zwerever MP (Netherlands, Socialist Group). Mrs Zwerever MP was successful in having her Impact on the ‘Mexico City Policy’ on the free choice of contraception in Europe Report adopted in September 2003.
Please find enclosed Report Summary as appendix 46
3. Human Stem Cell Research Report – Mr Wolfgang Wodarg MP (Germany, Socialist Group). Mr Wolfgang Wodarg MP was successful in having his Human Stem Cell Research Report adopted in October 2003.
18 Please find enclosed appeal to members of the PACE for a rejection of the Asciak Report on “Human Stem Cell Research” and the Report Summary as appendix 47
4. Population trends in Europe and their sensitivity to policy measures – Mr Christian Brunhart MP (Liechtenstein, European People’s Party). Mr Christian Brunhart MPs report is still being debated. Christine McCafferty MP was the rapporteur for the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee to the report.
Please find enclosed Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee report and the population report as appendix 48
During the year Christine McCafferty MP has also participated actively in CoE debates on Adolescents and Women.
Please find enclosed briefings prepared on the issues as appendix 49
Study Tours Malawi and Uganda 6 UK MPs, Martyn Jones MP, Dr Jenny Tonge MP, Candy Atherton MP, Sandra Osborne MP, Richard Ottaway MP and Debra Shipley MP participated in MSI study tours to Malawi (May 2003) and Uganda (April 2002).
A debriefing dinner with MSI executive Director Tim Black, Director of External Relations and Resource Development, Patricia Hindmarsh and MSI programme staff was organised in December 2004. MPs participating in the study tours were impressed with MSI’s work in the two countries visited. Discussions took place on a variety of issues over dinner, including number of clients visiting services when having to pay and the cleanliness and quality of services offered at MSI clinics.
Local press followed the UK MPs on the Malawi study tour throughout their trip which ensured good local media coverage. Study tour teams met with UK DfID country representatives, Ministry of Health officials and local staff and clientele.
Two short study tour films were prepared and presented at the debriefing dinner for discussion. MPs were given copies for future parliamentary and constituency meetings.
Please find enclosed local press clippings as appendix 50
Please find enclosed letter from Debra Shipley MP and article in MSI magazine as appendix 51
MPs visit to Malawi Parliament.
19 MPs visit to BLMs Reproductive Health medicine, equipment and supply store. The store was spacious and clean. From left to right - Candy Atherton MP, Sandra Osborne MP, Martyn Jones MP and Jenny Tonge MP.
MPs displaying BLMs condoms due for distribution. BLM Family Planning supply include condoms, oral contraceptive pills, injectables, Norplant, IUCDs, foam tablets. BLM/MSI clinics also offer permanent family planning methods such as tubal ligation and vasectomies.
MPs and BLM's Health Advisor outside BLM clinic in Mulanje. All BLM/MSI clinics visited were identically blue and white painted buildings. Standard guidelines and treatment was provided at all clinics. Staff, clinics, surroundings and rooms were very welcoming and clean. Sterilisation rooms and pit latrine were found at all clinics.
MPs inspecting clinic register to determine number of visit per day. Most clinics saw between 40 - 60 clients per day. Female sterilisations were performed under local anaesthetic. Husbands would often pick up their wives a couple of hours after the procedure and bring them home on their bicycles. Women were advised not to do any strenuous work in the first couple of weeks after the procedure. MPs spoke to women soon after their surgery.
20 Malawians observing HIV/AIDs and Family Planning community information in Ngabu.
MPs speaking to locals at roadside in Mulanje.
MPs speaking to locals at roadside in Mulanje.
Tea plantation workers in Mulanje. A mixture of men and women worked at the tea plantations. Workers earned an average of $1 per day. Free lodging, schooling and medical care was provided
Farmer and his wife at a tea plantation Mulanja.
21 Visit to the largest Malawi National Prison in Zomba. Prison Director welcomed the MPs and gave a brief overview of BLM/MSI support to the prison. MPs were encouraged to ask questions and were invited to visit any area. A request for the visit had only been made the previous day.
Zomba Prison disabled footwear workshop. Prisoners soon to be released at work in the workshop.
Female ward in Zomba Prison. Zomba Prison was overcrowded according to prison staff. There were however few female prisoners, female wards hence were airy with a grocery garden and separate toilet facilities. One lady informed MPs that she was given life imprisonment for murdering her husband.
MPs speaking with female prisoners.
22 Candy Atherton MP said: ‘BLM does quite exceptional work in Malawi and deserves every support. I hope they expand, reach further into rural areas and go from strength to strength.’
Sandra Osborne MP said: “I was very impressed by the quality and consistency of the service provided by BLM in the face of pressing and overwhelming need. The educational and consciousness raising methods on family planning were clearly reaping dividends as well as providing some entertaining drama for local communities. However the HIV/AIDS situation we witnessed at Blantyre District Hospital was extremely distressing - many more resources are obviously urgently needed as well as an assessment of whether or not existing funds are being deployed in the most effective way, while retaining the dignity of those who are dying. It was a privilege to see at close quarters the positive impact that can be made on sexual and reproductive health and women's rights when the funding is made available to make it happen.”
Martyn Jones MP said: "It was my first visit to sub-Saharan Africa and it confirmed all the horror stories of the problems that those countries are experiencing. Malawi has the advantage of a good infrastructure and a relative stable government, however the country is desperately poor and the government has only recently taken serious steps to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
We were welcomed everywhere we went by friendly people.
BLM with support from Marie Stopes International, is doing wonderful work and are extending their reproductive health services, which is necessary to provide cover to the rural areas.
Lastly I will never forget the scenes in the female medical ward in Blantyre General Hospital, where they had only cared for two HIV negative patients in two years!"
Dr Jenny Tonge MP said: "The Aids pandemic is affecting Malawi like any other African country and, because the country is so poor, they have few resources to deal with it. NGOs, like BLM, are doing a great job on educating and providing facilities for reproductive health but many people cannot reach the clinics or cannot afford the [very low] charges for condoms and pills.
I was very concerned that the hospitals are being totally swamped by AIDS patients. There is hardly any treatment available for them and wards built for 40 patients often contain up to 200 patients with 3 or 4 nurses trying to cope.
This not only blocks hospital beds for other patients who are to be treated but means that health professionals are demoralised and are leaving Malawi in droves - the health services in Malawi have a 40% vacancy rate.
There needs to be a new approach to provide community support [a district nursing service?] for AIDS patients and their families so that the hospitals can stop being hospices for the dying and start being proper hospitals again."
Dr Jenny Tonge MP was quoted in PLANetWIRE publication from Scotland on Sunday June edition: ‘President Bush is doing (i.e. stopped funding overseas SRHR NGOs) this because some of these programmes (i.e. reproductive health programme) are also trying to combat unsafe abortion, which is a major cause of maternal death in poor countries.’
Please find enclosed article as appendix 52
Dr Jenny Tonge MP also prepared an article in The Parliamentary Monitor December 2003 issue where she refers to President Bush ABC approach and how the emphasis on A will not succeed in combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Third World.
Please find enclosed article as appendix 53
23 Slovakia Following Christine McCafferty MP’s study to Slovakia in April 2003, to investigate the “Body and Soul report: “Forced Sterilisation and other assaults on Roma Reproductive Freedom” and her subsequent statement, the Slovak Republic issued a resolution on 29th October 2003. The Resolution instructed Ministers to take steps to combat the Human Rights and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights abuses in the Slovak Republic.
