The WAGGGS delegation have been very busy here at the UN NGO/DPI conference. We have been focusing on getting gender equity included in the Declaration and building networks with the other amazing organizations here. We are very excited to see the outcome of our hard work and collaboration with many NGOs including Soroptimist International with the inclusion of a call of action in the Declaration to 'Ensure gender equality, empower women and expand programs to end violence against women.'
Our sincere thank you to Soroptimist International for all of your support over the past 2 days.
The WAGGGS Delegation
For a full story about WAGGGS at DPI/NGO please go to their website!
http://www.wagggsworld.org/en/events/20370
Showing posts with label DPI/NGO Conference Melbourne 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DPI/NGO Conference Melbourne 2010. Show all posts
Monday, September 6, 2010
DPI/NGO - Janet's Journey
Report: Janet’s Journey.
As a clinician (nurse), with a global appreciation of health service requirements in tertiary and primary health facilities, it was an interesting experience to listen and learn and be told how the complexities of delivering health systems impacts on multiple organisations at all levels of care. The models of care by large NGOs and also those of relatively small NGOs have the basic concept of providing care to disadvantaged minorities.
Following an amazing fact finding visit to birthing places in Papua New Guinea (PNG) the 10 days previously, I came to this convention thinking I would learn some amazing new strategies to enable Soroptimists to deliver projects more effectively and efficiently.
Roundtables, workshops and discussions showed that most NGOs are all working towards the common goal of health and well being for all peoples, irrespective of any country or MDG.
The intrigue of different models of care delivery, negotiation strategies used with governments, pragmatic determination of movers and shakers, made illuminating discussion and debate. Identifying the movers and shakers and follow up with face to face introductions led me on a journey of information gathering and exchange. My intention was to make contact with as many delegates who may provide me with knowledge of skills that would assist me in the preparation and planning for the SISWP project in PNG “Birthing in the Pacific” (BIP).
I questioned the consultant who helped prepare the recently published PNG Health Plan, on how he could assure me that in his country, priority would be given to essential measures such as infection control, antenatal care, skilled attendance at birth, access to emergency obstetric care when necessary, post-partum care and newborn care. He assured me that the Ministers for Health will be responsible for reporting regularly and held accountable against the Health Plan.
I sat and discussed with the Catholic Nun Midwife how the remote PNG highland community she works in manages birthing places with dignity and respect for their mothers. She was proud of her achievement even working in the most extreme circumstances. The birthing mothers are provided with sheets for their beds. They are fed and the baby pack includes clothes, wraps, nappies and soap. This close community respects the Catholic health service and has been consulted in its formation and ongoing performance in successful health outcomes. We agreed to share our resources for the future upskilling course planned for the BIP project.
So different to the story of a busy labour ward of the provincial hospital only a hundred kilometers away which cannot cope with basic human rights and dignity for the birthing women and the clinicians attending to them.
HIV/AIDS was discussed in most forums and it was quite surprising for me to hear that in many countries, the basic infection control commodity, gloves, were often not sustainable resourced to those clinicians who required them at their point of care. I also learned that opinion now indicates that it is inappropriate for HIV/AIDS to be treated in isolation. The diseases are now intertwined with complexities of Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Finally, the challenge has been given to each of us to further investigate ways to achieve the MDG’s by 2015.
Think globally- Act Locally” was advised, however, in many countries the people are powerless and psychologically depleted. Involve communities and enable them to participate in the delivery of services and resources. Negotiate best practices however, be mindful
“Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good”
Janet Askern
SI Townsville Focus After Five,
Townsville , Queensland , Australia.
05/09/10
As a clinician (nurse), with a global appreciation of health service requirements in tertiary and primary health facilities, it was an interesting experience to listen and learn and be told how the complexities of delivering health systems impacts on multiple organisations at all levels of care. The models of care by large NGOs and also those of relatively small NGOs have the basic concept of providing care to disadvantaged minorities.
Following an amazing fact finding visit to birthing places in Papua New Guinea (PNG) the 10 days previously, I came to this convention thinking I would learn some amazing new strategies to enable Soroptimists to deliver projects more effectively and efficiently.
