http://estyc.tigblog.org/ What's on the minds of young leaders from around the globe? en-us http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/442863 In reality the first step is always the hardest to take. Often people do not know what their first step is how to take the first step and they are not aware that such a step is necessary. People have great power and unlimited energy. People have the pulse and the impulse of change/freedom. Let us embrace and celebrate the stories of this energy, the narratives of change.
We all dream of a world that is just and fair. We wish to create a word that does not marginalize people based on their age, color, language, skills, culture and location – a world that celebrates and respect differences.
When making a dream into reality, we must take the first step for change, be it local, national or international.
Having these in mind, First Step idea was initiated by a group of young activists who took part in the CIVICUS Youth Assembly 2008 in Glasgow, Scotland, and developed the idea through their discussions during the assembly.

First Step Campaign has been initiated by a group of youth worldwide in order to:
• Inspire and activate those who have not participated yet in community affairs;
• Share the story of how youth take their first steps to make the world a better to live for all;
• Sustain those who are already involved in their community;
• Link communities, organizations and groups working on - specific issues and specific areas;
• Motivate youth to take part in Youth-Led development projects;
• Provide useful resources for youth to take actions;
]]> Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:21:00 EDT http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/442863 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/378503

In September 2000, Nigeria also joined other nations to signed the 8-Time bound declaration of universal commitment to development known as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Where are we today? Among all the issues affecting the Nation today, children and youth are mostly affected such as poverty, hunger, HIV/AIDS, Climate Change and equality.

As a committed YOUTH DEVELOPEMNT ACTORS, I sincerely encourage that we continue to advocate for the passing of the Child Right Bill which is currently in the House of Assembly.


Let us as,young people come to the realization that to meaningfully participate in planning, developing, and evaluating processes in all decisions pertaining to the welfare of young people is to:

• Be active and knowledgeable participants by informing ourselves about law sconcerning our well being
• Have our voices heard by having representations at appropriate levels of policy making
• Take responsibility for our actions and inactions
• Making improvements by taking result-oriented actions
• Involvement by contributing physically, socially and emotionally at all levels
• Devotion and rendering service
• Be better leaders by listening and sharing the knowledge we have gained


Our Demand
1. Governments to immediately domesticate the March 2007 UN Convention for People with Disabilities, especially Articles 16 and 25 of the convention

2. Transformational programmes for stronger recognition of the importance of SRR among the media, the judiciary, medical fraternity, educational and health authorities, religious and cultural institutions.

3. Donors and development partners to invest in policies and programmes that promote an integrated, comprehensive response to SRHR within and aligned with the Maputo Plan of Action and the MDG’S.

4.Policy makers, public sector, researchers, NGOs, private sector, communities and others to foster partnerships and strengthen collaboration to strengthen advocacy, Programme implementation, research, monitoring and evaluation and resource utilization.

So help us God!!





]]> Tue, 27 May 2008 14:08:00 EDT http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/378503 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/351721

In the last decades ICT has become a powerful and widespread communications platform, particularly given the convergence of existing communications media with new communication technologies. ICT can be used to increase access to employment, education or health services; strengthen democracy; improve transparency; provide a platform for diverse voices; and cross-cultural knowledge exchange. The social, political and economic changes wrought by new information and communications technology have prompted certain shifts in development thinking. Development strategists now see, as recognized for example in the UN Millennium Declaration, the need to adapt ICTs as a way to avoid further marginalization, and also as a potential force for creating new economic growth opportunities and for pushing democratic boundaries

The digital divide between the developed and developing world in access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) is the result of various factors beyond infrastructure, including poverty, lack of resources, illiteracy and low levels of education. In many societies women are the most impoverished with the least access to resources and with little control over decisions that affect their lives. For this reason, women are on the wrong side of the digital divide, with limited access to and control over ICTs.

When considering the factors that contribute to these inequalities it is important to understand the ways in which ICTs are allocated between women and men (the gendered allocation of ICTs), the different opportunities that exist for men and women with respect to education, training and skills development, employment and working conditions, content development and access to power structures and decision-making processes.

World secondary school enrolment statistics show that only 11% have achieved gender equality and 51% have a lower enrolment ratio for girls than boys.
In 2003 women earned in formal market on average, 79 -75 per cent of what men earned. Men more likely are hired in regular and better-paid positions, while women are increasingly being hired in peripheral, insecure, less-valued jobs including home-based, casual or temporary work. (ILO, Global Employment trends for women 2004)
The factors listed above influence the fact that the great majority of the world's women have no access to internet or to any other sort of modern communication system, and possibly will not in their lifetime.