EuroNGO members were forwarded Christine McCafferty MP’s study tour statement via e-mail in response to requests from EuroNGO members.
Please find enclosed Christine McCafferty MP’s statement together with a letter from the Center for Reproductive Rights and the resolution of the Government of the Slovak Republic as appendix 54
China The UK MP delegation’s quote from China study tour report in April 2002: ‘UNFPA is a force for good in China’, continues to be quoted in the international press and in Parliamentary debates.
In September 2003 Mme. Pan Guiyu, Vice Minister, National Population and Family Planning Commission of China and her staff Ms. Cui Li, Director-General, Dept. of Personnel, Dr Baige, Dept. of International Cooperation, and Ms. Chen Bingshu, Interpreter, visited the UK.
The delegation requested to meet with the newly appointed Secretary of State for International Development, Baroness Amos and the China study tours team.
The APPG on PD&RH organised the meeting between the Chinese delegation and Baroness Amos in the HoC on 18th September. The delegation briefed Baroness Amos on China’s Family Planning/Reproductive Health programme. On the evening of 18th April a dinner was hosted in Parliament for the delegation by Christine McCafferty MP. Norman Lamb MP, Edward Leigh MP, and Baroness Flather attended the dinner. Discussions took place on the rolling out of the UNFPA programme and recent developments in China.
General Written Briefings Committee and group members have received UNFPA’s Global Population Policy update and Opposition update newsletters regularly together with 18 internal written briefings to ensure members are updating on SRHR/population issues and in response to specific requests.
May 2003: All APPG PD&RH members received a general newsletter briefing on SRHR funding, policy and programme issues.
Please find APPG PD&RH newsletter enclosed as appendix 55
May 2003: Candy Atherton MP requested information on opposition in Europe in connection with her parliamentary visit to Poland and in response to the UNFPA opposition briefing meeting in February and the MSI study tour in May 2003.
Please find enclosed correspondence forwarded as appendix 56
June 2003: All APPG on PD&RH members received MSI’s position paper on Reproductive Health for Refugees on World Refugee day the 20th June 2003.
Please find enclosed covering letters and position paper as appendix 57 24 July 2003: APPG on PD&RH committee members received a briefing on Bush’s war on women.
Please find enclosed briefings as appendix 58
August 2003: All APPG on PD&RH members received a briefing on opposition in Europe.
Please find enclosed briefing as appendix 59
August 2003: Christine McCafferty MP visited Poland in February 2004 in support of her European Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy. Various information relating to Poland and SRHR was forwarded including a briefing on the Dutch “abortion” boat in Polish waters.
Please find enclosed study tour programme and a briefing as appendix 60
August 2003: Baroness Massey requested information on FGM for the FGM debate in the HoL. She was referred to the APPG on PD&RH website where all relevant information is available.
Please find enclosed e-mail sent to Baroness Massey as appendix 61
August 2003: Dr Jenny Tonge MP was forwarded the WHO article on demystifying antiretroviral therapy in resource-poor settings following discussions on the subject during the Malawi study tour.
Please find enclosed article sent as appendix 62
August 2003: Dr Jenny Tonge MP was forwarded a briefing and summary table of overseas nurses and midwives recruited into the UK from year 1998 – 2003 in response to a request following concerns during the Malawi study tour that the UK is responsible for ‘brain drain’ from Malawi. Information was subsequently handed round at an APPG on PD&RH committee meeting.
Please find enclosed briefing and summary table as appendix 63
September 2003: Tony Worthington MP was forwarded a briefing on Bush Administration’s ‘Global Gag Rule’ jeopardizing Health Care, weakening HIV/AIDS prevention, and endangering lives, in support of the forthcoming APPG on PD&RH Hearings in April 2004.
Please find enclosed briefing as appendix 64
October 2003: Robert Key MP and Christine McCafferty MP were forwarded a summary presentation on UK Sexual Health by Cathy Hamlyn, Head of Sexual Health and Substance Misuse, Department of Health – the Governments response to the Health Select Committee’s Report on Sexual Health.
Please find enclosed briefing as appendix 65
October 2003: All APPG on PD&RH received a copy of UNFPA’s state of the world population report 2003: ‘Investigating in adolescents’ health and rights’.
Please find enclosed covering letter and front and content page as appendix 66
25 October 2003: All APPG on PD&RH received a copy of MSI’s publication: Overview - Opinion Leader Research. Christine McCafferty MP, Tony Worthington MP and Robert Key MP all participated in the survey either in person at the organised workshop or via telephone interviews.
Please find enclosed summary report as appendix 67
January 2004: Richard Ottaway MP was forwarded an opinion piece by Population Institute President Werner Fornos from the International Herald Tribune.
Please find enclosed briefing as appendix 68
January 2004: Robert Key MP requested information on fertility in the UK and Europe in support of an article he was preparing.
Please find enclosed briefing forwarded as appendix 69
February 2004: Richard Ottaway MP visited South Africa in his Parliamentary capacity and requested a briefing on South Africa’s population and fertility rates.
Please find enclosed population briefing as appendix 70
February 2004: Robert Key MP and other group members requested a briefing in connection with the Gender Recognition Bill debate in the HoC. Advisor contacted the gender change NGO ‘Press for Change’ for briefings and David Chaplin prepared an internal briefing also.
Please find enclosed briefing forwarded to members enclosed as appendix 71
February 2004: All APPG on PD&RH members received a summary of the UNFPA and Alan Guttmacher Institute Report: Adding it up: Benefits of Investing in Sexual and Reproductive Health Care. Some members subsequently requested a copy of the full report which was forwarded on to them.
Please find enclosed covering letter as appendix 72 and see appendix 36 for summary of report
General Correspondence Committee members and advisor have held both formal and informal meetings and corresponded regularly throughout the year with a variety of both national and international SRHR stakeholders and press people including:
UK DfID officials, MPs and Ministers, UN officials, national, regional and international APPGs secretariats and MPs, Trust Funds and Foundations, academic staff and national and independent journalists.
Regularly discussion and meetings have taken place with staff from IPPF, MSI, Interact Worldwide, IFH, FORWARD, Agency for Culture and Change Management, Black Women's Health and Family Support, APPG AIDS, APPG Pro-Choice, APPG International Development, PGA, UNFPA, WHO, IEPFPD, AFPPD, Population Action International, ACPD, CoE, LSHTM and CFFC.
Advisor has met regularly throughout the year with SRHR NGO representatives to discuss SRHR NGO input into the work of the APPG on PD&RH. Advisor has also been in regular contact with the Chair of the UK SRHR NGO network and has been updated on network activities through telephone and e-mail correspondence.
26 Many queries in relation to APPG on PD&RH activities have been referred to the group’s website.
The group has received numerous congratulations on the updated website. The following statistics have been compiled on website usage:
w w w . a p p g - p o p d e v r h . o r g . u k N u m b e r o f p a g e h i t s
9 0 0 0
8 0 0 0
7 0 0 0
6 0 0 0
5 0 0 0
4 0 0 0
3 0 0 0
2 0 0 0
1 0 0 0
0 A p r i l M a y J u n e J u l y A u g u s t S e p t e m b e r O c t o b e r N o v e m b e r D e c e m b e r J a n u a r y F e b r u a r y M a r c h
2 0 0 3 - 0 4
Please find enclosed copy of website front page as appendix 73
Advisor briefed Optimum Population Trust board members on APPG on PD&RH activities as requested by the trust. Questions followed the presentation.
