News and Events
National Observances to Highlight Benefits of Family Planning - the Inaugural Ceremony held at the City Hall
Kathmandu, 11 July 2008
Ms. Ugochi Daniels, Country Representative,
a. i., UNFPA; Dr. Govinda Prasad Ojha,
Director General, Department of Health
Services, MoHP; Ms. Sashi Shrestha, State
Minister for Ministry of Health and Population;
Mr. Vinod Jnawali, Joint Secretary, Population
Division, MoHP; Dr. Ram Sharan Pathak,
Department of Population Studies, Tribhuvan
University
World Population Day is observed internationally on 11 July. This year's topic was 'Family Planning, it's a right, let's Make it Real'.
In Nepal the activities to highlight the importance of family planning for the well-being of families, communities and nations started on July 9th with a song competition on the theme of family planning for Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools students. This was organized jointly by Radio Nepal and the Population Division, Ministry of Health and Population, with support from UNFPA. The same day an essay competition took place in the Asian College for Advance Studies.
Today the Inaugural Ceremony of the World Population Day was held at the City Hall with the participation of Ms. Sashi Shrestha, State Minister for Ministry of Health and Population; Mr. Vinod Jnawali, Joint Secretary, Population Division, MoHP; Dr. Govinda Prasad Ojha, Director General, Department of Health Services, MoHP; Dr. Ram Sharan Pathak, Department of Population Studies, Tribhuvan University and Ms. Ugochi Daniels, Country Representative, a. i., UNFPA.
During the ceremony the speakers talked about family planning as a human right, its importance for gender empowerment; its environmental benefits; and the relationship between fulfilled family planning needs and reduction in the level of poverty. There was a strong emphasis on the need to increase awareness of family planning methods among youth. Young people were a majority of participants at the event and they reacted with enthusiasm as the State Minister talked about them being the foundation for the New Nepal.
The winners of the song contest were announced today by the popular radio host Bam Bahadur Karki and they received awards, supported by UNFPA, from Ms. Sashi Shrestha, State Minister for Ministry of Health and Population. All three frontrunners presented their songs live and were warmly received by the audience invigorated by the traditional tunes.
Young talents
The momentum was upheld as the students of the Asian College for Advance Studies staged a street drama outside the City Hall. In the play the husband insists on his young wife getting pregnant. As she is very upset about it she goes to her father's house for help. A Female Community Health Volunteer explains to the father that it was wrong to marry off his daughter at such a tender age (16) and also convinces the husband to delay having children as it is very dangerous for a girl of 16 to bear a child. During the climax an army official tells everybody about the urgency of family planning. He himself is very happy to have benefited from it.
In the afternoon the United Nations Association of Nepal jointly with the Russian Center of Science and Culture in Kathmandu organized a talk programme with the participation of Dr. Bishnu Prasad Pandit, Secretary, MoHP; Ass. Prof. Dambar Bir Thapa, President of the UN Association of Nepal; Dr. Peden Pradhan. Assistant Representative, UNFPA; Mr. Dinesh Tripati, Advocate; Ms. Yomaresh Kunda Sharma, Secretary, Women for Human Rights; Mr. Yadav Kant Silwal, Foremr Secretary General of SAARC; and Mr. Arsiny Starkov, Programme Coordinator at the Russian Centre for Science and Culture. The programme focused on means of advancing a healthy population and the importance of population management. In their remarks the speakers acknowledged that proper population data and management will result in women's empowerment, getting closer to MDGs and in widespread benefits for the environment.
Also in Mahottari, one of the districts where the UNFPA/GoN Community Based Population and Reproductive Health Integrated Programme is being impelmented World Population Day was celebrated at Jaleshwar Hospital. The Honorable Minister for Health and Population Mr. Giriraj Mani Pokherel was the chief guest. The minister stated that New Nepal can be built and MDGs can be achieved only if every family in the country starts planning their future. He further said that this can be realized by ensuring that reproductive health rights in general and the right to family planning in particular is promoted and protected by the government and all other stakeholders. He expressed his commitment on behalf of the GoN that it will do everything it takes to make sure that the rights of the people are respected and exercised.
The celebrations for World Population Day continue: The winners of the essay competition will be announced during a half day symposium at Asian college of Advance Studies on July 13th (2 pm). Patan Multiple Campus opens its door on July 15th (10.30 am) to discuss the right to family planning and Padmakanya Campus will organize a talk programme on Family Planning as a reproductive right for adolescent girls.
For more detail contact: Vandana Shrestha, vshrestha@unfpa.org
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