But providing women with connectivity is not enough. Beyond questions of access to technology and software, other major concerns must to be addressed such as the need to break down gender and cultural barriers to women’s access to careers in technology, or absence of women in decision-making structures

]]> Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:47:00 EDT http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/351721 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/351719

In October 2005, on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, a landmark document that marks the first time the UN Security Council addressed the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women and recognized their contributions to conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and peace-building, we at IWTC launched the Peacebuilding Cyberdialogue in partnership with Isis WICCE. The Peacebuilding Cyberdialogue brought together women peacebuilders from Nepal, the Philippines, Timor Leste, Uganda and Zimbabwe representing 40 women’s organizations through a ‘real time global town hall meeting’ using Internet chat with voice and video/visual contact. It connected women working on peacebuilding and conflict resolution at country and community levels with gender advocates, policy makers and diplomats meeting at the UN, and with women attending the AWID Forum in Bangkok, Thailand. Participants in New York included personnel of the Canadian mission to the UN, women activists from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burma, and USA as well as Rachel Mayanja, the Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women. The major thrust of the Peacebuilding Cyberdialogue was women’s efforts to implement the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, as well as the gaps and challenges they confront in working for its full implementation. Rachel Mayanja noted the women's concerns and suggestions and took their messages to the Open Debate of the UN Security Council, which took place immediately following the Peacebuilding Cyberdialogue.

The discussions during the Peacebuilding Cyberdialogue were recorded and edited and were used to produce radio features, public service announcements and radio drama in English, Luganda and Swahili. These radio productions that highlight women’s role in peacebuilding and reconstruction are currently being aired in different radio stations in Uganda and other parts of Africa. The Peacebuilding Cyberdialogue combined the power of the new information and communication technologies and the broad reach of radio to allow women peace activists at the national and community levels to sit at the peace table with policy makers and gender advocates at the international level. At the same time, it allowed for a broader outreach to more women in the communities by way of the radio productions.



The Peacebuilding Cyberdialogue represented an important link in “grounding” the connection between policies proposed at global level and realities confronting women at the local level. It was an effective exercise in making local voices heard in a global space and bringing back that global discussion to make sense at the local level. Moreover, the Peacebuilding Cyberdialogue is an example of innovative usage of ICTs that builds on current efforts in conflict resolution, conflict prevention, and peacebuilding by enhancing channels, and modalities of communication, information dissemination, knowledge sharing, and collective learning in virtual spaces, especially when physical interactions are not possible because of geographical distance, lack of resources, and in certain instances, political sensitivities. It builds on the holistic view of conflict transformation, conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding as complex processes that are founded on the principles of inclusion and effective dialogue which can lead to trust, respect, and mutual acceptance of differences.

Within the broader picture of IWTC’s organizational objectives, the Peacebuilding Cyberdialogue is part of our continuing efforts to develop a core group of community radio broadcasters, print journalists, and other media practitioners who will ensure an on-going flow of information to women at country and community levels regarding the use of a global policy like the SCR 1325 as well as the existence of new legal mechanisms and how they can be used to protect and promote women’s rights.

]]> Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:23:00 EDT http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/351719 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/351715
Pornography on the internet is one justification for governments calls on developing technology that will not only filter content but will track down creators and clients of pornographic websites. But it is usually the state who decides what content is 'harmful' or 'illegal'.

Secure online spaces - where women feel safe from harassment, enjoy freedom of expression and privacy of communication - enable survivors of violence against women to communicate their situation and seek help. These spaces are threatened by new ICT legislation allowing 'electronic snooping', and the increased development of smaller and more accessible ICT devices that support surveillance, facilitating abusers' ability to monitor VAW survivors, for example.

Women are disadvantaged when dealing with issues related to censorhip, privacy and security or intellectual property rights, because in general they are often not directly represented at the local, regional and national political decision-making structures where those issues are discussed.
]]> Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:12:00 EDT http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/351715 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/345447
]]> Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:26:00 EDT http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/345447 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/345445
]]> Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:22:00 EDT http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/345445 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/344003
The conference attracted activists, reseachers, young people and policy makers in the field of sexual health and right accross different continent.