Please find enclosed presentation used as talking points as appendix 74
Various national, international and independent journalists and researchers contacted Christine McCafferty MP and advisor during the year for advice on group activities and specific SRHR issues. Communication took place either via telephone, e-mail or in person.
Please find enclosed examples of e-mail correspondence as appendix 75
Parliamentary Debates, Questions and Early Day Motions Specific briefings were prepared and disseminated by advisor during the course of the year for debates and PQs, as requested by group members.
Debates April 2003: HoL HIV and East Africa debate Baroness Northover participated in the above debate. She made reference to HIV, education and maternal and infant mortality.
Please find enclosed briefing prepared and HoL Hansard as appendix 76
November 2003: HoC United Nations debate Tony Worthington MP participated in this debate. He made reference to his disapproval of US withdrawal of funding to UNFPA.
Please find enclosed HoC Hansard as appendix 77
December 2003: Westminster Hall HIV/AIDS debate
27 Tony Worthington MP participated in the above debate. President Bush’s anti-choice and ABC agenda was raised as well as the ICPD PoA and the Ottawa parliamentary declaration. Please find enclosed HoC Hansard as appendix 78
December 2003: HoL Queen’s speech debate Viscount Craigavon participated in the above debate. He focused on the MDGs and population and reproductive health issues.
Please find enclosed HoL Hansard as appendix 79
January 2004: HoL Development Aid debate Various group members participated in this debate including Lord Rea and Baroness Northover.
Lord Rea raised the importance of increasing ODA especially for reproductive health services. Reference was made to the Ottowa parliamentary declaration, which recommends that 5 -10 per cent of national development budget be used for reproductive health.
Please find enclosed briefing and HoL Hansard as appendix 80
March 2004: HoC Women, Equality and Human Rights debate Various group members participated in above debate including Sandra Gidley MP and Betty Williams MP.
Please find enclosed HoC Hansard as appendix 81
March 2004: HoL Women debate Baroness Gould participated in above debate. Amongst many issues Baroness Gould made reference to the new FGM Act.
Please find enclosed HoL Hansard as appendix 82
Questions Parliamentary questions on the issues of SRHR funding, policies and programme work were tabled by group members.
HoC written PQs European Commission budget and maternal mortality – Tony Worthington MP Reproductive Health Care funding to Afghanistan/Iraq – Christine McCafferty MP Funding to SRHR work: Bilateral, UN and civil society organisations – Christine McCafferty MP Reproductive Health and Sector Wide Approach and PRSPs – Christine McCafferty MP DfID’s policy unit reorganisation – Christine McCafferty MP Proportional spending on Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS services – Richard Ottaway MP General Reproductive Health funding – Christine McCafferty MP Funding to Reproductive Health commodities and supplies – Christine McCafferty MP ECOSOC meeting – Christine McCafferty MP
Please find enclosed HoC PQs and responses as appendix 83
HoC oral PQs Maternal Mortality and UNFPA – Dr Jenny Tonge MP Linking Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS – Tony Worthington MP Impact of US withdrawal of funding to UNFPA – Robert Key MP MDGs and Reproductive Health commodity security supply – Christine McCafferty MP/ Tony Worthington MP/Dr Jenny Tonge MP 28 Overseas Development Aid and the Global Fund – Dr Jenny Tonge MP
Please find enclosed HoC PQs and responses as appendix 84
HoL oral PQs HIV/AIDS drugs – Baroness Northover International Family Health and HIV/AIDS – Viscount Craigavon MDG and Reproductive Health – Viscount Craigavon/Baroness Flather/Baroness Thomas
Please find enclosed briefings forwarded in support of questions relating to global shortage of reproductive health/family planning supplies, MDGs and world population day and HoL Hansard as appendix 85
Baroness Gould, Baroness Massey and Baroness Lockwood tabled questions during the year relating to UK national sexual health problems.
Various articles have appeared in national newspapers during the year relating to the increase in STIs in the UK as well as issues around abortions.
Please find enclosed some articles as appendix 86
Early Day Motions An EDM was tabled in connection with the World Population Day by Christine McCafferty MP and signed by members of the group and other supportive MPs. EDM 1531 – 41 Signatures
McCafferty/Chris
WORLD POPULATION DAY 7th July 2003
That this House calls attention to World Population Day on 11th July; commends the United Nations' Population Fund for designating this date in 1989 to focus attention on the importance of world population and reproductive health issues; endorses the concepts of sexual and reproductive health and rights as enshrined in the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development's Programme of Action; and call upon the Government to increase funding to sexual and reproductive health and rights organisations such as UNFPA, International Planned Parenthood Concern, Marie Stopes International, Interact Worldwide previous Population Concern, International Family Health and reproductive bilateral aid in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, by improving maternal health, reducing child mortality, combating HIV/AIDS and ensuring environmental sustainability and thereby eradicating poverty. Please find enclosed signatures to the EDM as appendix 87
5 opposition MP’s proposed amendments to the EDM as follows
EDM 1531A1
WORLD POPULATION DAY Amdt. line 1: 10.07.03
Jim Dobbin, Mr Joe Benton, Mr Kerry Pollard, Mr Stephen Pound and Ann Winterton leave out from 'July' to 'improving' in line 10, and add 'notes recent investigations by the Peruvian Congress and the United States State Department that have concluded that the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has been complicit in coercive abortion and has forced sterilisation campaigns in Peru and China; regrets that the Government has not reconsidered its support for the UNFPA in the light of these investigations; encourages the Government to increase its international development budget to meet the need for food, clean water and primary health care in developing countries rather than devoting such funds to population control programmes; further notes that the most effective strategy to reduce maternal mortality is to ensure that all women are attended at birth by a skilled attendant backed by timely access to emergency obstetric care in 29 the event of a life threatening complication; congratulates the United States Administration for allocating $15 billion towards fighting the scourge of HIV/AIDS in Africa; and is deeply concerned at the lack of sustained political commitment towards'.
Meetings and Correspondence with DfID and Foreign Office In the beginning of April 2003 Clare Short MP, Secretary of State for International Development stood down.
Baroness Amos was appointed the new Secretary of State for International Development and later in the year Hilary Benn MP replaced Baroness Amos and Gareth Thomas MP was appointed the Under Secretary of State for International Development.
Both Hilary Benn MP and Gareth Thomas MP have been very supportive on SRHR and HIV/AIDS issues throughout their career. Gareth Thomas MP was a member of both the APPG Pro-choice and PD&RH at his appointment. Letters of congratulations were sent to the newly appointed Secretary of States.
Please find enclosed letter sent to USS for ID Gareth Thomas MP as appendix 88
Just prior to Clare Short MP’s resignation a major restructuring within DfID’s policy division had taken place. The restructuring had dissolved the previous Population and Reproductive Health Unit and mainstreamed Reproductive Health within other units, which meant that there was no longer a focal point or designated people responsible for Population and Reproductive Health issues within DfID. This was of great concern to the group and the SRHR civil society especially as it sent a strong message to the world that DfID no longer prioritised SRHR.
The APPG on PD&RH members have been in regular contact with DfID Ministers throughout the year and there has been a two way communication between advisor and DfID’s SRHR and HIV/AIDS civil servants.
Meeting between Secretary of State for International Development and MPs In June 2003 MPs with specific interests relating to International Development were invited to meet with the new SS for ID. Christine McCafferty MP raised concerns in relation to restructuring within DfID’s policy unit.