Roundtables, workshops and discussions showed that most NGOs are all working towards the common goal of health and well being for all peoples, irrespective of any country or MDG.
The intrigue of different models of care delivery, negotiation strategies used with governments, pragmatic determination of movers and shakers, made illuminating discussion and debate. Identifying the movers and shakers and follow up with face to face introductions led me on a journey of information gathering and exchange. My intention was to make contact with as many delegates who may provide me with knowledge of skills that would assist me in the preparation and planning for the SISWP project in PNG “Birthing in the Pacific” (BIP).
I questioned the consultant who helped prepare the recently published PNG Health Plan, on how he could assure me that in his country, priority would be given to essential measures such as infection control, antenatal care, skilled attendance at birth, access to emergency obstetric care when necessary, post-partum care and newborn care. He assured me that the Ministers for Health will be responsible for reporting regularly and held accountable against the Health Plan.
I sat and discussed with the Catholic Nun Midwife how the remote PNG highland community she works in manages birthing places with dignity and respect for their mothers. She was proud of her achievement even working in the most extreme circumstances. The birthing mothers are provided with sheets for their beds. They are fed and the baby pack includes clothes, wraps, nappies and soap. This close community respects the Catholic health service and has been consulted in its formation and ongoing performance in successful health outcomes. We agreed to share our resources for the future upskilling course planned for the BIP project.
So different to the story of a busy labour ward of the provincial hospital only a hundred kilometers away which cannot cope with basic human rights and dignity for the birthing women and the clinicians attending to them.
HIV/AIDS was discussed in most forums and it was quite surprising for me to hear that in many countries, the basic infection control commodity, gloves, were often not sustainable resourced to those clinicians who required them at their point of care. I also learned that opinion now indicates that it is inappropriate for HIV/AIDS to be treated in isolation. The diseases are now intertwined with complexities of Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Finally, the challenge has been given to each of us to further investigate ways to achieve the MDG’s by 2015.
Think globally- Act Locally” was advised, however, in many countries the people are powerless and psychologically depleted. Involve communities and enable them to participate in the delivery of services and resources. Negotiate best practices however, be mindful
“Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good”
Janet Askern
SI Townsville Focus After Five,
Townsville , Queensland , Australia.
05/09/10
DPI/ NGO- first impressions
Monday….
As we shared breakfast with Yvonne and Robyn at the YHA, I was immersed in conversation about different levels of SI and its relationship to the United Nations and the Millennium Development Goals. Then a quick get-together at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre to make sure we covered as many presentations as possible. This is a difference from other conferences I’ve attended: usually I have only myself to please in terms of what I want from the program. This time I need to be able to report back to my own club and to other SI members. The notes had better be good.
The Welcome was memorable for:
• Variety of cultural groups present
• Excellent didgeridoo and dancing from Indigenous group, mostly from the local Kulin Nation.
• Aria sung from the first indigenous opera about the creation of the Murray river.
Facts I learned from the Welcome:
• The MDG Summit will be held in October 2010 in New York. Resolutions from this conference will feed directly into that Summit.
• Two-thirds of the world’s poor live in the Asia-Pacific region.
• We have made good progress on reducing the incidence of malaria.
• There has not been enough progress made on Goals 4,5 and 6. (Goals 4,5, and 6 are: reduce child mortality rate, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.)
• There is a mixed prognosis for achieving the MDGs, partly because of the impact of the GFC and the oil crisis.
• Maternal mortality rates are still high, and have increased in Afghanistan, Laos and Papua New Guinea.
• Australia will increase aid spending to .5% of the Gross National Income, most of which will be spent in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Australia has increased aid to Africa, South America and the Caribbean.
• Pakistan will be supported by Australian partnerships with NGOs and UN agencies already in the country.
• When countries have linked development to the MDGs, they have made most progress.
• Improving maternal health has been the least successful of the eight goals.
• Intervention for HIV/AIDS is a moderate success story:
o The cost of medical support for an AIDS patient has decreased from $14,000 per year to $8,000, as a result of successful advocacy.
o We see a reduction in new infections of about 17%.