The conference was declared opened by the Mr. Uwemedimo Essiet, Chairman of the organizing committee after a brief speech by the honorable Minister of Health for Nigeria in which she stressed on the importance of educating the general public on issues related to reproductive health and rights, and the need for the public to have information on such issues readily available.
She pointed out that deaths from HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and deaths from unsafe abortions and related causes were largely preventable but still prevalent in the African region due to the lack of information.
Sponsors and co-sponsors of the conference were given the opportunity to make brief speeches.
Ms Elizabeth Maguire in her speech said
“Now is the time to create a new global movement to turn women’s right to safe abortion into reality. To achieve our global goals, we must agree that:

• We will not stand for playing politics with women’s lives.

• We will not stop until the basic technologies for safe abortion care and contraception, that have been available in rich countries for decades, reach every village in low-income countries around the world.

• We will not be satisfied until all women know their legal rights and reproductive options.

• We will not be silent until criminal penalties are removed for women who seek and health professionals who provide abortion.

• We will not rest until governments and donor’s put women’s lives first in their priorities for money and attention.

Most important, we will engage women everywhere to demand the sexual and reproductive health care they need and the compassionate treatment and respect they deserve.
With leaders from Africa and every region, now is the time to begin a new era in advancing the human dignity and rights of women around the world”.

I, as one of the Youth Speakers spoke on 'Intervention of HIv/AIDS among Youths in Tertiary Institutions' in Cross River State, Southern Nigeria and i based my discussion/argument on the effect of Drug/substance abuse on the sexual health of Youths.

youth participation at the conference was one of core area of the conference. about 100 youths attended a special youth summiit and were admiited to the Youth Sexuality Institute (YSI)
Objectives:
• Develop a better understanding of the basic concepts and major challenges to youth sexual health and rights in Africa
• Build the skills required to engage with stakeholders in advancing the youth agenda; and
• Contribute to mapping the key actions required for improving youth sexual health and rights in Africa'
.
Day 2: YSI
• Defining the key Terms and concepts: Sex, Sexuality, Gender, Sexual Health and Rights.
• Sex: sex refers to the biological characteristics which define human beings ranging from female to male
(The term is often used to mean “sexual activity”)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
• Sexuality: Sexuality is a central aspect of being human throughout life and encompasses sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, erotism, pleasure, intimacy and reproduction. Sexuality is experienced and expressed in thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, practices, roles and relationships. Whiles sexuality can include all of these dimensions, not all of them are always experienced or expressed. Sexuality is influenced by the interaction of biological, psychological, social, economic, political, cultural, ethical, legal, historical and religious and spiritual factors.
- (WHO)
• Gender: Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behavior, activities and attributes that a particular society considers appropriate for men and women.
- (WHO)
• Sexual Health: Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled
- (WHO)

• Sexual Right: examples are
- Right to sexual pleasure and fantasy
- Right to sexual orientation
- Right to choose sexual period
- Right to safe abortion and post abortion care (PAC)

• Status of Youth Sexual Health and Rights in Africa – I: what are the issues of concern
•Status of Youth Sexual Health and Rights in Africa – II: Progress Made and further Action required.

Day 3: YSI
• Pleasure and Responsibility: Building Loving and Mutually Rewarding Relationships
• Claiming our Rights: International and Regional Instrument Validating Sexual health and Rights
• Documents Promoting Rights: various documents the Nigerian Government has signed for the promotion and the protection of the rights of its citizen?
- International covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
- International covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
- UN convention on the rights of child (CRC)
- Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Again Women (CEDAW)

• Making the Case for Young People’s Sexual Health and Rights – Background
- Nearly half of the global population are under age 25
Many young people are already sexually active and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and other STI’S, unplanned pregnancy, unsafe abortion, sexual coercion and violence
- While adolescence is a time for growth and learning, youth increasingly confront multiple threats to their health and well being
- Adolescents need information and skills to protect themselves from harm and to make free, informed and responsible decisions about their sexuality
- The time to entrust young people with the right, and equip them with the tools to build an egalitarian future no doubt is now.
• Documenting
- African Union Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa
-
African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR)
- Beijing Action for Action(BPFA)
- International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD PoA)
- Millennium Development Goals
• How can we make the case? – all the documents have the following provisions:
- The right to equality, and to be free from all forms of discrimination- this provision can be used to argue for appropriate nutrition and care, and when adolescents are denied choice parts of meats, which they need for growth of their bodies and bones.
- The right to liberty and security of the person – this provision can be used to campaign for the protection of children and girls from sexual abuse and exploitation (FGM etc)
- The right to Information and Education – can be used to campaign for young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health and rights education – information and education that is gender sensitive and free from stereotypes
- The right to be free from torture and ill-treatment – this can be used as a campaign tool for protection against sexual exploitation, forced prostitution, sex slavery, sexual abuse and coercion, forced marriages, sex in exchange for employment.
• way forward
- More effort is needed
- Programs developed for and by adolescents is required
- Governments need to shift from acknowledging problems to solving them.
- We all need to work to make the case.

