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STORY: AFGHANISTAN / OSOTIMEHIN
TRT: 1:52
SOURCE: UNAMA
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / DARI / NATS
DATE: 16 AUGUST 2011, KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
1. Wide shot, journalists at press conference
2. Cutaway, journalists
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund:
“Despite all the efforts that have been made, it is still a challenge that we have to deal with. One in like 16 of women of reproductive age in Afghanistan dies giving birth. No woman should die giving birth. We know what the causes are, we know what do to, we know hoe to do it and it is important that we should make sure that we put in place the services that prevent these unnecessary deaths.”
4. Cutaway, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund:
“On the 31st of October the world is going to hit the population of seven billion people. Now I see that as both as a challenge and an opportunity. A challenge because especially in least developed countries where population growth is fast and where there is poverty and where there is malnutrition and where there is, in some circumstances crisis, where you have too many children and the population grows to fast. What then happens is that is also potentiates crises, more poverty and you would not be able to provide food and food security becomes a problem.”
6. Med shot, journalists
United Nations (UN) Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin chose Afghanistan and Bangladesh as the first developing countries in Asia to visit. Both are considered high priority for the global programme to reduce maternal, child and newborn health, Every Woman, Every Child.
Speaking to the press in Kabul yesterday, Osotimehin said despite the efforts, “one in like 16 of women of reproductive age in Afghanistan dies giving birth.”
“No woman should die giving birth,” he added.
During his three days in Afghanistan, Dr. Osotimehin shared his concerns about human rights and gender-based violence with Vice-President Karim Khalili, Second Vice-President of Afghanistan.
The Executive Director then took part in a round table on gender with representatives of civil society, Afghan institutions and international organizations. The forum underlined UNFPA’s commitment to helping nations enhance their equity and to empower poor and marginalized people, especially women and adolescents. It focused on gender-based violence and women’s security during the transition process, as well as women’s political participation and empowerment.
He concluded the press conference talking about how “on the 31st of October the world is going to hit the population of seven billion people” adding that the consequence of the population increase is both “a challenge and an opportunity.”
Dr. Osotimehin explained that “especially in least developed countries where population growth is fast and where there is poverty,” malnutrition and crises, the increase will “potentiate crises, more poverty and you would not be able to provide food and food security becomes a problem.”
The Executive Director will next visit Bangladesh, where he plans to meet with the Prime Minister, government officials, youth representatives and academicians to mobilize support for improving maternal, newborn and child health.
In Bangladesh, Dr. Osotimehin also plans to visit a community clinic, observe an informal meeting for pregnant women, see how the country is integrating family planning with other primary care, and visit a district hospital.