• 6,000 people per day die of the health effects of lack of access to potable drinking water.
Principles I learned:
• Economic growth is a necessary but not sufficient condition for poorer countries to progress on the MDGs. A Human Rights approach is also needed.
• In designing solutions for a group of people, the most vulnerable must be engaged.
• One disease cannot be isolated from another: TB and HIV/AIDS are two diseases, but it is only one life. We need to be able to deliver broader health outcomes.
Margaret McFarland, Delegate
As we shared breakfast with Yvonne and Robyn at the YHA, I was immersed in conversation about different levels of SI and its relationship to the United Nations and the Millennium Development Goals. Then a quick get-together at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre to make sure we covered as many presentations as possible. This is a difference from other conferences I’ve attended: usually I have only myself to please in terms of what I want from the program. This time I need to be able to report back to my own club and to other SI members. The notes had better be good.
The Welcome was memorable for:
• Variety of cultural groups present
• Excellent didgeridoo and dancing from Indigenous group, mostly from the local Kulin Nation.
• Aria sung from the first indigenous opera about the creation of the Murray river.
Facts I learned from the Welcome:
• The MDG Summit will be held in October 2010 in New York. Resolutions from this conference will feed directly into that Summit.
• Two-thirds of the world’s poor live in the Asia-Pacific region.
• We have made good progress on reducing the incidence of malaria.
• There has not been enough progress made on Goals 4,5 and 6. (Goals 4,5, and 6 are: reduce child mortality rate, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.)
• There is a mixed prognosis for achieving the MDGs, partly because of the impact of the GFC and the oil crisis.
• Maternal mortality rates are still high, and have increased in Afghanistan, Laos and Papua New Guinea.
• Australia will increase aid spending to .5% of the Gross National Income, most of which will be spent in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Australia has increased aid to Africa, South America and the Caribbean.
• Pakistan will be supported by Australian partnerships with NGOs and UN agencies already in the country.
• When countries have linked development to the MDGs, they have made most progress.
• Improving maternal health has been the least successful of the eight goals.
• Intervention for HIV/AIDS is a moderate success story:
o The cost of medical support for an AIDS patient has decreased from $14,000 per year to $8,000, as a result of successful advocacy.
o We see a reduction in new infections of about 17%.
• 6,000 people per day die of the health effects of lack of access to potable drinking water.
Principles I learned:
• Economic growth is a necessary but not sufficient condition for poorer countries to progress on the MDGs. A Human Rights approach is also needed.
• In designing solutions for a group of people, the most vulnerable must be engaged.
• One disease cannot be isolated from another: TB and HIV/AIDS are two diseases, but it is only one life. We need to be able to deliver broader health outcomes.
Margaret McFarland, Delegate
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Advance Global Health- Achieve the MDGs- Soroptimists at DPI/NGO August 30-Septmber 1 2010
Advance Global Health- Achieve the MDGs- Soroptimists at DPI/NGO August 30-Septmber 1 2010
For only the third time in 63 years this annual UN Event- the ONLY one designed specifically for NGOs to meet with the UN Agency of DPI is meeting in Melbourne, Australia focused on the issue of Global Health and achieving the Millennium Development Goals ( MDG)s. The vision statement o, f the event said:
” In Global Health we need more integration of programs, a focus on Maternal/child issues, methods to generate outcome data, cost effective delivery, sustainability and an emphasis on prevention. Therefore this conference should emphasize the multidisciplinary, multifaceted issues in fostering health, not just managing disease.”
