UNFPA_news_LOGO.gif (2782 bytes) UNFPA
United Nations Population Fund

Launch of 1999 UNFPA Report in Moscow

On September 22, 1999, there was a presentation in Moscow of the 1999 Report of the United Nations Population Fund introduced by Dr. Mohamed Nizamuddin, director of the Policy and Technical Division of the UNFPA.

At the press-conference at RIA-VESTI, Dr. Nizamuddin announced that the population of the Earth is approaching 6 billion people. Annual additions of the world population are 78 million, with 95 % of them in the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. In addition to population growth, world population is aging - especially in developed countries. At the same time there are about 1 billion young people.

Dr. Nizamuddin answered questions related to misinterpretation of the role and functions of UNFPA. He mentioned that the Cairo Conference on Population and Development asserted that reproductive rights are also human rights. Each family has a right to plan the number of children it wished to have, and countries the right to develop their own demographic policy.

Dr. Nizamuddin noted that Russia is currently experiencing low fertility and high mortality rates, resulting in a population decline. In order to understand the reasons for these processes it is necessary to analyze the complex socioeconomic situation in Russia.

If the economic factors improve in the Russian Federation within a span of five to 10 years it will have an impact on the demographic situation, with a possibility of increasing the fertility level and population growth. In this regard UNFPA is willing to assist to Russia to develop its demographic policy and increase public awareness of reproductive health care.

Rehabilitation Course for Women Refugees in the Stavropol Region

In August, UNFPA and UNHCR launched a joint project on the rehabilitation of reproductive health of women refugees in the Stavropol Region. National counterparts were the Medico-Pedagogical Youth Center and the Fund for Social Insurance of the Stavropol Region.

Within the framework of the project 200 women from 10 districts in the Stavropol Region are undergoing medical examinations in regional health centers, receiving consultations from specialists and were provided with information booklets on reproductive health care and contraceptives were made available. Regional authorities, public health care departments and the media are involved in facilitating the process of rehabilitation and integration of refugees. At the moment, the project participants are planning the next phase of the rehabilitation courses in the regions bordering Chechnya.

UNFPA office has received the letters of thanks from Mr. A.V.Korobeinikov, the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in the Stavropol Region and the regional administration for the provided assistance.

 

For your UN file

THE UN: Facts and Figures

  • The UN formulated the historic Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) as well as over 80 human rights treaties which help protect and promote specific rights.

  • UN environmental conventions have helped reduce acid rain in Europe and North America, cut marine pollution worldwide and phase out production of gases destroying the Earth’s ozone layer.

  • More international law has been developed through the UN in the past five decades than in all previous history.

  • The World Food Programme provides about one-third of the world’s food aid each year.

  • UN appeals raise over $1 billion a year for emergency assistance to victims of war and natural disaster.

 

 ODCCP
United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention

Official Visit to Moscow of the Director-General the UN Office at Vienna, Head of the UNODCCP

On September 6, Mr. Pino Arlacchi, Director-General of the UN Office at Vienna and Head of the UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (UNODCCP) started the first leg of his official visit to Russia.

In Moscow, the ODCCP Executive Director had discussions with H.E. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin; H.E. Justice Minister Yury Chaika; Mr. Nikolay Patrushev, Head of the Federal Security Service (FSB); Mr. Mikhail Vanin, Head of the Main Customs Committee; Mr. Arthur Chilingarov, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma; Mr. Valery Fedorov, First Deputy Minister of Interior; Mr. Ivan Leshkevich, first deputy minister of health; Mr. Serguei Ordzhonikidze, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; General Alexey Kozhevnikov, Deputy Director of the Federal Border Service; Mr. Vasily Kolmogorov, Deputy Prosecutor-General; Mr. Alexey Ogarev, Director-General of the state-owned "Rosvooruzhenie" company, which deals with the export of space technologies - including those which are used for monitoring crops.

During the visit to the Prime Minister, the Executive Director also had a discussion with H.E. Interior Minister Vladimir Rushailo. The Executive Director visited MGIMO University for International Relations where he met with Prof. Anatoly Torkunov, rector of MGIMO, and he delivered a lecture on "Fighting Organized Crime: Challenges for the international community" at the Moscow State University of International Relations.

Speaking at a press conference in Moscow after his meeting with Russian officials, Mr. Pino Arlacchi said there was a fresh agreement that his agency would extend greater assistance to Russia in further developing its legislation covering drugs and organized crime (confiscation of financial assets and money laundering, in particular). He gave a positive assessment of the partnership between UNODCCP and Russia in three specific projects already under implementation, related especially to capacity-building of drug and organized crime control agencies. He also said there were some new projects in the pipeline being discussed with Russian authorities during the visit. The high-ranking UN official pointed out that the UN drug control agency and Russia are set to strengthen links in gathering reliable information regarding drug-consumption patterns, illicit-drug trafficking, organized crime and sharing information and data bases on these issues.

UNODCCP will also help the Russian Federation in building a comprehensive system of treatment and rehabilitation of addicts, and assist in training specialists in this field. The head of the UN Drug agency stressed that he shared the concern of Russian authorities over the current situation in Daghestan and Chechnya - with such highly alarming trends as illicit-drug and arms trafficking, terrorism, and kidnapping.

He said these developments represented a threat to the stability in the whole Caucasus region and may be related to the current turmoil in Afghanistan. Mr. Arlacchi expressed very serious concern over a dramatic increase in illegal-drug production in neighbouring country.

On September 9, Mr. Pino Arlacchi left for St. Petersburg. There the ODCCP executive director held discussions with H.E. St. Petersburg Governor Vladimir Yakovlev, and with law-enforcement officials and demand reduction authorities of the city. He examined the customs-control facilities at the port, visited a prison and a rehabilitation centre for young addicts.

The ODCCP Exexutive Director laid a wreath at Piskariov Cemetery to commemorate the 1 million victims from the civilian population of St. Petersburg who perished from bombs and starvation during the siege of 1941-1944.

 

For your UN file

International Days

  • From November 11 – International Week of Science and Peace

  • November 20 – Africa Industrialization Day

  • November 21 – World Television Day

  • November 29 – International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

  • December 1 – World AIDS Day

  • December 3 – International Day of Disabled Persons

  • December 7 – International Day of Civil Aviation

  • December 10 – Human Rights Day

  • December 29 – International Day for Biological Diversity

 

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