• Making Advocacy and Partnerships Work for the Youth Agenda.





I am more inspire and informed to be more involved in HR issues in Nigeria.

Esther Agbarakwe,
Nigeria]]> Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:31:00 EDT http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/344003 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/341379
Entitled "Youth sexual rights, gender based violence and poverty", representative of African youths, Adiya Atuluku, vehemently demanded from African governments and the adult community to treat young people as humans with rights that have to be met and protected.


She said despite constituting a good percentage of the population of Africa, "young people have limited access to quality information that will help them make informed sexuality choices and lack access to quality heath care when in need adding that numerous traditional practices make youths vulnerable to sexual abuse.


On her own, Esther Agbarakwe enumerated the ordeals that young people face due to gender based violence, violent acts against women, trafficking in young women and children and the wickedness of female genital cuttings among others on the sexuality of the African youth giving raise to the question

"What can we do?"

Questions as to how government and the adult community could view rights of the youths more seriously came up, but it was maintained that government should do everything within her power to ensure youths right are met.
Vanguard (Lagos)
COLUMN
12 February 2008
Posted to the web 12 February 2008

Ebun Babalola and Ijeoma Njoku
Lagos
]]> Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:21:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/341379 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/337443 Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:28:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/337443 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/336193
Odebiyi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that of the depleted forest, only 36,000 hectares had been replanted.

``The rate of deforestation across the country today is quite disturbing when compared with the slow pace of replanting such areas.

``Our forest resources have been unduly depleted for personal needs, farming, mining and construction,'' he said.

The environmentalist urged the government to be committed to tree-planting programmes.

``Now that we are under the effect of climate change, we should desist from paying lip service to issues of tree planting.

``We need to embark on massive replanting of our deforested landmass nationwide to check flooding and erosion,'' he said.

Odebiyi called on governments at all levels to cooperate with the NGOs and other related professional bodies for sustainable forest management.

According to him, the forest has the direct benefits of wood products, employment, environmental stability and derivation of oxygen, if properly managed. (NAN)

]]> Tue, 19 Feb 2008 09:30:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/336193 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/336191 Tue, 19 Feb 2008 09:25:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/336191 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/333523
Freeing young people from the shackles of abuse, inhuman treatment and gender-based violence requires concerted efforts to be made in a number of areas needing urgent attention vis:

·
Sensitizing the general populace about what human rights are and how they can be demanded: An average African society views human rights as a western culture and doing things from a right-based perspective as neo-colonialism. The right holders in a typical African community are not aware of their rights and do not even know they have the power to hold duty bearers accountable whenever they deviate. Therefore, the duty bearers who should in normal circumstances be seeing to the respect, promotion and fulfillment of the rights of the common man who they govern are the ones that are often responsible for the gross violation of the common man’s rights through wanton plundering of the treasury of African countries, commado-like way of governance and total disrespect for the principle of Accountability.

The citizenry has to be educated on Human Rights as the first step towards demanding for one’s rights is to know one has rights. The sociopolitical landscape also has to be made conducive and devoid of intimidation of the common man for everyone to be able to freely talk about issues affecting her/him in any way.

·The capacity of both duty-bearers and right-holders should be built and their capacity gaps analyzed by development partners to know why sexual health rights are being violated, who is responsible for the violations as well as what can be done to change the status quo. Duty-bearers are at times unaware that their actions/inactions can lead to gross violations of the rights of right-holders.

Efforts should be intensified on advocating for sexual rights of young people with policy makers to ensure that International/Regional Human Rights instruments that Nigeria is a signatory to, are domesticated and their dictates applied in the day to day governance of the nation.

