Family Planning Programs in the Fight Against Poverty
17 Oktober 2006 - 3:47PM
PR Newswire (US)
5th International Dialog on Population and Sustainable Development
BERLIN, October 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- "Today, on the UN's
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we appeal to
everyone to commit themselves to the fight against poverty," said
Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director of the United Nations Population
Fund (UNFPA) in her opening address at the 5th International Dialog
on Population and Sustainable Development. "Rapid population growth
is triggering a spiral of poverty in poor countries. The promotion
of family planning is therefore a key challenge in the fight
against poverty in these countries." For the fifth time, German
state aid organizations and international aid agencies, in
cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development and Schering AG, are staging the International Dialog
on Population and Sustainable Development in Berlin. 150 experts in
international development cooperation, economics and science will
discuss issues including the concrete effects of demographic
development on the economy, the environment, health, women's rights
and sexual rights. Dr. Ulrich Kostlin, member of Schering AG's
Executive Board and the future Bayer Schering Pharma AG's
Management Board, underlined his company's commitment to
sustainable development: "The aim of our family planning program is
to ensure that people in poor regions of the world also have a
choice of contraceptive methods. Together with our partners, we are
making an important contribution to reaching the UN's Millennium
Development Goals." Gill Greer, Director General of the
International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the umbrella
organization of all pro familia organizations, emphasized the need
to facilitate people's physical and mental well-being in relation
to everything relating to sexuality and reproduction. This not only
benefited the health of mother and child; sexual and reproductive
health also had a positive effect on the family, the local
resources and education. Dr. Michael Hofmann, Head of the
Department of Global and Sectoral Tasks, European and Multilateral
Development Policy, Africa, Middle East, at the Federal Ministry
for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), underlined a legal
aspect: one aim of development cooperation in the context of family
planning and reproductive health was to contribute towards ensuring
that every woman and every man had access to the necessary
information and health services and could exercise their right to
decide freely on pregnancies and the timing thereof. Dr. Jorg F.
Maas, co-organizer and Executive Director of the German Foundation
for World Population (DSW) emphasized: "If we want to effectively
reduce poverty and hunger in the poorest countries of the world,
then more support must be given to family planning, sex education
and health." According to the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA), 120-150 million women worldwide want to use family
planning methods but have no access to information or the
corresponding services. Improving access to contraceptives is
therefore a global task. It requires joint efforts by governments,
non-government organizations and the private sector. If you have
any questions or requests for interviews, please contact: g+h
communication Ms. Rhan Gunderlach, Tel.: +49(0)30-236-23406-02 Ms.
Annette Hornung, Tel.: +49(0)30-236-23406-03, email: DATASOURCE:
Schering AG CONTACT: If you have any questions or requests for
interviews, please contact: g+h communication, Ms. Rhan Gunderlach,
Tel.: +49(0)30-236-23406-02, Ms. Annette Hornung, Tel.:
+49(0)30-236-23406-03, email:
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