In the meeting, South- South Collaboration (SSC) has been identified as an effective developmental paradigm to address many of the developmental challenges of developing countries. PPD as an international observer called up on UNAIDS to further develop a strategy to make SSC more explicitly focused of its own work; cutting across multiple thematic areas. In this concern, The Executive Director also added that PPD would have liked to see the UNAIDS presenting a clear strategy on how to develop a succinct strategy to promote South- South Collaboration (SSC) in HIV response. UNAIDS Executive Directors’ bold efforts to promote shared responsibility and global solidarity in HIV response was highly appreciated.

Considering the differential impact of HIV on developing countries and the emerging capacity of developing countries to produce anti-retroviral medications and prevention skills and knowledge, Partners in Population development (PPD) an intergovernmental partnership of 25 developing countries called up on UNAIDS to develop a comprehensive South-South Collaboration Strategy to address the causes and consequences of HIV epidemic. South-South Cooperation has significantly contributed to the efforts to improve availability and access to HIV/AIDS drugs within and among developing countries.

The UNAIDS Technical Support Facilities (TSF) have been another example of UNAIDS commitment to promote South- South Collaboration. The TSFs have proved to be an important innovation in providing technical support for effective HIV response. Operating on the cutting edge of technical support, they have helped strengthen South-based capacities and systems in delivering effective programming against AIDS.

Executive director of PPD Dr. Joe Thomas delightfully announced that Partners in PPD, along with the Government of Bangladesh will co-host 12th International conference on AIDS in Asia Pacific (ICAAP). In such context , PPD reaffirm to extend all the support to the UNAIDS for promoting South –South Collaboration in HIV response and also invite to present a specific plan of action to promote south – to South Cooperation in HIV response at the next ICAAP in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Click here to download PPD’s response at PCB

Local civil society ‘Bandhu’, HIV/STI and PLHIV network will work in association with. ICDDR,B and The James P Grant School of Public Health for this hosting this conference in Bangladesh in 2015.

Bangladesh booth, ICAAP 11, Bangkok, Thailand

The proposed theme of Dhaka congress is “Be the Change: Towards and AIDS Free Generation” which indeed highlights Bangladesh’s and the region’s ambition of achieving an AIDS free generation through science, innovation, community involvement and a national government lead partnership.

A Local organizing committee in consultation with the HIV affected and infected community, Scientists and academicians, political Leaders, relevant government officials of various ministries will work for organizing the congress toward the theme of the congress.

The congress will organize various sessions addressing social determinants of the health where new research finding will be presented by the scholars, academics and researchers and the visionary and interactive plenary session and debate will be taken place based on those updated research findings.

Scientific programme Tracks (Clinical & bio medical, epidemiology, prevention, community and leadership), Community Forum, Asia & the Pacific Village, Leadership Forum, Scholarship program, Youth Programmes and Poster Presentations will also be the highlighted event of the Dhaka congress.

Bangladesh is receiving the flag for ICAAP’12

Moreover the congress is aiming to bring more than 3, 000 visitors to Dhaka; that would rather be an enormous contributing to local HIV response- expertise. It would also offer an opportunity to demonstrate the understanding and sharing the Low HIV prevalence context of Bangladesh. The congress would be indeed a learning opportunity for several local experts of NGO/ Government and Academic Community to provide Asia Pacific Leadership.

Bangladesh has achieved certain success in reducing MMR/ IMR and strengthening existing health system. Moreover Bangladesh’s already showed significant progress in health indicator. Moreover the country has a low prevalence of HIV infection rates. The congress will provide an opportunity to Bangladesh to initiate a global dialogue on the role of HIV in the post MDG development agenda as this will be the first – Post MDG global meeting and also to review the proposed Post MDG development agenda.

The secretariat of  Partners in Population and Development (PPD)  is glad to share a Statement of National Health and Family Planning Commission of China on Changes in  Family Planning policy and Chinese Vice-Minister’s response to the reporter on the same issue.

Thanks to Mr Hu Hongtao,  PPD,  PCC and Commissioner, Department of International Cooperation, National Health and Family Planning Commission of China for providing us with these documents.

• Statement of National Health and Family Planning Commission of China on Changes in  Family Planning policy
• H.E. Mr. Wang Peian, Vice Minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission Answers the Reporters’ Questions on China’s Fertility Policy Improvement

In her launching speech H.E. Ms Bongi Maria Ntuli mentioned that the population aged 60 or over is currently growing at a faster rate than any other age group, and by 2050 there will be more people worldwide in the age group over 60 years than children aged under 14 years. She expressed her concern that about 80 % of that elderly citizen of the globe will be living in developing countries, when the estimate would be over 57% for the 25 member countries of PPD. She mentioned the importance of the preparedness and improving the ability of developing countries to provide social protection,health care and income security for the growing numbers of their older citizens.

