Vol. 539 No. 1
107 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give a report on the UN Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA); the amount of current funding from Ireland to that body; his views on the various adverse comments regarding the activities of the fund in China and elsewhere and in particular, its support for abortion and abortion-related activities. [18779/01]
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the largest internationally funded source of population assistance to developing countries. The fund helps countries improve reproductive health and family planning services on the basis of individual choice, and formulate population policies that support sustainable development and poverty eradication. UNFPA is wholly funded by voluntary contributions.
All UNFPA's programmes of assistance throughout the world are based on the principles of freedom of choice and informed consent. Its guiding policy, as laid down by its governing council in 1985, stipulates that UNFPA is "not to provide assistance for abortions, abortion services and abortion-related equipment and supplies as a method of family planning". UNFPA's work is guided by the programme of action of the International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo in 1994 to which Ireland subscribes. The Cairo agreement called on governments to provide universal access to reproductive health care by 2015 as a global human rights imperative. Ireland Aid began contributing to the UN Population Fund, UNFPA, in 1993. This year's contribution of £1 million has been paid.
The UNFPA's programme in China has projects in 32 poor counties. It was requested by the Chinese Government and approved by the 36 member state executive board of UNFPA. The programme adheres strictly to the voluntary, human rights based approach to reproductive health and family planning stipulated by the 1994 Cairo international conference and unanimously adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. The abolition of quotas and targets in the 32 counties was a condition of UNFPA assistance. Funds were released only after the UNFPA field office received official written communication from provincial-local authorities that quotas and targets had been removed from participating counties. It has been agreed with the Chinese Government that the project will follow all UNFPA procedures for monitoring and evaluation. In addition, the Government has agreed that the project counties will be open to monitoring visits by foreigners and that county officials would be available to talk to foreign delegations.
UNFPA has given repeated assurances that it does not support China's one child policy and is confident that its programme in China will show conclusively the effectiveness of complete freedom of reproductive choice. Experience worldwide has shown that the best way to influence population growth is through a human rights approach that focuses on providing high quality services to meet individual needs and desires.
