Vol. 555 No. 3
176 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the projected population growth in Ethiopia, high maternal and infant mortality rates and the high level of AIDS-HIV infection, his Department will consider directly funding sexual and reproductive health programmes operated by local non-governmental organisations in Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18533/02]
Ethiopia is one of the least developed countries in the world – it has a population of over 67 million people, nearly half of whom are living on less than US$1 per day. This is reflected in development indicators such as HIV prevalence, maternal mortality and life expectancy rates which rank among the worst in the world. As a bilateral development partner, Ireland Aid is sup porting the government of Ethiopia in the implementation of development programmes aimed at addressing poverty and disadvantage. Over 20% of Ireland Aid support is directed at programmes to improve health and prevent the further spread of HIV-AIDS. Ireland Aid support for these activities is directed through both Government and non-governmental organisations.
Ireland Aid has provided 2.5 million Ethiopian birr –€299,828 at present exchange rates – to 16 Ethiopian NGOs based in the Tigray and in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Regions as part of a pilot programme for combating HIV-AIDS.
This pilot programme is managed on behalf of Ireland Aid by the Christian Relief and Development Association, the umbrella body for NGOs in Ethiopia. It aims to complement the government of Ethiopia's HIV-AIDS interventions through community-based interventions by civil society organisations. It also supports civil society organisations active in areas where there are government of Ethiopia capacity limitations and where there are no HIV-AIDS interventions being implemented in the two regions. The focus is on community-based care interventions for people affected by HIV-AIDS. Support is also provided to innovative, grassroots-based prevention activities.
Of the Ireland Aid-funded NGOs working in the areas of HIV-AIDS, two are also directly engaged in the sexual and reproductive health aspects. The Ethiopian Family Planning Guidance Association of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region provides training on sexually transmitted diseases and mass education on family planning. The Ethiopian Pastoralist Research and Development Association provides training on sexually transmitted diseases and reproductive health for traditional birth attendants. They also distribute delivery kits to traditional birth attendants at the same time.
The effectiveness and impact of this pilot project will be reviewed next year and, provided the review's findings are positive, it should be extended and expanded. The embassy of Ireland in Addis Ababa also funds local NGOs through the in-country micro-projects scheme. This year it has provided birr 50,000 –€5,997 – for a media HIV-AIDS awareness project. An application for funding, from a NGO based in a pastoralist area, on increasing public awareness in combating HIV-AIDS and female genital mutilation is currently being considered.
177 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has made representations to the office of the US President indicating the Government's criticism of the decision not to release the $34 million contribution to the United Nations population fund which was approved by the US Congress; if the Government has taken steps to fill the decency gap created by this loss of funds in 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18534/02]
In 2002 Ireland contributed €1.84 million to UNFPA – the UN Fund for Population Activities – in support of its work in developing countries in such areas as maternal and infant mortality, HIV/AIDS and reproductive health-care. This represents an increase of 45% in our contribution for last year and is well over double that for 2000.
Recent reports by the Population Research Institute, a private US body, have alleged that UNFPA supports the Chinese Government's one child policy. There have been a number of US congressional hearings on the basis of these reports.
Two separate recent investigations by independent teams, commissioned by UNFPA itself and by the British parliament, examined UNFPA's activities in China in detail and both came to the same conclusion – that the fund is working to encourage China away from coercive policies and is not involved in supporting a one-child policy.
The US Administration however, despite the two independent investigations, decided to carry out its own fact-finding mission to China. This mission, which reported in May 2002, also found no support for the allegations made by the Population Research Institute. The report of the mission, addressed to Secretary of State Colin Powell, stated that the mission found "no evidence that UNFPA has knowingly supported or participated in the management of a programme of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilisation in China" and therefore recommended that the "$34 million which has already been appropriated be released to UNFPA".
In the event, the US administration did not accept the recommendation of the investigation team and decided to withhold its financial support from UNFPA. This decision was taken by the State Department which voiced concern inter alia that it was possible that some of UNFPA's activities – such as the funding of computers – might unwittingly be used to support China's coercive policies. UNFPA has vehemently denied this possibility and no investigation to date has found any evidence that this is the case.
The EU is currently engaged in dialogue with the US on its decision to withhold its funding from UNFPA and on the background to its decision. At the EU development council in May 2002, EU member states reaffirmed the importance of the role of UNFPA in reaching the millennium development goals in the areas of infant, child and maternal mortality and restated the EU's firm commitment to continue to support the fund. The Commission has allocated an additional €20 million to UNFPA.