Launching of the Global Commission on Ageing in Developing Countries, 24 Oct 2013, Beijing, China

She congratulated and thanked PPD for taking the very timely and welcomed initiative to establish the Commission with a goal to enable gender, equity and rights based policies and programming for improving the quality of life of the ageing population in developing countries including the 25 member countries PPD. She also thanked the World Health Organization (WHO) for its commitment to provide technical support to the Commission.

She urged the donors, UN agencies, private sectors and foundations, regional groups, North countries, PPD member countries and other developing countries to support the Commission in fulfilling its roles of guiding the developing countries to address gender, rights and equity based social protection, health care and income security of the growing ageing populations.

Launching of the Global Commission on Ageing in Developing Countries, 24 Oct 2013, Beijing, China

Present at the occasion were, PPD Board Members and PPD Partners Country Coordinators, Senior Government Officials of PPD member countries, Commissioners and Resource Persons of the Global Commission on Ageing in Developing Countries, Dr. John Beard, Director, Department of Ageing and Life Course, World Health Organization, Dr. Islene Araujo de Carvalho, Senior Policy and Strategy Adviser, Department of Ageing and Life Course, World Health Organization, Dr. Joe Thomas, Executive Director, PPD, and other dignitaries.

PPD is the Inter-Governmental Alliance of developing countries leading the promotion of South-South Cooperation; governed by the Board constituted of Members who are either the Cabinet Ministers or their representatives appointed by each member countries. The focus of the board meeting of this year was to strengthen the South-South Cooperation for population and development which would be the key development agenda in post ICPD and MDG.
H.E. Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Honorable Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare of Government of India and Chair of PPD Board chaired the meeting. Participants of the PPD Annual Board Meeting 2013

During the meeting several reports, titled Secretaries report, Host country’s report, Treasurer’s report, Executive Director’s Report were presented to the board according to the agenda and vigorous discussions was held upon each report and was adopted accordingly. Board also approved the minutes of 17th Annual Board Meeting, 21st and 22nd Executive Committee Meeting.

The Board decided to arrange the 19th Annual Board meeting in Delhi, India on November, 2014, and 24th executive committee meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe.

The board of PPD approved Sri Lanka as the new permanent member and the Honourable Minister of the Ministry of Health of Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Mr. S.E. M. Maithripala Sirisena delivered a thanks giving speech on the board. Afghanistan and Philippine was also attended the meeting as observer and showed their interest to be the member of PPD alliance.

Board was delighted to announce that PPD will celebrate its 20 years in 2014 and approved the work plan for 2014 focusing on 20th anniversary. Board also suggested each country to dedicate at least one event for PPD during the year as a celebration of 20 years journey of PPD.

The committee approved the minutes of 22nd Executive committee (Ex-Co) held in Kampala in the month of March of this year. Presentations and discussions of Program and Finance committee meeting were the key issues in the agenda and were discussed rigorously. Circumstantial discussion took place on ED’s report and the committee also discussed in detail on how PPD would celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2014.

Participants of the Executive Committee Meeting of PPD

The below mentioned Ex-Co members were present in the meeting.

1. H.E. Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Chair, PPD Board, and
   Honorable Minister, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
   Government of India
2. H.E. Mr. Wang Pei’ an
   Honorable Vice Minister, National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (NHFPC)
   Government of the People’s Republic of China’
3. Dr. Boniface Omuga K’Oyugi, MBS, Secretary, PPD Board, and
   Former Director-General, National Council for Population and Development (NCPD),
   Government of Kenya
4. Prof. Majed Zemni
   Treasurer, PPD Board and
   President Director General, National Board for Family and Population
   Ministry of Public Health, Government of Tunisia
5. H.E. Prof. Dr. AFM Ruhal Haque
   Member, PPD Board and Executive Committee and
   Honorable Minister, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,
   Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
6. H.E. Mrs Bongi Maria Ntuli
   Honorable Deputy Minister for Social Development, Government of South Africa

The goal of the conference was to galvanize commitments for SSC towards the ICPD PoA beyond 2014 and MDGs beyond 2015 for Reproductive Health, Population and Development. The goal was indeed addressed on that 10th annual International Inter-Ministerial conference hosted by PPD and a declaration was adopted on development goals of post ICPD and MDGs in the focus of sustainable development for global south.

