WHITE PAPER ON AUSTRALIA'S AID PROGRAM

The Australian government has released the long
awaited White Paper on the Australian Government's
Overseas Aid Program.  This sets the broad objectives
for the aid program over the medium term (ten years). 

Undoubtedly, as a result of consultations with NGOs
and civil society throughout 2005, there are some
important changes flagged for the coming years. 

Of particular interest to ARHA is the increased
investment in maternal, sexual and reproductive
health services and a re-affirmation of gender
equality as a core value of the aid program. 

ARHA has written an analysis of the contents of the paper which is available online, click here.

News articles regarding the White Paper:

Aust Aid Effort Focuses on Indonesia, Philippines
April 26 ABC News Online

Overseas Aid to Double Within 4 Years
April 27 The Age

Aid for growth only hope for a Pacific solution
May 1 The Australian

White paper spells increased chances
May 2 The National PNG

UPDATE ON RU486

Following the successful campaign in February, which ARHA was a part of, to have the restrictions lifted on RU486 in Australia no pharmaceutical company has yet registered to import the drug.

However, Queensland gynaecologist Caroline de Costa and a colleague have been granted the first government approval to prescribe RU486 by the TGA.

Australian doctors may need to follow a similar route as in New Zealand where none of the pharmaceutical firms were interested in importing RU486 there either and so five doctors formed a not-for-profit company of their own, Istar Limited, to import RU486 from Exelgyn.
For more information on the New Zealand experience see RANZCOG's O & G May/June 2004, titled 'Introducing mifepristone into New Zealand.'

Doctors get legal nod for abortion drug sale
April 25 The Australian

Abortion drug: Queensland approval given
April 13 Sydney Morning Herald

Death unrelated to RU486: US regulator
April 11 ABC Online

MICROBICIDES CONFERENCE

The biannual international Microbicides conference was held in Cape Town in South Africa from the 23rd to the 26th of April .

Read the Kaiser Network's Summary of Research Presented at the Microbicides Conference.

Below is an excerpt from the closing statement by Joy Phumaphi,  Assistant Director of Family & Community Health at the WHO:

"I challenge any policy maker to give me one convincing argument why microbicides should not be given a fair chance, in the variety that has been described at this conference, when they are:
• Responding to the needs of women to have the ability to protect themselves in sexual relations
• Responding to the concerns that have been raised by men about condoms
• Responding to the cry of the adolescent for an intervention that will be easy to use.
• Responding to needs of resource poor settings where lighting is not available."
>>>Read the full speech.

COMISSION oN POPULATION
& DEVELOPMENT (CPD)

Was held from the 3-7 April with the theme of International Migration and Development

CPD's theme also runs in line with the upcoming annual UNFPA State of the World Population Report launch in September, that ARHA is organising, which will focus on women and migration.

Read the statement by Thoraya Ahmed Obaid
Executive Director of UNFPA

DOMESTIC NEWS 

NEW ACADEMIC E-NEWSLETTER

Asia-Pacifc Sexual & Reproductive Health Matters (APSRMH) has been jointly created by ARHA and GenderHealth in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at University of New South Wales.

The newsletter will provide information on upcoming conferences, calls for papers, post links to recent papers and provide a vehicle for academics and others to learn of the work currently being undertaken in the region on sexual and reproductive health.  To see the first issue of APSRHM click here.

The aim of  the network is to increase information sharing and discussion in the area of sexual and reproductive health in both Australia and the broader Asia Pacific region. There appeared to be an absence of cooperation and interaction between researchers in sexual and reproductive health and practitioners which this e-newsletter seeks to address.

If you are interested in joining this e-network and receiving the monthly e-newsletter then please send your details to apsrhm@arha.org.au

IPPF HEAD VISIT

Dr Steve Sinding, the Director General of International Planned Parenthood Foundation visited Canberra and Sydney between the 27-29 March.

SH&FPA and ARHA are co-hosted Dr Sinding's visit which was a great success.

Where’s the Sex in the MDGs? Linking Sexual & Reproductive Health, HIV & Poverty Forum

The forum was held at ANU and was attended by NGOs, Academics and AusAID. The speakers included Dr Steve Sinding, Director-General of IPPF, Christina Richards, CEO ARHA, Maggie Kenyon, Manager of SH&FPA international programme and Rod Menere, Reproductive health consultant.

Dr Sinding talked about the key linkages between HIV and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) on a broad international level.

Listen to the Speeches:

Dr Steve Sinding           Christina Richards
Maggie Kenyon             Rob Menere
                       Questions

    Dr Steve Sinding at the forum

>>>More Photos from the Forum

Dr Sinding in the News

While in Australia Dr Sinding was interviewed by Radio National Breakfast on HIV in the Asia-Pacific.

Listen to the interview

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEPAL: Reproductive Health and the Conflict
April 26 IRIN News

Vatican Preparing Statement on Condoms and AIDS
April 23 Reuters

Reproductive Health Campaign Makes a Difference in Chu Mo
April 20 Vietnam News Service

Vietnam: PM Touts Family Planning to Achieve Development Goals
April 6 Vietnam News Service

U.S. Focus on Abstinence Weakens AIDS Fight, Agency Finds
April 5 New York Times

>>>More International News

DONATE TO ARHA

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JOIN ARHA

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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:

• Monthly 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

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