·Many young people choose to suffer in silence when their rights are violated due to the wide socio-economic gap between them and those violating their rights. In some cases, the violators are depended on for education, shelter and food. The greatest fear therefore, is that all the “privileges” enjoyed through those they depend on would stop if they dare raise an alarm.
Young people need to be economically empowered so they can be less dependent on relations and so called philanthropists who turn around to abuse them and violate their rights.
]]> Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:03:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/333523 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/333519 would rear its head at the ongoing 3rd Africa Sexuality Conference
holding in Abuja,Nigeria.But the fact that it came in a rather
combustible manner left many people wondering how far opponents
and proponents of the abstinence-only campaign would go.

Delegates at the sexuality conference came hard on abstinence
only approach describing it as a sham and asking that it be thrown
into the trash can. Some delegates tagged it an act of "abstaining
from reality" and challenged proponents to come up with evidence of
best practice to justify its further implementation.

Delegates bared their minds in disagreement with the abstinence only
policy of the US government at an interactive session on sexual and
reproductive health and rights issue, and practical gender rights and
sexuality programming tools organised by the International Planned
Parenthood Federation.

The passion and vehemence from delegates in demanding that abstinence
only measures be trashed was reinforced by a video clip titled
"abstaining from reality".

The video clip showed the true story of Juliet a young Kenyan girl who
abstained from sex until she was 17 years. Juliet made a decision to
have sex with her boyfriend and both agreed to use condom but,neither
of them knew how to use a condom. They had been exposed to abstinence
only measures and lacked knowledge of post abstinence options.

Juliet, on her very first sex act, became pregnant and infected with
HIV.

Lesley Ann Foster, president Amanitare - a regional network that
works to promote the sexual health and rights of women in Africa
said "abstinence only measures ignores the fact that girls and women
in Africa do not have consensual sex and as such a lot of the times
are not in a position to negotiate sex.

"Abstinence only" wrongly presumes that sex is only penetrative and
excludes risks from other forms of sex like oral sex".

Cecilia Kihara, IPPF Nairobi, Kenya added that the post election
violence in Kenya expose women to sexual violence like rape which
strengthens the fact that women are not always in a position to
negotiate
sex or make the choice of when,where and with whom to have sex .

A delegate described abstinence only measures thus "it is like walking
into a hospital and saying that only one prescription will treat all
ailments suffered by every patient in that hospital".

The session moderated by Cecilia Kihara of IPPF identified the
following
limitations as bedevilling abstinence only SRH measures:
-Abstinence only is valuable for people who have not had sex. It
excludes sexually active youths. The secondary virginity gimmick is
not realistic. This is so because even that well-intending young
boy or girl who wants to practice abstinence at some point is
confronted with sex and may find him self doing it.
What is needed is comprehensive sex education for our young people.

-Abstinence require a lot skill but, is the abstinence only programmes
equipping our young people with the skills to abstain. It is not enough
to say abstain,teach them how to abstain.

-Let abstinence be one of the many choices and not the only choice
open to a young person.

-What are the post abstinence measures?

-It wrongly assumes that every body wants to be married because
abstinence
only messages ask that you abstain until married

-Abstinence creates more curiosity among youths, a delegate from Kenya
said a project which was conducted among youths in Kenya showed that
youths instead of imbibing the teachings of abstinence get more curious
about sex and make jokes of abstinence only slogans or
catch phrases.

Unanimously, delegates agreed that to make sexual health accessible to
all, abstinence should be a component of a comprehensive sex education
and not an only approach.


]]> Mon, 11 Feb 2008 10:58:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/333519 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/325377
Sponsorship Details
These full scholarships will include the cost of roundtrip transportation, accommodation, and a daily allowance to cover meals and incidental expenses for the period of the conference.

Eligibility

Applicants for the Youth Scholarships should:
Be Nigerians between the ages of 18-24 years;
Have a track record of activism and commitment to sexual health and youth development issues; and
Consideration will be given to females, people living with HIV and people with disabilities
Application Procedure

Interested applicants should apply by completing the Scholarship Application Form. All completed application forms should be sent to opportunities@actionhealthinc.org. Only applications sent electronically will be considered.