Please find enclosed briefing prepared for meeting as appendix 89
Hilary Been MP, the new SS for ID emphasised DfID’s strong support to SRHR in light of achieving the MDGs and promised to look into the group’s concern.
Soon after the MDG team was reorganised and renamed MDG and Reproductive Health team. Christine McCafferty MP received a personal letter from Hilary Benn MP outlining the reorganisation and the renaming of the MDG team.
Please find enclosed letter from Hilary Benn MP which was sent to committee members as appendix 90
Meeting between DfID Senior Advisors and DfID’s Select Committee At the Annual Meeting on DfID’s Annual Report between DfID’s Permanent Secretary Suma Chakrabati, senior advisors and the DfID Select committee, Christine McCafferty MP and Tony Worthington MP raised concerns over the lack of attention to Reproductive Health in DfID’s Annual Report 2003. Subsequently, a very positive response was received, a copy was sent to SRHR NGO executive directors and presented to APPG on PD&RH committee members.
30 Please find enclosed press release on DfID’s Annual Report, response from DfID and letters sent to SRHR Executive Directors and their replies appendix 91
At the DfID Annual Meeting Christine McCafferty also raised UK Gender and Development Network’s concerns. A letter was received thanking her for her support to gender issues.
Please find enclosed thank you letter from WOMANKIND Worldwide as appendix 92
Meeting between DfID’s MDG and Reproductive Health team and SRHR civil society In September 2003 DfID MDG and Reproductive Health team shared their annual workplan with SRHR civil society and the APPG on PD&RH. The workplan was well received.
Please find enclosed the work-plan as appendix 93
DfID’s MDG and Reproductive Health team also called for a meeting with the SRHR civil society in September 2003 to discuss the proposed Reproductive Health position paper. Advisor attended with input from group members. Advisor made specific reference to the importance of linking SRHR and HIV/AIDS both in the Reproductive Health position paper but also in the HIV Strategy due to be published soon.
Please find enclosed meeting programme and UK Network on SRHR response to DfID’s Reproductive Health Position Paper as appendix 94
As noted under the heading: APPG on PD&RH meetings, group members met with DfID Reproductive Health advisors in March 2004 to discuss the newly drafted SRHR Position Paper also.
The group was generally very pleased with the position paper. Only a few minor issues were raised at the meeting, which were subsequently forwarded in writing to SS for ID as requested by DfID staff.
Please find enclosed letter sent to SS for ID Hilary Benn MP as appendix 95
Meeting between DfID’s Permanent Secretary Suma Chakrabati and Baroness Flather Baroness Flather scheduled a meeting with DfID’s Permanent Secretary Suma Chakrabati to discuss various development issues.
The following SRHR issues were discussed:
ECLAC meeting DfID’s Reproductive Health Position Paper APPG on PD&RH Hearings on Linking SRHR and HIV/AIDS Commodity Security Supply
Please find enclosed briefing on recommended issues for discussion and reply from Reproductive Health Deputy Team Leader, Reproductive and Child Health Team as appendix 96
Correspondence between Foreign Office and APPG on PD&RH A letter was sent to Jack Straw MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs in response to concerns about religious provisions in the draft European Constitutional Treaty article 51. A reply was received from Denis MacShane, Minister for Europe. 31 Please find enclosed letter sent and reply as appendix 97
DfID funding to Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights and Population and HIV/AIDS DfID remains very supportive of SRHR and funding continues to increase. This year DfID increased is funding to IPPF from £4.5 million to £6 million and funding to UNFPA has been approved for the next couple of years of £18 million.
Please find enclosed article in The Guardian March 2004 on funding and DfID press release as appendix 98
Bilateral Aid by Sector: -Reproductive Health £ thousands
Financial Aid (Excl ATP) Other Programmes Grants Project and DFID or Aid and Other Debt Total Gross Sector Programme Technical Trade Aid in Humanitarian Relief Total DFID CDC Other Public Year Aid Aid Cooperation Provision Kind Assistance1 2 Programme3 Investments 4 Expenditure
1998/99 2240 - 11934 - 18212 - - 32386 - - 32386
1999/00 2415 - 16580 - 16781 - - 35775 - - 35775
2000/01 6639 - 17825 - 16790 - - 41255 - - 41255
2001/02 4827 - 18746 - 14380 - - 37952 - - 37952
2002/03 9172 - 19706 - 12340 - - 41218 - - 41218
2003/04 10752 1500 23401 - 12620 245 48518 - - 48518
Bilateral Aid by Sector: -Multisectoral Responses to HIV/AIDS £ thousands
Financial Aid (Excl ATP) Other Programmes Grants Project and DFID or Aid and Other Debt Total Gross Sector Programme Technical Trade Aid in Humanitarian Relief Total DFID CDC Other Public Year Aid Aid Cooperation Provision Kind Assistance1 2 Programme3 Investments 4 Expenditure
1998/99 1830 - 6343 - 4940 - - 13113 - - 13113
1999/00 996 - 8811 - 5443 112 - 15362 - - 15362
2000/01 350 - 7831 - 7034 - - 15216 - - 15219
2001/02 3984 - 16400 - 5744 - - 26129 - - 26129
2002/03 4888 - 29411 - 17384 129 - 51812 - - 51812
2003/04 7248 1500 32188 - 23650 1188 65774 - - 65774
32 £ thousand Name 2003/2004 2002/2003 2001/02 2000/01 1999/00 1998/99 1997/98 1996/97 UNFPA 18,100 9,000 24,213 40,050 15,000 13,120 11,500 10,000 WHO 34,418 34,156 41,348 75,110 20,300 8,091 12,099 11,619 UNICEF 17,303 17,366 17,500 2,269 29,143 10,461 9,241 13,847 UNAIDS 3,000 3,052 3,052 3,000 3,000 2,750 2,300 3,500 IPPF 10,500 4,500 4,500 5,500 5,500 5,500 5,850 7,850 MSI 1,684 2,979 2,554 5,132 4,945 4,235 3,103 3,202 Interact Worldwide 0 0 0 3 51 28 138 91 IFH 0 0 628 508 773 1,151 1,175 762
33 National Bills, Acts, Policies and Strategies UK Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 As a follow up to the groups 2000 FGM Hearings a Private Members Bill on FGM was put forward. It went through the committee stages and had its second and third reading in HoL in September and October 2003. Several group members were on the committee and participated in the debates.
Please find enclosed FGM briefings sent to group members on the FGM committee and FGM debate HoL 12th September 2003 as appendix 99
The FGM Bill gained Royal Assent October 2003 and became the FGM Act 2003.
Please find enclosed BBC News report on the new FGM Act as appendix 100
The new FGM law extends to extra-territorial acts. A person assisting with FGM will be guilty under the Act and can be liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term up to 14 years or a fine or both.
The new FGM Act can be viewed on the website: http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/20030031.htm
Legislation alone will not eradicate the practice but strengthening the law in this way sends a strong message about the unacceptability of FGM, which will hopefully have a deterrent effect. It will provide a useful springboard for taking forward wider enforcement and education activities in consultation and collaboration with NGOs and social and health professionals.
Please find enclosed the FGM Act as appendix 101
Christine McCafferty MP was invited and agreed to be the introductory speaker at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists study day on FGM on 11th February 2004. She presented and spoke about the new FGM Act.
