UNFPA TUNISIA EDITORIAL NEWSLETTER N 04 IN THIS ISSUE. January - April 2015

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1 January - April 2015 UNFPA TUNISIA NEWSLETTER N 04 IN THIS ISSUE POPULATION DYNAMICS 48th Session of the Commission on Population and Development GENDER EQUALITY Open door on CEDAW International Women s Day DOSSIER A new joint programme in maternal and new born health FOCUS ON 4th edition of the University of Public Health in Maghreb EDITORIAL T he year 2015 is a pivotal year in the political economic and social international agenda. It will be marked by the summit of the UN General Assembly in September to define the post-2015 development agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For Tunisia, like all other countries, it is important to take an active part to this work and to prepare for it. In this regard, a Tunisian delegation attended the 48th session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) which took place from 13 to 17 April 2015 in New York under the theme Realizing the future we want: integrating population issues into sustainable development, including the post development agenda. This event and Tunisian participation will be part of this new edition of UNFPA Tunisia newsletter. Also on the agenda in this newsletter: the new joint programme in maternal and new born health ; Open doors event on the CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women) on the occasion of International Women s Day ; and the 4th edition of the University of Public Health in Maghreb. Enjoy the reading! 1

2 POPULATION DYNAMICS 48th Session of the Commission on Population and Development The 48th session of the Commission on Population and Development took place in New York from 13 to 17 April 2015 on the theme Realizing the future we want: integrating population issues into sustainable development, including the post-2015 development agenda. This event gathers member states to discuss actions for the further implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and population issues in the post-2015 agenda. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) supported the participation of the Tunisian delegation led by H.E. M. Saïd Aïdi, Minister of Health and gathering governmental partners and civil society organizations. This delegation took an active part to the discussions of the Commission on Population and Development. In Tunisia s statement, the Minister of Health reaffirmed the commitment of the country on population issues. He reminded that Since independence, Tunisia managed gradually to adopt an integrated population development policy in which health and reproductive health are essential components to ensure the right of the individual to a moral and physical well-being through access to secure services on sexual and reproductive health without any form of exclusion and stigmatization. And according to this statement, Tunisia will continue its efforts to respect and promote human rights, particularly the rights of women and girls, and will continue to invest in the well-being of adolescents and young people and to facilitate their access to information, services, and sexual education. He concluded: I express again the commitment of Tunisia to the global process for population and development as well as our total commitment to its ambitious goals to improve living conditions on the planet; goals that come from the essence of human rights in their most comprehensive meaning. In spite of the progressive position of Tunisia and other countries on these issues, there was no resolution adopted during the 48th session of the Commission on Population and Development. More information: NEW PUBLICATIONS Monitoring framework of universal access to sexual and reproductive health in Tunisia National Board for Family and Population (ONFP) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Leaflet on the process of developing the «Comprehensive Law draft on violence against women and girls» Ministry of Women, Family and Children, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Council of Europe, UNICEF. National Report on the review of the Beijing Platform for Action Ministry of Women, Family and Children, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) To download the documents : (PUBLICATIONS) 2

3 GENDER EQUALITY Open door on CEDAW International Women s Day On the occasion of International Women s Day, the Tunisian Ministry of Women, Family and Children, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women Tunisia and the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) jointly organized a sensitization event titled Open Door on CEDAW. It took place in Beja, Tunisia on 9 March Tunisia ratified the CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women) in 1985 with reservations to some articles and with a general declaration. In April 2014, the country officially withdraws its specific reservations and notified the United Nations Secretary General. Within this context, the Ministry of Women, Family and Children developed, with the support of its UN partners, a communication strategy in order to disseminate the contents of CEDAW and inform the general public on its implications. The Ministry took the opportunity of the International Women s Day to launch this communication strategy by organizing an Open door event on CEDAW in the northwest city of Béja. During that day, people took part to many information and sensitization activities such as a conference on CEDAW by Faten Ben Ayed, member of the Tunisian Association of Constitutional Law with the presence of the governor of Beja and Imen Houimel, General Director for the Ministry of Women, Family and Children. Following this conference, various awareness raising material were distributed, videos projected and a photo booth was also installed so that people could be photographed holding a message on equality. The conference A poster campaign in municipalities and post offices across the Tunisian territory was also launched on this occasion. People holding messages on equality Public Information More information -Facebook Page -The Convention 3

