Welcome to the ARHA e-newsletter, providing updates on ARHA news and activities, as well as the latest news on population and development, and sexual and reproductive health.
FROM THE CEO
There was also a new president and three new board members elected at the AGM.
ARHA's new president, Heather Macdonald, has 25 years experience in international development and project management specialising in health promotion, non-communicable disease, maternal and child health and primary health care.
ARHA would also like to welcome Maragaret O'Callaghan, Harry Cohen and Jane Hearn as new board members and thank outgoing board members Jenny Goldie, Lesley Vick and Terry Hull.
In other news, ARHA was invited to give evidence at the Senate Committee on the Inquiry into Therapeutic Goods Amendment Bill 2005. ARHA has released a statement regarding the inquiry, 'Put RU486 in the Hands of the TGA.'
At the inquiry, ARHA was represented by Christina Richards, Marie Coleman and Lesley Vick. The hansard transcript of the hearing is now available online.
This will be the last E-newsletter for the 2005. The following one will be sent in February 2006.
Best wishes and seasons greetings to all our
members, friends and supporters.
Christina Richards
ARHA AT A GLANCE 2005
A document outling some of ARHA's work for
this year.
DOMESTIC NEWS
Analysis of routine data to report on
induced abortion
A new report released
today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) uses data
combined from hospital and non-hospital sources to provide a picture of
induced abortion in Australia, as well as providing a basis for regular
reporting in the future.
Please visit our website and check out the new resource page on:
WOMEN
& HIV/AIDS
PETITIONS
PETITIONS
The Reproductive Choice Australia's petition regarding the current RU486 debate has more then 6000 signatures. Please sign this petition or tell friends and family to sign to help reach the 10,000 signature target.
There is also the democrats petition on RU486
SHORT
COURSES
Gender Health in the Asia Pacific
Region: Implementing Best Practice in Sexual and Reproductive
Health
* Are you working to improve
sexual and reproductive health outcomes for men and women in your
region?
* Would you like to hear the latest on what is effective?
*
Do you want support to develop and implement your ideas?
The School
of Public Health and Community Medicine at UNSW would like to invite you
to this exciting new short course.
Contact Anna Whelan a.whelan@unsw.edu.au
3RD ASIA-PACIFIC CONFERENCE ON REPRODUCTIVE AND SEXUAL HEALTH (APCRSH)
ARHA attended the 3rd APCRSH on the 17-21 November in Kuala Lumpur. The conference was attended by 1,213 participants from 57 countries.
Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, the wife of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, delivered the conference keynote address advocating for increased sexual rights and education which she stated was basic to any intervention for prevention of HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortions especially among young girls.
Conference Call For Implementation Of
Sexual Rights
The third Asia Pacific Conference on
Reproductive and Sexual Health (APCRSH) which ended Sunday called on
governments of the world to respect sexual and reproductive rights of
their people - Bernama (Malaysia)
Declaration of APCRSH 2005
The leaders at the World Summit 2005
committed to: "achieving universal access to reproductive health by 2015,
as set out at the International Conference on Population and
Development, integrating this goal in strategies
to attain the internationally agreed development
goals, including those contained in the
Millennium Declaration, aimed at reducing maternal mortality, improving maternal health, reducing child mortality, promoting gender
equality, combating HIVIAIDS and eradicating
poverty."
We the Conference participants
welcome and share this commitment. This will require
implementation of
sexual and reproductive rights. Anything less will fail to address key
challenges facing our societies. Therefore, we
commit ourselves to advocate for inclusion of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in national and local
policies, plans and budgets. including strategies for achieving the MDGs, poverty
reduction and environmental sustainability. Development of health systems and health
sector reforms should not deprive people of their rights and access to affordable SRH services.
Full
Text
DONATE TO ARHA
Please visit our new online
donation page.
Your contributions will help us continue our
work in preventing the needless deaths of women in our region.
JOIN ARHA
Now you can join
online...
Becoming a member of ARHA will enable you to be kept up
to date with current issues concerning Reproductive Health and Development
in Australian and Internationally.
You will have the benefit of:
- Fortnightly e-bulletins
- Invitations to our events
- Access to our library
- Mail outs on the latest information on S&RH and population issues
- Opportunity to contribute to our Campaigns