Please find enclosed invitation and programme as appendix 102
Please find enclosed the Guardian article on FGM in connection with the International Women’s Day as appendix 103
Christine McCafferty MP also agreed to speak at the FGM conference in May 2004 for medical, police and social services staff.
Please find enclosed invitation and programme as appendix 104
34 There have been regular requests for copies of the APPG on PD&RH's FGM Hearing Report and Survey 2000 throughout the year. People have been referred to the group’s website to download documents.
Whilst the FGM Bill was debated in the chambers Christine McCafferty MP gave interviews to BBC Newsnight. She also met with students interested in the subject and a specialised midwife who was in the process of writing a book on FGM due for publication in 2005. Specific FGM briefings were also sent as requested to independent journalists.
Please find enclosed FGM correspondence as appendix 105
UK Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill was debated in 2003 – 2004 in both chambers and became an Act in October 2004.
Members of the group participated in the debates.
UK Gender Recognition Act 2004 The Gender Recognition Bill was debated in 2003 – 2004 in both chambers and became an Act in May 2004.
Members of the group participated in the debates.
UK Sexual Health and HIV Strategy The independent Advisory group on Sexual Health and HIV that was set up by the Department of Health and chaired by group member Baroness Gould, has been monitoring progress on the implementation of the UK Sexual Health and HIV Strategy in 2003 – 2004.
In June 2003 the HoC Health Select Committee published its Third Report on UK Sexual Health. In response to the Report, the Government published a Report.
Please find enclosed a summary brief forwarded to group members on the above publications together with NGO response to publications and an article prepared by Christine McCafferty MP for publication in The Times (unfortunately it was never published, however The Guardian journalist Sarah Boseley did publish an article in the Guardian on UK Sexual Health and the above reports as attached) as appendix 106
DfID Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS Policy, Strategy and Position Publications 2003/2004 DfID published the following policy, strategy and position papers this year:
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: A Position Paper, July 2004 Taking Action: The UK’s strategy for tackling HIV and AIDS in the developing world, July 2004 HIV and AIDS treatment and care policy, July 2004 Reducing maternal deaths: Evidence and action, September 2004 Talking about health, sex and pregnancy, July 2004 (summary report)
All publications are available on DfID’s website: www.dfid.gov.uk
Please find enclosed front cover of publications as appendix 107
National and International Conferences Parliamentary Network on World Bank Board Meeting, Kenya, July 2003 The Word Bank Parliamentary Network held its board meeting in July 2003 in Kenya. Tony Worthington MP, Treasurer of the group and also a member of the PNoWB attended the meeting.
Please find enclosed article in AFPPD newsletter on the meeting as appendix 108 35 Sexual and Reproductive Heath and Health Systems Development Conference: Exploring linkages and promoting dialogue, Leeds, UK, September 2003 Advisor attended this two day conference on exploring linkages and promoting dialogue between SRHR experts and health systems development experts in support of the forthcoming Parliamentary Hearings on Linking SRH and HIV/AIDS.
The meeting was organised by the University of Leeds and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. It was informative and useful in preparation for the APPG on PD&RH Hearings. Contacts were made with the World Bank Population Expert, SRHR editors and country Health Systems experts. Some were subsequently invited as expert witnesses to the Hearings.
All presentations and summary of conference can be found on the following website: http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/cps/events/link
Please find enclosed brief on the international conference as appendix 109
AFPPD Medical Parliamentarians Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, December 2003 Dr Howard Stoate MP and Lord Rea attended the AFPPD two day medical parliamentary conference and were updated on the latest medical advances. Committee members were briefed upon their return.
Please find enclosed AFPPD newsletter on the conference as appendix 110
UNECE ICPD+10 Conference, Geneva, Switzerland, January 2004 Christine McCafferty MP, Baroness Flather and advisor attended the technical roundtable UNECE ICPD+10 conference in Geneva, Switzerland in January 2004.
Christine McCafferty MP had been requested and accepted to be a key note speaker on the theme of ‘Childbearing and parenting in low fertility countries: enabling choices’. Two background papers were circulated to panel members.
The UN conference was a technical roundtable, which sought to assess ten years of progress since the 1994 ICPD. The conference reviewed programmes and priorities in the European nations.
Please find enclosed programme, Christine McCafferty MP’s presentation together with closing statement by Werner Haug as appendix 111
At the conference UK members met with other European MPs and exchanged ideas on future work.
ECLAC ICPD+10 Conference Santiago, March 2004 and Puerto Rico, June 2004 The US and the UK both have ECOSOC status and are members of the UN Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean.
Due to the US Administration and some right-wing Islamic countries anti-choice agenda, European APPGs on Population and Development were mobilised to brief national Government Ministers, MPs and civil servants on SRHR and the US’s anti-choice position for the ECLAC ICPD+10 conference in March and June 2004.
The UK APPG on PD&RH corresponded with Hilary Benn MP, SS for ID and DfID advisors before, during and after the ECLAC meetings. Favourable replies were received including the possibility of the Chair of the APPG on PD&RH being on the Government delegation.
Please find enclosed letter sent and replies received as appendix 112 36 DfID civil servants attended both regional conference and made strong statements in collaboration with other like-minded states. In Santiago, Latin American and Caribbean countries reaffirmed support for the Population and Reproductive Health action plan adopted at Cairo in 1994.
The US was the only country to disagree with a declaration linking poverty eradication to greater access to services for family planning, safe motherhood and HIV/AIDS prevention at the Santiago meeting.
In June, Christine McCafferty MP and advisor attended the Puerto Rico conference together with other IEPFPD members.
The US did not change the language of the landmark 1994 ICPD PoA as expected in Puerto Rico.
The combined effort amongst NGOs, APPGs and Government delegations was crucial in ensuring that the Cairo PoA was not modified by the US administration.
Please find enclosed UNFPA Press Release on Santiago conference as appendix 113
Communications Consortium Media Centre (CCMC) meeting, Washington, US, April 2004 Advisor attended the CCMC Media event meeting in Washington DC together with other European SRHR NGO media representatives. The meeting was organised in collaboration with the EuroNGO ‘To better communication’ project for media officers. The aim of the gathering and its meetings were for European NGOs to contact and update national media journalist in Washington DC on SRHR issues with specific reference to US SRHR foreign policies. The March for Women’s Lives on 25th April on Washington Mall was the main attraction drawing journalists to the issues.
Advisor collaborated with other UK SRHR NGO media experts in gaining media coverage.
Please find enclosed meeting agenda and some press coverage as appendix 114
Support to other Countries’ APPGs on PD&RH The group continue to exchange information and support the establishment of other APPGs through e-mails, briefings and meetings.
Spanish APPG on PD&RH In May 2003 three UK MPs namely Robert Key MP (C), Martyn Jones MP (Lab) and Baroness Thomas (LD) visited the Spanish APPG on Population, Development and Reproductive Health to exchange ideas and brief them of UK APPG on PD&RH activities. An exchange visit was organised for April 2004 to coincide with the UK APPG on PD&RH Hearings. Due to the Spanish elections the trip was postponed only a week prior to the Spanish MPs arrival.
UK APPG Pro-choice Christine McCafferty MP and advisor held meetings with Neil Gerrard MP, Chair of APPG AIDS and Baroness Gould, Chair of APPG Pro-Choice group in relation to expansion of the role of the APPG Pro-Choice. The group proclaimed its interest in expanding its remit to include Sexual Health in the UK, which overlaps with certain APPG on PD&RH and APPG AIDS activities.