H.E Dr. Li Bin, Vice Chair of PPD Board and the Honourable Minister of NHFPC, China delivering speech at the opening session of the conference

This two day-long conference was attended by more than 150 participants from different countries. The conference was clustered into six sessions focusing on six different themes excluding the opening and closing session; the themes were

• Session I: Family planning for Sustainable Development in the context of South-South cooperation for post ICPD and MDGs
• Session II: Integrating population Dynamics into National Development Goals in the context of South-South cooperation for post ICPD and MDGs
• Session III: Investing for demographic Dividend; lesson learned and implications for South-south Cooperation in the context of post ICPD and MDGs.
• Session IV: Sexual and Reproductive Health for all in the in the context of South-South Cooperation for post ICPD and MDGs
• Session V: PPD Position Paper on South-South Cooperation priorities for ICPD beyond 2014 and post MDGs.
• Session VI: Adoption of declaration

The opening ceremony was chaired by H.E. Dr. Ma Xiaowei, Honourable vice Minister, National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (NHFPC). H.E Dr. Li Bin, Vice Chair of PPD Board and the Honourable Minister of National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (NHFPC), H.E. Prof. A. F. M. Ruhal Haque, MP, Honorable Minister, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and Dr. Kate Gilmore, Deputy Executive Director, Programme, UNFPA and assistant Secretary-General of United Nations deliver the welcome remarks in the opening session of the conference.

Participants of the Conference

Ministers and Govt. Representatives from the PPD Member Countries, Deputy Executive Director of UNFPA, Senior Advisor of UNAIDS and UNITAID, Director of FP2020, Regional Director of International Planned Parenthood Federation, Executive Director of PMNCH, Researcher from APRC, Professor of Renmin University China, President and Chair of Population Communication USA, Researcher from Population Council Ghana, Representative from Golden Girl Project Bangladesh, President and CEO of Intra-Health USA, Senior Country Advisor of Davis and Lucile Packard Foundation Pakistan, Regional Advisor of WHO/SEARO, Deputy Director General of JICA , various Scholars , Researchers and Academicians presented their research finding and joined in the debate and discussion during the conference.

H.E. Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Honourable Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, of India and Chair of PPD board delivering closing remarks at the conference

The closing ceremony was chaired by H.E. Dr. Khalil Zaouia, Minister of Social Affairs,Tunisia. Honourable Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and the Honourable Chair of PPD board H.E. Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Dr. Joe Thomas, Executive Director, Partners in Population and Development and Mr. HU Hongtao, Commissioner, department of International Cooperation, NHFPC, P.R. China delivered the closing statement. The vote of thanks was given by Dr. Boniface O, K’Oyugi, MBS, Director General, National Coordinating agency for Population and Development, Kenya and Secretary of PPD Board and a declaration titled “Beijing Declaration: Partners in Population and Development, South-South Cooperation to achieve ICPD Goals” was adopted.

1. Develop an annual national work plan for South-South collaboration, including identification of resources and support required by the Secretariat.
2. Promote and operationalize the vision and strategic directions, themes and values of the Alliance among public and private sector constituencies and institutions to encourage their commitment for the implementation of South-South collaboration activities.
3. Assist national constituencies and institutions including NGOs and private sector in developing plans for collaborative projects and identify resource persons from appropriate national institutions, NGOs and the private sector to collaborate in their implementation.
4. Keep the National Multi-sector Steering Committee, Board member and the Secretariat informed of ongoing South-South activities, including ongoing and planned projects and events through quarterly report and updating the country’s South-South web-page.
5. Work with the Multi-sector Steering Committee to ensure that there is up-to-date information on of the strengths and weaknesses of the country’s reproductive health, population and development priority areas for South-South exchange, and directories of organizations and individuals with the capacity or potential to support South-South exchange amongst the members of the Alliance.
6. Provide assistance and support to the Multi-sector Steering Committee’s work in the country, including management and logistical support to the Alliance’s meetings taking place within the member country.
7. Coordinate the Alliance’s work with other national, regional, sub regional and international organizations and institutions based in the member country and to
8.  Publish a Newsletter on the activities of the Alliance in the country and with other countries.

Dr. Boniface O. K’Oyugi, MBS, Secretary, PPD Board was the chair and Dr. Joe Thomas, ED of PPD was the co-chair of the meeting. At the beginning of the meeting the Chair mentioned that PCCs are the engine of PPD and their performance is tremendously important for PPD way forward.

A presentation on ‘South-South Cooperation priorities in Reproductive Health, Population and Development beyond ICPD 2014 and MDGs 2015’ was presented by Dr. Swarap Sarkar PPD consultant

Participants of the PCC Meeting

Expert Comment was delivered by Dr. Robert W Gillespie, President, Population Communication; Ms. Anuradha Gupta, Additional Secretary & Mission Director (National Rural Health Mission), MoHFW, Govt. of India and PPD PCC; Dr. Munyaradzi Murwira PCC and Executive Director Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council, Zimbabwe; Ms. Esther Cofie, PCC and Head, Population and Development Unit, National Population Council, Ghana; Mr. Charles N. Oisebe, PCC and Assistant Director, National Council for Population and Development (NCPD), Kenya and Mr. Ben Haj Aissa Adnene, PCC and Director, Technical Cooperation, National Office of Family and Population (ONFP), Tunisia.