The deadline for receipt of applications is Thursday January 24, 2008 and successful applicants will be notified by Friday January 25, 2008.
]]> Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:22:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/325377 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/325371
This blog is an effort by youth, for youth, to catalyze involvement not only with the conference itself, but with sexual health and rights issues on the African continent. Contributors to this blog will keep you posted from inside the conference about what’s being said and done about our sexuality, our health, our education, and our rights. For youth participants at the conference, this blog will provide a forum for discussion of the sessions, speakers, and meetings in which we have a vested interest. For youth who can’t make it, this is our way of keeping you involved. We’ll tell you what’s going on here in Abuja, and you tell us what you think. Send us your questions and comments, and we’ll try to get answers for you. Additionally, the youth delegates at the conference will design a statement on the status of our sexual health and rights, to be presented at the conference closing ceremony. That statement will also be posted here, for your comments, review and use.
]]> Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:06:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/325371 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/325361
Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of Scotland's Catholics, said he was deeply disappointed that the Scottish Government continued to support a "flawed" sexual health strategy.

And he repeated a call for ministers to consider alternative approaches to sexual health which "set sexual activity within a moral context and provide young people with skills to resist peer pressure".

The cardinal's letter to Shona Robison, the public-health minister, follows a report on the progress of the government's sexual health strategy. Figures have shown rising sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancies.

Cardinal O'Brien called for "an infusion of morality" into future sexual health strategies, adding: "Scotland has one of the worst records in Europe on sexual health , yet we continue to pursue approaches which are flawed. The most glaring omission is the intentional absence of any moral framework.

"Trumpeting the increased provision of sexual health clinics and services is a measure of failure, not success."

Cardinal O'Brien said this was akin to "permanently stationing an ambulance at every accident black spot in the country rather than educating drivers to improve their driving" and ignored the "catastrophic decline" in sexual health as measured by growing abortion rates, an increase in teenage conceptions and a steady rise in sexually transmitted infections.

Ms Robison said the Catholic Church was among those groups consulted when the strategy was developed. She added: "We are carrying out a review of the strategy, the results of which will shape its future direction and focus.

"The Scottish Government believes it is important to continue the work of the strategy, which was developed as a long-term plan to improve Scotland's sexual health ."

She said changing sexual behaviour would not happen overnight, but insisted: "I am confident the strategy is having and will continue to have a positive impact."

Source: The Scotsman, 22 Jan 2008



]]> Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:55:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/325361 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/325359 Bush supports anti-abortion rally

President George W Bush has restated his personal opposition to abortion on the 35th anniversary of its legalisation in the US.

Mr Bush was speaking before thousands of anti- abortion activists who attended a March For Life rally in Washington.

"You're here because you know that all life deserves to be protected... I'm proud to be standing with you," Mr Bush said to organisers of the annual march.

There are an estimated 1.2 million abortions in America annually.

On 22 January 1973, the US Supreme Court legalised abortion in America when it ruled on the Roe versus Wade case.

In that case the court decided under the constitution individual states did not have the right to prevent abortion .

Each year there is a well-attended March for Life rally in Washington to urge the Supreme Court to overturn its ruling.

Campaigners hope a court which has become more conservative under Mr Bush is more likely now one day to do that.

Mr Bush invited 200 of the marchers to the White House to offer his support. He said each unborn child was a separate individual with his or her own genetic code.

"America is better than this, so we will continue to work for a culture of life," he said. A taped version was broadcast to other demonstrators later.

Abortion reform has not featured large in the current campaign for the presidency but it retains the potential to become an issue.

Of the Republicans only the former New York Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, does not want to overturn the Roe versus Wade ruling - and this has alienated some in his party.

Source: BBC, 23 Jan 2008

]]> Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:53:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/325359 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/318157
According to an environmental report by the US government agency Energy Information Administration (EIA), released today, Nigeria faces tough challenges to mitigate the damages accumulated over five decades, especially in the Niger Delta.

The Niger Delta's main environmental challenges result from oil spills, gas flaring and deforestation, the report found. "Oil spills in the Niger Delta have been a regular occurrence, and the resultant degradation of the surrounding environment has caused significant tension between the people living in the region and the multinational oil companies operating there," EIA says.

It was only in the past decade that environmental groups, the Nigerian federal government, and the foreign oil companies that extract oil in the Niger Delta had begun to take some steps to mitigate these damages.

According to EIA, there have been over 4,000 oil spills in the Niger Delta since 1960, and gas flaring from oil extraction has resulted in serious air pollution problems in the area.

One of the most visible consequences of the numerous oil spills has been the loss of mangrove trees. The mangrove was once a source of both fuelwood for the indigenous people and a habitat for the area's biodiversity, but is now unable to survive the oil toxicity of its habitat.

The oil spills also had an adverse effect on marine life, which has become contaminated, in turn having negative consequences for human health from consuming contaminated seafood.