After discussions it was agreed that any specific overlapping activities should take place in collaboration. Advisors and group members should work closely together. The APPG Pro-choice subsequently changed its name to: APPG Pro-choice and Sexual Health Group with the aim of raising awareness in Parliament of needs of women seeking
37 Abortion and the importance of improving all aspects of Sexual Health of women and men in the UK.
APPG on PD&RH Hearings 2004 In 2003-2004 the group prepared for its Parliamentary Hearings on Linking Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS, which were held in April 2004.
The subject of the Hearings was decided upon in response to the fact that SRHR specialists had not taken a leading role in the fight against HIV/AIDS and because many donor countries had been prioritising HIV/AIDS at the expense of Sexual and Reproductive Health.
The goal of the Hearings was to stimulate political debate and action on the issue of Linking Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS policies, programmes and services.
A steering committee was established with representation from APPG on PD&RH, Tony Worthington MP and advisor Ann Mette Kjaerby, APPG on AIDS, Neil Gerrard MP and advisor Edwige Fortier, SRHR NGO representative Ros Davies from Interact Worldwide and Nigel Tarling from International Family Health, HIV/AIDS NGO representative Simon Wright from ActionAid and Dr Alice Welbourn from the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS.
A literature search was conducted and a questionnaire was prepared and disseminated to Ministry of Health officials, donors and health workers with support from IPPF to determine current evidence, thoughts and practices on linked services.
Contacts were made with the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology to publish a ‘postnote’ publication on Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS in order to raise the profile in Parliament on the linkages.
Please find enclosed correspondence with the editor of the publication and the ‘postnote’ publication as appendix 115
Expert witnesses were invited to give evidence at the Parliamentary Hearings from the following communities and organisations:
SRHR NGOs, including academic institutions; HIV/AIDS NGOs including people living with HIV/AIDS; Health Workers from Uganda, Thailand and India working in the field of SRHR and HIV/AIDS; Ministry of Health officials from South Africa, Thailand and China working in policy and strategic planning units, and SRHR/Population and HIV/AIDS departments; DfID SRHR and HIV/AIDS experts; UN organisations including UNFPA, UNAIDS and WHO; World Bank population experts; EU SRHR expert; Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS.
All witnesses prepared a written submission on the title theme prior to giving evidence.
Questionnaires were prepared for the panel members prior to the two day Hearings in response to written evidence submitted.
There were14 panel members namely: Christine McCafferty MP, Tony Worthington MP, Neil Gerrard MP, Sandra Gidley MP, Richard Ottaway MP, Baroness Flather, Baroness Thomas, Lord Rea, Lord Chan, Nigel Tarling, Ros Davies, Dr Alice Welbourn, Simon Wright and Ann Mette Kjaerby.
38 Please find enclosed info on Hearings in the Asian Forum Newsletter April 2004 and a letter from one of the witnesses as appendix 116
Hearing Panel Members: Christine McCafferty MP and Tony Worthington MP
Chair APPG on PD&RH Christine McCafferty MP at Hearings
Dr Baige Zhao, MoH, China and Gcebile Ndlovu, ICW providing oral evidence at Hearings
Dr Siripon Kanshana, MoPH, Thailand, Yogan Pillay, DoH, S. Africa and Dr Baige Zhao, MoH, China providing evidence at Hearings
39 Hearing Panel Members: Sandra Gidley MP, Christine McCafferty MP, Tony Worthington MP and APPG on PD&RH advisor Ann Mette Kjaerby
Gillian Holmes, UNAIDS, Steve Kraus, UNFPA, and Dr Francis Ndowa and T. Farley, WHO providing evidence at Hearings
Dr Siripon Kanshana, MoPH, Thailand, APPG on PD&RH advisor Ann Mette Kjaerby, Baroness Thomas and Kevin Osborne, IPPF at Hearing Dinner
Christine McCafferty MP thanking expert witnesses for their participation and evidence at Parliamentary Hearings at HoC evening dinner
40 Dr Susannah Mayhew, LSHTM, Dr Alice Welbourn, ICW, Ms P. Kousalya, ICW, Sujit Ghosh, HIV/AIDS Alliance, Dr Bernadette Ssebadukka, FPA, Uganda, Ms Usasinee Rewthong, NGO Coalition on AIDS, Thailand, Steve Kraus, UNFPA, Sandra Kabir, ICOMP, Nigel Tarling, IFH, Dr Siripon Kanshana, MoPH, Thailand and Elizabeth Lule, WB on guided tour around Parliamentary by Viscount Craigavon
In support of the Hearing report, Tony Worthington MP and advisor attended the WHO and UNFPA consultative meeting, on invitation from WHO, in Glion, Montreux, Switzerland 3-5th May, on the linkages between Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS: family planning and prevention of mother to child transmission
Please find enclosed agenda and Glion Call to Action on Family Planning and HIV/AIDS in Women and Children which was inserted into the Main APPG on PD&RH Hearing Report as appendix 117
Tony Worthington MP also attended the high-level Global Consultation on HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health in the New Millennium: Getting Priorities Straight, on the 7th - 8th of June 2004 in New York, USA. This consultation brought together high-level Global Leaders from both the Reproductive Health and the HIV/AIDS fields/disciplines to reach consensus on a set of actions/recommendations to ensure more effective integration and linkage between policies and programmes addressing HIV/AIDS and those addressing Reproductive Health. The resulting ‘Call for Action’ endorsed by the Global Leaders was disseminated widely including at a UNFPA-organized Leadership panel at the XV World AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand in July 2004. The Call for Action was also included in the APPG on PD&RH Hearing Reports.
Please find enclosed The New York Call to Commitment: Linking HIV/AIDS and Sexual and Reproductive Health as appendix 118
Hearing Reports were prepared by Tony Worthington MP and Ann Mette Kjaerby with support from steering committee and panel members in 2004.
The drafted Executive Summary Hearing Report was presented at the ICPD+10 NGO Round Table in September 2004, London, UK and finally launched at the Ottawa +2 Parliamentary Conference in Strasbourg in October 2004. A copy was personally handed to the Prime Minister, Tony Blair MP by Christine McCafferty MP at a reception at No 10 in December 2004.
Please fine enclosed a copy of the Executive Summary and Recommendation Hearing Report as appendix 119
41 The Main Hearing Report and a CD-ROM with the Main and the Executive Summary Report as well as the hearing transcript and written evidence will be compiled in 2005 and disseminated to a wide national and international constituency including Parliamentarians, Donors, MoH officials, SRHR and HIV/AIDS organisations, health workers, academics, associations, Trusts and Foundations etc. Reports will also be presented by Tony Worthington MP at PGA meeting in Pakistan in January 2005. Hilary Benn MP, SS for ID has already made strong statements in support of stronger linkages between SRHR and HIV/AIDS and DfID’s 2004 SRH Position Paper and HIV/AIDS strategy publications make strong linkages also in part due to strong lobbying by the APPG on PD&RH members.
Hilary Benn MP and Secretary of State for International Development:
"Sexual and Reproductive Health and AIDS are inextricably linked. By taking action on one, we know we are also helping to tackle the other. Far too many poor women in developing countries live with painful, disabling and hidden injuries or illness because they are denied their rights to Sexual and Reproductive Health. 529,000 women die each year from pregnancy and childbirth related illnesses. Last year over 1 million women died of AIDS. In sub-Saharan Africa teenage girls are five times more likely to contract HIV than teenage boys. This announcement of £80m over the next four years for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), coupled with the commitments in DfID's Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights paper, will contribute to more effective HIV prevention work among young people and women, as well as improved access to and use of male and female condoms and better integration of Sexual and Reproductive Health services and AIDS programmes.”
