AUICK First 2005 Workshop

THEME

Adolescent Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS.

BACKGROUND

Reproductive health is one of the important components of Program of Action (POA) which was agreed on in 1994 at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and defined in chapter VII 7.2-7.3 as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes". The chapter further elaborates that "reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so." Implicit in this last condition are the right of men and women to be informed and to have access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of family planning of their choice, as well as other methods of their choice for regulation of fertility which are not against the law, and the right of access to appropriate health-care services that will enable women to go through pregnancy and childbirth safely and provide couples with the best chance of having a healthy infant.

Reproductive health includes a comprehensive approach to reproductive health issues including family planning, maternal and child health, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, which has been dealt separately by vertically divided administrative functions.

Reproductive health eludes many of the world's people because of such factors as: inadequate levels of knowledge about human sexuality and inappropriate or poor-quality reproductive health information and services; the prevalence of high-risk sexual behavior; discriminatory social practices; negative attitudes towards women and girls; and the limited power many women and girls have over their sexual and reproductive lives. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable because of their lack of information and access to relevant services in most countries. 500,000 women or more have died every year by factors that originated in pregnancy and birth. Strikingly, 99 percent of these cases occurred in developing countries.

AIM

The workshop focused on reproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention especially for the youth who are socially vulnerable. It was designed for invited city officials to increase their basic knowledge on reproductive health and to develop concrete task plans for possible implementation upon return to their respective cities. Accordingly it had not only formal presentations, case studies but discussion on current issues and challenges of AUICK Associated Cities (AACs) related to population and development.

PARTICIPANTS

The workshop targeted the most senior or the second senior officials of public health departments in nine AUICK Associate Cities: Chittagong (Bangladesh), Weihai (China), Chennai (India), Surabaya (Indonesia), Kuantan (Malaysia), Faisalabad (Pakistan), Olongapo (Philippines), Khon Kaen (Thailand), Danang (Vietnam). (In alphabetical order of country's name)

Dr. Salim Akhter Chowdhury
Health Officer, Chittagong City Corporation, Bangladesh

Mr. Fan Kaimin
Assistant to the Director General of Health Bureau, Disease Control Section, Weihai Municipality Health Bureau, China

Dr. Kandasamy Manivasan
Joint Commissioner (Health) & Project Director, Health & District Family Welfare Bureau/Chennai Corporation AIDS Prevention and Control Society, Corporation of Chennai, India

Dr. Esty Martiana Rachmie
Head, Coordinating Board of Municipal Family Planning, Surabaya City, Indonesia

Mr. Mohamad Zainudin Idris
Director, Health and Cleanliness Control Department, Kuantan Municipal Council, Malaysia

Dr. Aslam Pervaiz
Deputy Director, Solid Waste Management, Thesil Municipal Administration, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Dr. Nilda Ticar Montoya
Rural Health Physician, Social Hygiene Clinic, City Heath Department, Olongapo Medical Society, Olongapo City, Philippines

Ms. Wallapa Prangthawat
Public Health Technical Officer, Technical Supporting Section, Khon Kaen Provincial Health Office, Thailand

Dr. Kim Anh Thi Doan Vo
Vice Director, Department of Health, Danang People's Committee, Vietnam

[Accompanying Interpreter]

Ms. Bui Thi Hong
Program Assistant, UNFPA Vietnam (Dr. Kim's interpreter)

PERIOD

From Tuesday, 28 June to Friday, 8 July 2005

SCHEDULE/PROGRAM

REVIEW

Reproductive health is not only a fundamental right for all people, but also contributes to micro level problem solving, such as population and poverty issues. Confronting reproductive health issues will contribute to meeting most of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) directly or indirectly. It contributes directly to meeting the three health related goals: "Goal 4: Reduce child mortality", "Goal 5: Improve maternal health", "Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases" and synergistically effects the following two "Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education" and "Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women". Voluntary family planning rests on a number of experts' recognition of help to meet the "Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger". In addition, it also contributes to meeting "Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability" by solving the population issues.

The workshop suggested that the peer group education is one of the most useful and effective methods to promote the awareness of adolescents on protection against HIV/AIDS, although a few participants felt uncomfortable with the peer group counseling where young girls are advised to use contraceptives because it may encourage the early sexual experience among younger people. However, most of the participants found the idea of peer group education useful and they adapted it explicitly in the action plans they prepared.

The ICAAP programs which the participants attended also provided them with the latest information on HIV/AIDS from a global perspective, and all of the participants were pleased with the invaluable experience of attending an international conference.

At the end of the review session, the workshop participants were requested to inform the AUICK Secretariat about the important steps they will take to implement their plans of action. The progress made in the implementation of the action plans will be monitored when the AUICK Secretariat visits each city at a later date to assess the usefulness of the workshop. The results of the monitoring will be published in future issues of AUICK Newsletter.