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Vol. 6 No. 2

Southpac News

UNFPA Country Support Team for the South Pacific

 December 1998

Population Advocacy

World Population Day

Lady Mara
Adi Lady Mara during the celebration of the World Population Day, July 1998

During her opening remarks at the World Population Day celebration, at the Soqosoqo Vakamarama (Women’s Association) headquarters in Nabua, Suva, Fiji, on July 10 1998, the First Lady, Her Excellency Adi Lady Lala Mara, acknowledged UNFPA’s support towards the Women’s Association’s family health promotion programme. As a result, the health promotion programme has expanded coverage to all provinces and included a broader perspective of reproductive health.

Dr. Lepani Wakatakirewa on behalf of the Ministry for Health, highlighted the improvements in the health system in Fiji due to technical assistance and support of UNFPA.

SOWP Report Launch

Mr. Stephen Chee, Director of the UNFPA CST, represented the Executive-Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the first-ever launch of the State of the World Population report in Sydney on 2 September. The event was organizaed by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Sydney, and jointly hosted by the Australian Institute of International Affairs, New South Wales Branch.

The Director also visited Canberra to introduce the SOWP Report to strategic groups, and to brief them on the work of the Country Support Team in the South Pacific.

Suva, Fiji

The Honorable Dr. Apenisa Kurisaqila, Speaker of the House of Parliament of Fiji, officially launched the 1998 State of the World Population Report at the Centra (Suva) Hotel on the 2 September 1998 with Mr. Jose Ferraris, UNFPA Representative for the South Pacific.

The launch was preceded by the presentation of prizes by Mr. Kolinio Rainima Meo, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, to the winning entries in the essay competition on adolescent reproductive health. The essay competition was organized by the UNFPA Field Office during the World Population Day. In his address, Dr. Kurusiqila called on Pacific Island leaders and decision makers to promote policies that will meet the challenge of creating an enabling environment in which all generations can make informed choices and free decisions for themselves, while ensuring participation of both the young and the elderly.

Apia, Samoa

In his remarks, during the launching of the UNFPA State of the World Population Report in Samoa, the Minister of Health, the Hon. Misa Telefoni, emphasized the importance of cultural concepts of Faitama (caring for youth) and Faimatua (caring for the aged). He said that young people who care for their parents are also cared for by their children when they become old. The minister also stated that the country had recently adopted a national policy for the aged. Present at the launching ceremony were Mr. Luke Mataiciwa, National Programme Officer and Dr. Salesi Katoanga, CST Adviser on Reproductive Health (Programmes).