Source: Guardian Article, July 7th 2004.
42 APPG PD&RH PUBLICATIONS
Activity Reports Annual Activity Reports have been published for 1993/1994, 1994/1995, 1995/1996, 1996/1997, 1997/1998, 1998/1999, 1999/2000, 2000/2001, 2001/2002 and 2002/2003.
Please find enclosed DfID's response to the APPG on PD&RH Annual Report April 2002 – March 2003 as appendix 120
Hearings/Surveys/Reports European Agenda for Action on World Population Report of the European Parliamentarians Conference, London 1992
The Well-Spent Pound - an assessment of AID Agency priorities for population activities NGO Review 1993
Women's Rights and Sexual Health Report of Consultations held with agencies involved in women's issues, 1995
Implementing the Cairo ICPD 1994 Programme of Population, Reproductive Health and Development European Parliamentary Forum for Action Report, Brussels 1995
Report on Workshop "Working with Parliamentarians and Government Officials" London, March 1996
Development Strategies for the 21st Century: the South-South Partnership in Population and Development Report of the Parliamentary Hearing March 1997
Taking Young People Seriously: Improving Sexual and Reproductive Health for the Next Generation Report of the Parliamentary Hearings held on 6 and 13 May 1998
Female Genital Mutilation Report of Parliamentary Hearing and Survey on FGM, May 2000 ‘The Missing Link’
Executive Summary and Recommendations, Main Report and CD-Rom of Parliamentary Hearings on Linking Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS, October 2004
43 ACRONYMS
ABC – Abstain, Be Faithful and Condoms ACCM – Agency for Culture and Change Management ACPD – Action Canada for Population and Development BBC – British Broadcasting Corporation AGM – Annual General Meeting AIDS – Auto-Immune Deficiency Syndrome APFPD – Asian Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development APPG – All Party Parliamentary Group APPG on PD&RH – All Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health BLM - Banja La Mtsogolo C – Conservative CCMC – Communications Consortium Media Centre CFFC – Catholics for a Free Choice CoE – Council of Europe DfID – Department for International Development Dr – Doctor ECLAC – Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean ECOSOC – The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific EDM – Early Day Motions EU – European Union EuroNGO – European Non Governmental Organisations FGM – Female Genital Mutilation Forward – Foundation for Women’s Health, Research and Development FPA – Family Planning Association GNP – Gross National Product HFEA – Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority HIV – Human Immune Virus HoC – House of Commons HoL – House of Lords ICPD PoA – International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action IEPFPD – Inter-European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development IFH – International Family Health IPPF – International Planned Parenthood Federation IVF – In Vitro Fertilisation L – Labour LD – Liberal Democrat LSHTM – London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine MDG – Millennium Development Goals MP – Member of Parliament MSI - Marie Stopes International NGO – Non Governmental Organisation ODA – Overseas Development AID PGA – Parliamentarian for Global Action PNoWB – Parliamentary Network on the World Bank PoA – Programme of Action PRSPs – Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers PQ – Parliamentary Question RH – Reproductive Health SRHR – Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights SS for ID – Secretary of State for International Development STI – Sexual Transmitted Infection SWAP – Sector Wide Approach UK – United Kingdom 44 ACRONYMS continued
USS for ID – Under Secretary of State for International Development UN – United Nations UNAIDS – United Nations Joint Agency for AIDS UNFPA – United Nations Population Fund USA – United States of America USS for ID – Under-Secretary of State for International Development WHO – World Health Organisation XB – Cross Bench
45 ACCOUNTS
Please find the APPG on PD&RH's audited accounts April 2003 – March 2004 enclosed as appendix 121
46 APPENDICES
Appendix 1: Sample letter to young MPs Appendix 2: APPG on PD&RH Committee Meetings Minutes, April 2003 –March 2004 Appendix 3: Organogramme of the IPPF restructuring Appendix 4: Linda Humphrey’s PowerPoint SWAP presentation Appendix 5: Invitation to World Population Day reception, July 2003 and Christine McCafferty MP’s welcome speech Appendix 6: Articles appearing in national newspapers relating to population issues Appendix 7: Briefing on UK Sexual Health and the Health Select Committee’s 3rd Report on Sexual Health in the UK Appendix 8: UK Network on Sexual Health briefing pack including possible PQs Appendix 9: Invitation to the World AIDS day reception, the Guardian insert and condom campaign and press release by MSI Appendix 10: APPG on PD & RH strategic plan Appendix 11: Invitation, press release and press cutting on FGM Book launch: ‘Treating Tears’ by Haseena Lockhat Appendix 12: Briefing and possible PQs on Commodity Security Supply Appendix 13: Invitation, briefing and Christine McCafferty MPs introductory remarks at Microbicides meeting Appendix 14: DfID PowerPoint presented and briefing on DfID SRHR position paper Appendix 15: Invitation to APPG Pro-life Assisted Dying Bill meeting Appendix 16: APPG AIDS briefing on Migration and HIV Appendix 17: Invitation to APPG AIDS: ‘Resistance, the Complication in Treating HIV Today’ Appendix 18: Invitation to FPA Annual evening reception Appendix 19: APPG Pro-choice meeting minutes Appendix 20: The Telegraph article on No 10 IPPF ‘Lust for life’ reception Appendix 21: Invitation to PAI, MSI and IPPF Mexico City Policy – Access Denied publication launch Appendix 22: E-Politix Health Bulleting article on anti-abortion lobby by Christine McCafferty MP Appendix 23: Invitation and briefing on Student Stop AIDS campaign Appendix 24: Invitation and press launch to the UNFPA World Population Report 2003, and articles in the Mirror and the Guardian, which include interview with Christine McCafferty MP Appendix 25: Invitation to LSHTM trafficking of Women meeting Appendix 26: Invitation to IFH publication: HIV/AIDS and drug misuse in Russia launch Appendix 27: Invitation to APPG Pro-life meeting on Sexual Health of the Nation Appendix 28: Invitation to HFEA launch on sex selection survey and press statement of findings Appendix 29: Invitation and briefing to APPG on AIDS meeting on Palliative Care in HIV/AIDS in the Developing World Appendix 30: Invitation to ‘SafeHands’ for Mothers’ NGO launch and press release Appendix 31: Invitation to APPG Pro-life meeting on Induced abortion as a risk factor for breast cancer Appendix 32: Invitation, outline and briefing to HFEA Annual General Meeting Appendix 33: Invitation to LSHTM meeting on Gender Perspective in HIV/AIDS Appendix 34: Briefing and invitation to press launch on UNAIDS initiative: The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS Appendix 35: Invitation to Interact Worldwide sexual health video presentation Appendix: 36: Invitation, briefing, press launch and statement by Sharon Camp at UNFPA and Alan Guttmacher launch of publication: “Adding it up: The benefits of Investing in Sexual and Reproductive Health Care” Appendix 37: Invitation and key findings to APPG AIDS meeting on Terrence Higgins Trust survey on: ‘More Disturbing Symptoms: How Primary Care Trusts are managing the rising challenge of sexual health and HIV’ Appendix 38: Invitation to UNICEF UK ‘Childscapes’ exhibition in Parliament Appendix 39: Invitation to Durex briefing dinner and their global sex survey Appendix 40: Briefing to London School of Economics’ video link seminar on regulating assisted conception Appendix 41: Statement of commitment and briefing on Reproductive Health Supplies Appendix 42: Press release on the IEPFPD AGM and Baroness Thomas’ briefing notes on APPG on PD&RH Annual Activities and the IEPFPD closing statement Appendix 43: DAC funding graphs presented at the EuroNGO meeting