The Niger Delta region remains fraught with ethnic unrest due to this environmental degradation. The Ogoni people of the region has protested that not only have foreign oil firms degraded the local environment, but that the Nigerian federal government also has acquiesced by not enforcing environmental laws and regulations.

Clashes between Ogonis and security forces have resulted in numerous deaths. Protest actions occur with regularity, with local youths seizing oil platforms or taking hostages and forcing oil companies to withdraw their staff and/or to halt oil production until their demands are met.

- These protests are the result of the environmental degradation that has occurred, and is perceived to be continuing to occur, in the region as the result of oil development by multinational oil companies, the EIA report recognises.

]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2007 10:51:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/318157 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/313251
13 December 2007
Posted to the web 14 December 2007

'Lola Adewoyin and Agha Ibiam
Lagos

According to experts, maternal mortality is the major killer of women, especially the rural folks in Africa, Nigeria inclusive. However, there is good news that efforts are being made to reduce this scourge with the invention of a device that can reduce haemorrage in women. 'Lola Adewoyin and Agha Ibiam write

If you have in no way been affected by maternal mortality, the greatest killer of women of child bearing age, then you have no business reading this. I mean if you have never lost a relation, both close and distant, a neighbour, a friend, a friend's friend, anybody whatsoever to maternal mortality, please, don't read this.

This write-up is meant for those with passion for women, those who had one time or the other felt the pang of pain at the loss of the pregnant women, even if she was mere acquaintance.

Let's look at it this way, on your way home everyday, you come across this heavily pregnant woman, since the day you took notice of her, she had remained in your thought and each time you pass through the place, you sub-consciously look for her, not for anything, though, but to be sure that she is still there and well.

Then after a while, you remember that you have not been seeing her at the usual place, may be at the side of the road where she sells roasted corn or fried akara, you became worried and asked the shoe shiner who seemed to be there always and he said "she died last week while trying to give birth." Then you asked, "what killer her?" he answered: "they said she had hemorrhage."

This is the scenario most of the time, especially in developing worlds, of which Nigeria is taking a pride of place. More than 500,000 maternal deaths occur worldwide annually, mostly in developing countries. Of these deaths, 30 per cent - the largest single percentage - are due to obstetrical hemorrhaging. "For years, healthcare workers have had to stand by helplessly and watch these women die of something that's almost entirely preventable," Professor Oladosu Ojengbede, a Consultant at the University of Ibadan, said in a lecture delivered on his behalf by Dr Oludare Morhason-Bello.

However, there is now hope for women. An innovation, the Non-pneumatic anti -shock garment (NASG), has the potential to end preventable deaths, caused by excessive bleeding after child-birth. The garment reverses the effect of shock on the body's blood distribution. In shock, the brain, heart and lungs may suffer loss of oxygen, because blood accumulates in the lower abdomen and legs, the anti-shock garment applies external counter-pressure to the legs and abdomen and returns blood to the vital organs, stabilising body pressure until the patient reaches a hospital. The garment was developed by Zoex Corporation, Palo Alto, California and is distributed exclusively by Dyna Med, Carlsbad, California.T]]> Tue, 18 Dec 2007 13:07:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/313251 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/313119
When you take a look at an average Nigerian, everything he is wearing is imported. When you depend on an outsider you cannot manufacture, you cannot compete with an outsider because of the consequences of poor infrastructure – bad road, poor and virtually absent power supply, water and security. Any attempt to provide these amenities for yourself will move you out of competitive advantage.

This scenario has brought something very disastrous to our economy. Nigeria has become a dumping ground for all manner of substandard goods. When you go to the market, for instance, to buy spare parts for your vehicle you are being urged to buy second hand, fairly used part- Tukumbo in our local parlance. The new spare parts are no longer reliable and we have Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON). The government has lost the battle and Nigerians are now on their own. It is very unfortunate]]> Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:33:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/313119 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/308079
While an annual decline of 5.5% in maternal mortality ratios between 1990 and 2015 is required to achieve MDG 5, figures released today by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and the World Bank show an annual decline of less than 1%. In 2005, 536 000 women died of maternal causes, compared to 576 000 in 1990. 99% of these deaths occurred in developing countries.