Our SI delegation, lead by Dawn Marie Lemonds, International Programme Director with Alice Wells- President Elect accompanied 12 other Soroptimists including Yvonne Simpson- SI SWP President, Leigh Ellwood-Brown- Immediate Past President, Robyn Cain- Federation Programme Director and 9 other Soroptimists from Australia. Our SI Mandate and work intended for this conference was to promote the inclusion of gender into the discussion and workshops so that the DECLARATION for this conference that will be sent to the Secretary General for the MDG Summit to be held in New York at the end of September would include issues that were crucial to us. Attendees at the conference included 12 young women from WAGGGS- 4 who were part of our delegation because of a UN decision that every delegation would be given extra delegate allocation if they included people under 25! Our combined forces met, strategized our attendance and participation in the 4 Round Tables, and 54 workshops as well as our intention of bringing forward specific issues which included: Achievement of the MDGs must include gender as a critical factor for all, and all data used for determination of success for the MDGs must be disaggregated by gender. Part of our strategy planning included “keeping our ears open” to additional sessions that were offered, opportunities to present information to the press, presenting questions and statements at sessions and networking with other NGOs.
Soroptimist attendees will present additional postings over the next few days to report some of their observations. The Opening Session set out the work which immediately focused on gender issues and the fact that the two MDG issues that have made the least progress are the ones that involve women and children- particularly girls. The issue of Maternal Health has actually regressed from the year 2000 with women from southern hemispere and developing Countries experiencing 5 times as much infant and woman mortality as from developed countries. Attendees were welcomed by Kiyo Akasaka- Under Secretary General from the UN on behalf of the UN. He urged participants to advaocate to their governments and the privae sector to invest in women and children- which will have a significant benefit to society. "Health is at the core of teh MDGs" Additional issues that emerged from the beginning is the imperative of involving the communities that NGOs work- in the identification, analysis, development and imlementation of all programs.
More information to come....stand by....we want you to feel present and involved in YOUR UN activity
Dawn Marie Lemonds
For only the third time in 63 years this annual UN Event- the ONLY one designed specifically for NGOs to meet with the UN Agency of DPI is meeting in Melbourne, Australia focused on the issue of Global Health and achieving the Millennium Development Goals ( MDG)s. The vision statement o, f the event said:
” In Global Health we need more integration of programs, a focus on Maternal/child issues, methods to generate outcome data, cost effective delivery, sustainability and an emphasis on prevention. Therefore this conference should emphasize the multidisciplinary, multifaceted issues in fostering health, not just managing disease.”
Our SI delegation, lead by Dawn Marie Lemonds, International Programme Director with Alice Wells- President Elect accompanied 12 other Soroptimists including Yvonne Simpson- SI SWP President, Leigh Ellwood-Brown- Immediate Past President, Robyn Cain- Federation Programme Director and 9 other Soroptimists from Australia. Our SI Mandate and work intended for this conference was to promote the inclusion of gender into the discussion and workshops so that the DECLARATION for this conference that will be sent to the Secretary General for the MDG Summit to be held in New York at the end of September would include issues that were crucial to us. Attendees at the conference included 12 young women from WAGGGS- 4 who were part of our delegation because of a UN decision that every delegation would be given extra delegate allocation if they included people under 25! Our combined forces met, strategized our attendance and participation in the 4 Round Tables, and 54 workshops as well as our intention of bringing forward specific issues which included: Achievement of the MDGs must include gender as a critical factor for all, and all data used for determination of success for the MDGs must be disaggregated by gender. Part of our strategy planning included “keeping our ears open” to additional sessions that were offered, opportunities to present information to the press, presenting questions and statements at sessions and networking with other NGOs.
Soroptimist attendees will present additional postings over the next few days to report some of their observations. The Opening Session set out the work which immediately focused on gender issues and the fact that the two MDG issues that have made the least progress are the ones that involve women and children- particularly girls. The issue of Maternal Health has actually regressed from the year 2000 with women from southern hemispere and developing Countries experiencing 5 times as much infant and woman mortality as from developed countries. Attendees were welcomed by Kiyo Akasaka- Under Secretary General from the UN on behalf of the UN. He urged participants to advaocate to their governments and the privae sector to invest in women and children- which will have a significant benefit to society. "Health is at the core of teh MDGs" Additional issues that emerged from the beginning is the imperative of involving the communities that NGOs work- in the identification, analysis, development and imlementation of all programs.
More information to come....stand by....we want you to feel present and involved in YOUR UN activity
Dawn Marie Lemonds
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