Mr. Hu Hongtao, PCC and Commissioner, Department of International Cooperation, National Health and Family Planning Commission of China, Government of the People’s Republic of China and PCCs from four regions of PPD member countries participated in plenary discussion and gave their valuable input for PPD’s way forward.

Partner Country Coordinators from Bangladesh, Benin, China, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Kenya, The Gambia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Thailand and Egypt were present in the meeting.

Executive director of PPD wrapped up the meeting followed by a presentation.

H.E. Mr. Matia Kasaija, Member, PPD Board and Honorable Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Government of the Republic of Uganda chaired the meeting and Dr. Boniface O. K’Oyugi, MBS, Secretary, PPD Board and Director General, National Council for Population and Development (NCPD), Government of the Republic of Kenya contributed as a co-chair.Participants of the 4th Program, Planning and Developing Meeting in Beijing 2013

The meeting adopted the minutes of the last 4th Program, Planning and Development Meeting held in Uganda. The meeting also had an elaborate discussion on work plan priority themes and activities of FY2014.

Ms. Anuradha Gupta, PCC and Additional Secretary and Mission Director of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of the Republic of India; Dr. Osama Refaat, PCC and International Master Trainer, Johns Hopkins University, Technical Adviser to the Minister’s Assistant, Ministry of Health and Population, Government of Egypt; Dr. Joe Thomas, Executive Director, PPD; Dr. Lorna Tumwebaze, Deputy Executive Director, PPD and Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, Regional Director, Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office were present in the meeting.

]]> http://www.partners-popdev.org/forward-looking-work-plan-for-ppd-is-approved/feed/ 0 http://www.partners-popdev.org/greater-financial-commitment-for-global-partnership-of-population-development-and-srhr/ http://www.partners-popdev.org/greater-financial-commitment-for-global-partnership-of-population-development-and-srhr/#comments Sun, 20 Oct 2013 10:39:18 +0000 http://www.partners-popdev.org/?post_type=news&p=257 ...]]> Beijing, China — The 4th Finance and Risk Management Committee (FRMC) Meeting of Partners in Population and Development (PPD) was held in Beijing on 20th October, 2013. The committee approved a forward looking financial plan for PPD.

The Partners in Population and Development (PPD) Governing Board approved the formation of two Committees to further strengthen the execution of its governance responsibilities, accountability and over sight, during its 16thannual Board meeting held in Pretoria, South Africa in 2011. The two complimentary committees, which supplement the existing Executive Committee and the overarching PPD Governance Board, are: 1) The Finance and Risk Management Committee and 2) The Program Planning and Development Committee.

These committees are established to assist the PPD Board to undertake its oversight role and to (a) Fulfil its fiduciary and governance responsibilities in relation to the organization’s financial reporting, application of internal policies and procedures, financial management and the treasury function, internal control, risk management and administrative systems; (b) Oversee and enhance communications between the Board, the Secretariat and both internal and external Auditors, and provide an additional reporting line for Risk Assurance and Audit; and (c) Oversee and monitor the accountability process and the quality of internal and external reporting.

The Board appoints 2 Board Members, one as the Chairperson and the other as the Co- Chair, the latter is also the PPD Board Treasurer. The PPD Board Chairman appoints 4 Partner Country Coordinators (PCCs) to the Committee based on regional representation of the PPD Member Countries (Africa, Asia, South America, and the Middle East and North America).

The meeting was chaired by H.E. Ambassador Yuguda Alhaji Bashir, Supervising Honourable Minister/Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission,, Government of the Federal Republic Nigeria.

Participants of the Finance and Risk Management Committee Meeting in Beijing, 2013

Mr. Md. Zakir Hossain, PCC and Joint Secretary (FW & Prog.), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh; Mr. Hu Hongtao, PCC and Deputy Director-General Department of International Cooperation, National Population and Family Planning Commission Government of the People’s Republic of China; Dr. Wendy Hartanto PCC and Deputy for Population Management National Family Planning Coordination Board (BKKBN) Government of Indonesia; Mr. Adnene Ben Haj Aissa , PCC and Director, Technical Cooperation, National Board of Family and Population; Mr. Jacques Van Zuydam, PCC and Chief Director, Population and Development, Department of Social Development, Government of the Republic of South Africa; Dr. Joe Thomas, Executive Director, PPD; Dr. Lorna Tumwebaze, Deputy Executive Director, PPD and Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, Regional Director, Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office were present in the meeting.

The committee reviewed the minutes of the 3rd FRMC Meeting, held in Kampala, Uganda in March 2013 and adopted it accordingly. Audit report and audited financial statements for the period Jan – Dec 2012 and Audited report of ARO 2011, Financial Reports for FY 2013, Resource mobilization plan and PPD’s building construction update was presented by ED in the meeting and being approved accordingly.