The maternal mortality ratio in 2005 was highest in developing regions, with 450 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births, in stark contrast to nine in developed regions and 51 in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Moreover, the small drop in the global maternal mortality ratio reflects mainly the declines that have taken place in countries with relatively low levels of maternal mortality. Countries with the highest initial levels of mortality have made virtually no progress over the past 15 years.
Annual decline rate below target

The new maternal mortality estimates show that while gains are being made in middle-income countries, the annual decline between 1990 and 2005 in sub-Saharan Africa was only 0.1%. No region achieved the necessary 5.5% annual decline during the same period, although Eastern Asia came closest to the target with a 4.2% annual decline and Northern Africa, South-Eastern Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean experienced relatively faster declines than sub-Saharan Africa.

Slightly more than one half of the maternal deaths (270 000) occurred in the sub-Saharan Africa region, followed by South Asia (188 000). Together, these two regions accounted for 86% of the world’s maternal deaths in 2005.

Eleven countries accounted for almost 65% of global maternal deaths in 2005. India had the largest number (117 000), followed by Nigeria (59 000), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (32 000) and Afghanistan (26 000).

The probability that a 15-year-old girl will die from a complication related to pregnancy and childbirth during her lifetime is highest in Africa: 1 in 26. In the developed regions it is 1 in 7300. Of all 171 countries and territories for which estimates were made, Niger had the highest estimated lifetime risk of 1 in 7.

For further information, please contact:

WHO
Christopher Powell
Family and Community Health
Tel.: +41 22 791 2888
Mobile: +41 79 217 3425
E-mail: powellc@who.int]]> Mon, 10 Dec 2007 13:24:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/308079 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/305233
The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health has fully taken on the challenge and held a National Conference on Maternal Newborn and Child Health, in Abuja in late March 2007. The Conference provided an opportunity to begin the long needed collaboration between the different MNCH stakeholders in the country. It was also an occasion to launch the national Nigeria Partnership for Maternal Newborn and Child Health. Special guest Secretary to the Government of the Federation acting as a representative of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria oversaw the ceremony.

The conference also had as objectives: to increase the profile of maternal, newborn and child health on the country’s development agenda, review the draft integrated maternal newborn and child health (IMNCH) strategy and build a consensus on the IMNCH strategy and its implementation.

The conference gathered the State and Federal Ministries of Health, the First Lady of Kwara State, members of professional associations, training institutions, non governmental organizations, representatives of the bilateral and international partners and the Global PMNCH secretariat.

The conference included group work during which clusters representing the country's six geographical zones reviewed the National MNCH strategy based on the needs of their specified areas. Post group work discussions on findings yielded the following recommendations for the Nigeria PMNCH.

Recommendations

1. Government should increase allocation of MNCH resources allocated at Federal, State and Local levels
2. Primary health care staff salaries should be deducted at source and paid to them directly
3. National MNCH strategy and state specific implementation plans to be developed with support from partners
4. Ministry of Health to draft a support request and forward to the Global PMNCH Secretariat
5. Appoint a Medical Officer with Public Health background at the Local Government Level
6. To PMNCH (Secretariat and Partners) should provide full support should be provided to the process by assisting (technically and financially if possible) the work of the MNCH Technical Committee at country level ]]> Fri, 07 Dec 2007 13:51:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/305233 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/305231
In response to the critical state of MNCH, the Government of Nigeria and partners from the NGO, research, health professional and UN communities launched the a National Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (Nigeria PMNCH). The Nigeria PMNCH is led by the Nigerian Ministry of Health and works closely with its numerous partners in order to effectively and rapidly scale up MNCH interventions.]]> Fri, 07 Dec 2007 13:46:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/305231 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667 http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/305229
As a federation, Nigeria has a decentralized governing mechanism that results in numerous states and local decisions. The plight of MNCH activitists has been hard. The Nigeria PMNCH will take into consideration the different needs of the various regions in the country. The centralization of MNCH coordination has the possibility of catering to individual regional specificities, while integrating them into a national plan. It also has the responsibility of finding the most effective ways of making the national plan relevant at district and local levels.

The Nigeria PMNCH is comprised of government offices, development organizations, private health facility representatives, professional associations, and Non Governmental Organizations. It is headed by the Ministry of Health.

With its partners, the Nigeria pave the way for the amelioration of maternal and child health, thereby contributing to the reduction in mortality and morbidity.]]> Fri, 07 Dec 2007 13:43:00 EST http://estyc.tigblog.org/post/305229 4.95 8.3166667 4.95 8.3166667