47 APPENDICES continued
Appendix 44: Summary of planned EuroNGO ‘To better communications’ events from meeting in Lisbon, January 2004 Appendix 45: Briefing for debates at the CoE on SRHR in Europe including letter and briefing note on CARE and full CoE SRHR Report Appendix 46: CoE summary ‘Mexico City Policy’ Report Appendix 47: Appeal to members of PACE for a rejection of the CoE Asciak Report on “Human Stem Cell Research” and the Report Summary Appendix 48: Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee response to ‘Population trends in Europe and their sensitivity to policy measures’ Report and the Population Report Appendix 49: Briefings for CoE debates on Adolescents and Women Appendix 50: Local press clippings from MPs Malawi study tour Appendix 51: Correspondence from study tour MP Debra Shipley and MSI magazine study tour article Appendix 52: Study tour MP Dr Jenny Tonge’s article in Scotland on Sunday on President Bush and SRHR Appendix 53: Study tour MP Dr Jenny Tonge’s article in the Parliamentary Monitor on President Bush and ABC Appendix 54: Christine McCafferty MP’s statement from study tour to Slovakia on assaults on Roma Reproductive Freedom, correspondence with the Centre for Reproductive Rights and the resolution of the Government of the Slovak Republic Appendix 55: APPG PD&RH newsletter Appendix 56: Briefing to study tour MP Candy Atherton on opposition in Europe in support of her parliamentary visit to Poland Appendix 57: MSI’s briefing paper on Reproductive Health for Refugees Appendix 58: Briefing on Bush’s war on women Appendix 59: Briefing on opposition in Europe Appendix 60: Christine McCafferty MP’s study tour programme and briefing for Poland Appendix 61: Briefing on FGM for Baroness Massey Appendix 62: WHO article on demystifying antiretroviral therapy in resource-poor settings Appendix 63: Briefing and summary table on overseas nurses and midwives recruited in the UK between 1998-2003 Appendix 64: Briefing on ‘The Global Gag Rule’ Appendix 65: Briefing on the Governmen’s response to the Health Select Committee’s Report on Sexual Health Appendix 66: Briefing on UNFPA’s state of the world population report 2003: ‘Investing in adolescents’ health and rights’ Appendix 67: MSI publication: ‘Overview – opinion leader research’ Appendix 68: Article on Population issues sent to Richard Ottaway MP Appendix 69: Briefing on fertility in the UK and Europe for Robert Key MP Appendix 70: Briefing on S.Africa fertility rate and Population for Richard Ottaway MP Appendix 71: Briefing for Gender Recognition Bill debate in HoC Appendix 72: Covering letter for briefing on UNFPA and Alan Guttmacher Institute Report: ‘Adding it up: Benefits of Investing in Sexual and Reproductive Health Care’ Appendix 73: Copy of the APPG on PD&RH website front page Appendix 74: Presentation to Optimum Population Trust Appendix 75: Examples of e-mail correspondence with press people Appendix 76: Briefing for HoL HIV and East Africa debate and Hansard Appendix 77: HoC Hansard on UN debate Appendix 78: HoC Hansard on Westminster Hall HIV/AIDS debate Appendix 79: HoL Hansard on Queen’s speech debate Appendix 80: Briefing for HoL Development Aid debate and Hansard Appendix 81: HoC Hansard on Women, Equality and Human Rights debate Appendix 82: HoL Hansard on Women debate Appendix 83: HoC written PQs and responses Appendix 84: HoC oral PQs and responses Appendix 85: Briefings and draft PQs on global shortage of reproductive health/family planning supplies, MDGs and world population day and HoL Hansard Appendix 86: Newspaper articles on STI and abortion in the UK Appendix 87: Signatures to the EDM: ‘World Population Day’ Appendix 88: Congratulation letter to Gareth Thomas MP on new appointment as USS for ID 48 APPENDICES continued
Appendix 89: Briefing for meeting with new SS for ID Hilary Benn MP Appendix 90: Letter from SS for ID Hilary Benn MP to Chair APPG on PD&RH in relation to re- naming the new policy unit and SRHR position paper Appendix 91: Press release on DfID’s Annual Report, response from DfID to select committee and letters sent to SRHR Executive Directors and their replies Appendix 92: Thank you letter from WOMANKIND Worldwide Appendix 93: DfID’s MDG and RH team work-plan Appendix 94: DfID programme for meeting with civil society in relation to the draft SRHR position paper and UK Network on SRHR response to the paper Appendix 95: APPG on PD&RH letter sent to SS for ID Hilary Benn MP relating to the draft SRHR position paper Appendix 96: Briefing for Baroness Flather’s meeting with DfID’s Permanent Secretary Suma Chakrabati and reply from Reproductive Health deputy team leader, Reproductive and Child Health team Appendix 97: Letter sent to Foreign Office on the religious provisions in the draft European constitutional treaty article 51and reply received Appendix 98: DfID’s funding to SRHR organisations, press release and article in the Guardian Appendix 99: FGM briefings sent to group members on the FGM committee and the FGM HoL debate on 12th September 2003 Appendix 100: BBC News report on the new FGM Act Appendix 101: FGM Act Appendix 102: Invitation and programme for RCOG study day on FGM Appendix 103: The Guardian article on FGM Appendix 104: Invitation and programme to FGM conference for medical, police and social services staff Appendix 105: FGM correspondence Appendix 106: Briefing sent to APPG on PD&RH members on UK Sexual Health and HIV publications and articles on the issues Appendix 107: Front covers of DfID SRHR and HIV/AIDS publications in 2004 Appendix 108: Article in AFPPD newsletter on the PNoWB meeting, Kenya Appendix 109: Briefing on the international conference on SRH and Health Systems Development, Leeds, UK Appendix 110: AFPPD newsletter on the AFPPD medical parliamentary conference, Bangkok, Thailand Appendix 111: UNECE ICPD+10 programme, Christine McCafferty MP’s presentation at the conference and conference closing statement by Werner Haug, Geneva, Switzerland Appendix 112: Lobbying letters to SS for ID Hilary Benn MP relating to the ECLAC ICPD+10 conference and replies received Appendix 113: UNFPA press release on outcome of ECLAC ICPD+10 Santiago conference Appendix 114: CCMC meeting agenda and some press coverage following lobbying activities Appendix 115: Correspondence with the editor of the ‘postnote’ publication Appendix 116: The Asian Forum Newsletter April 2004 on UK Hearings and a letter from one of the Hearing witnesses Appendix 117: WHO Glion meeting agenda and its ‘Call to Action on Family Planning and HIV/AIDS in Women and Children’ Appendix 118: The UNFPA and UNAIDS ‘New York Call to Commitment: Linking HIV/AIDS and Sexual and Reproductive Health’ Appendix 119: APPG on PD&RH Executive Summary and Recommendation Hearing Report on Linking SRH and HIV/AIDS, October 2004 Appendix 120: DfID's response to the APPG on PD&RH Annual Activity Report, April 2002 – March 2003 Appendix 121: APPG on PD&RH’s audited accounts April 2003 – March 2004
49