Recent News
Europe's Anti-Abortion Movement
On the 27th July, the International Herald Tribune featured a long, front-page
article describing the growing influence of anti-abortion movements in Europe,
especially in Eastern Europe. The article points out that in several countries,
unsafe and illegal abortions are common because it is nearly impossible to have
a legal abortion. This trend also is reflected in European politics, through the
positions of politicians such as MEP Anna Zaborska, the Slovakian chairwoman
of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality.
WebLink: www.iht.com
Mandatory Registration for all EU Lobbyist Including NGO's
In 2005 the Anti-Fraud Commissioner Siim Kallas launched the Transparency
Initiative aimed at strengthening the level of accountability of EU politicians and
lobbyists. One proposal would require for all lobbyists, including NGO's, to
undergo a mandatory registration process. Associations that falsify their information
should be blacklisted and excluded from the EU for a certain time period.
This would seek to ensure a greater degree of transparency and also limit misconduct
within associations. Similarly it would also take away “privileges and secrecy”
surrounding lobbying activities within the EU.
WebLink: http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-142953-16&type=News
The Kaiser Family Foundation Report on Future HIV/AIDS Financing
The last edition of nEUws informed you about the “post G8 briefing on future
HIV/AIDS financing” hosted by the Kaiser Family foundation in Washington on
the 21st of July. The meeting report, now posted on the internet, analyzes funding
by major donors to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS globally. The report found
that although financial aid towards the prevention of HIV/AIDS has considerably
increased, a substantial financing gap still remains which will continue to expand
over time. It also reminds donor governments about the important role they play
with regards to filling this gap.
WebLink: Financing the Response to HIV/AIDS in Low and Middle Income Countries: Funding for HIV/AIDS from the G7 and the European Commission
EU-Wide Health Data Base
Some EU-wide health data can now be found on the European Commission's
public health website, providing an overview on key health issues such as HIV/AIDS,
maternal mortality, mother's age distribution, fertility rates, population projections, etc.
The indicators, when complete, will give information on all of the EU's 25 member
states as well as on the situation in the candidate countries (Turkey, Romania and
Bulgaria).
WebLink: http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_information/dissemination/echi/echi_en.htm
European Voice Article “Taking on the World's Development Goals and Challenges”
14-20 July Volume 11 no.27
The leading newspaper on EU institutions, European Voice, has published a major
article “Taking on the world's development goals and challenges”. The article pays
special attention to the importance of sexual and reproductive health matters in
achieving the MDG's. At the 1994 Cairo conference, € 15.5 billion was promised
for AIDS, maternal health and family planning yet by 2004 only € 3.3 billion had
been spent. The article reveals that up until now only 1% of R+D focused funding
is allocated to curing HIV/AIDS.
WebLink: www.europeanvoice.com
European Voice Article “Big pharma shuns drugs plan for world's poorest”
20-27 July Volume 11 no.28
The European Commission recently announced that only one big pharmaceutical
company, the UK based GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), has joined the scheme designed
to supply affordable HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis medicine to developing
countries. The scheme was devised by the European Commission nearly 3 years ago
and aimed at combating these diseases, which kill nearly 6 million people every year.
The G8 have pledged that by 2010 all poor countries will have access to HIV/AIDS
drugs. Whether this is a realistic target still remains to be seen. It comes just shortly
after the WHO's announcement that the “3 million by 2005” goal will not be achieved.
WebLink: www.europeanvoice.com
New MDG Fact Sheets
DG Development has published 7 new fact sheets entitled Europa Cares on its
policy to achieve the MDG's. WebLink:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/development/body/communications/communications_en.htm
€1 million to Fight HIV/AIDS in Libya
€1 million have been released by the European Commission to fight the spread
of HIV/Aids in Benghazi, Libya. This money is part of the “HIV Action Plan for
Benghazi” which was launched in 2004. WebLink: Commission Releases Funds to Fight AIDS in Libya. |