4 DOSSIER A new joint programme in maternal and new born health The Tunisian government under the leadership of the Ministry of Health signed a new cooperation programme with three United Nations agencies (UNFPA, WHO, UNICEF) on 27 March This new programme will start in 2015 until It aims at improving the situation in Tunisia on maternal and newborn health issues, particularly in some areas considered as disadvantaged areas and it also intends to promote maternal and newborn health in support to the national strategy on maternal and newborn health. A FEDERATIVE PROGRAMME The programme was developed by the Ministry of Health and its partners (UNFPA, WHO, UNICEF) in accordance with the national priorities on equitable access to quality care and social services. This multisectoral project will bring together national partners in the health sector (Ministry of Health with the basic health care Direction, the national board for family and population, and the national institute for public health and the general direction of health facilities); in the development sector (the Ministry of Development and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Women, Family and Children, the Ministry of Youth, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of professional training and employment, the Ministry of Finance and every other ministry involved in national or local development) local public authorities and civil society organizations working in the priority areas identified. Signing the Programme PROGRAMME CONTENT The programme is focusing on three strategic directions: renew governance, improve services and redesign information and monitoring system. The promotion of maternal and newborn health particularly in disadvantaged areas requires a good governance from health system with a focus on equity. This mechanism allows to establish an accountability system. The first strategic direction related to governance aims to develop institutional measures to reduce disparities in maternal and newborn health with the participation of people and civil society. It will also create accountability, regulation and coordination mechanisms to make effective the right to maternal and newborn health. The analysis of maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity through the maternal death monitoring system and national inquiries shows that a late and inadequate support is the main cause of maternal mortality and morbidity particularly in some areas where human and material resources are below the required standards. It is also important to notice that in spite of all the efforts made in those areas, there are still disparities between the regions concerning perinatal services coverage rate which is to the disadvantaged of those regions. And in order to reduce maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity, the promotion of quality health services and especially care services must be a priority in the health system. The second strategic direction related to services aims for the State to ensure quality maternal and newborn health services accessible to all and particularly to vulnerable groups in disadvantaged areas. It will also humanize care services and create a health system focusing on people through social mobilization on women and new born rights. Finally, the third direction will focus on the development of an information system on maternal and newborn health more efficient, integrated and decision making oriented. More information: 4

5 Focus on 4th edition of the University of Public Health in Maghreb The 4th edition of the University of Public Health in Maghreb took place in Sousse, Tunisia from 16 to 20 March This event intends to federate participants through debates and discussion around a vision of public health in Maghreb and to mobilize them to define targets and development strategies based on consensus. It is organized by the Faculty of Medicine in Sousse and the Association/Society of family medicine in Sousse with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and in partnership with the Ministry of Health, international organizations and the networks of other public health universities (Besançon, Dakar, Bruxelles). The University of public health in Maghreb offered 5 different units in 2015: Health and development: what strategies for equitable and sustainable health development? Is citizen participation a reality or a slogan? Health and social protection face the challenge of universal coverage: are we going towards universal or segmented coverage? All treatments for some people or some essential treatments for all? And at what price? Offer and organization of the care system: a system built in levels, sectors or a pathway? Patient-centered or led by qualified professionals? Maternal and child health, what strategies? : Reduce mortality or support the whole life cycle of a woman, newborn and child? Management of the quality of health services: a vital necessity, an irreversible choice? More information: DID YOU KNOW? Maternal and newborn health - Tunisia Maternal mortality In Tunisia, an average of 82 women die each year from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth out of live births, at least at the time of the latest survey from which these figures are 1 In 2008, the maternal mortality rate was 44.8 per 100,000 live births with significant differences between regions 2. It is highest in the North West (67.0) and lowest in the Northeast (28.0). Newborn mortality Newborn mortality is estimated at 11.5 live births 3, with differences between urban (7.6 ) and rural areas (18.3 ). 69% of newborn deaths occur during the first month of life. Prematurity is the leading risk factor for newborn mortality. 1 Millenium Development Goals. National monitoring report Tunisia. April National Inquiry on maternal mortality in Tunisia. Preliminary report. Tunisia. Ministry of Public Health. November Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey MICS 4 / CS 2011 DEP MAY E. Ben Hamida Nouaili, S.Chaouachi, A.Ben Said, Z.Marrakchi. Determinants of newborn mortality in Tunisian Population. La Tunisie Medicale 2010 ; Vol 88 (n 01 ) :

6 A G E N D A Agenda - 5 May : International Day of the Midwife - 15 May : International Day of Families - 11 July : World Population Day - 12 August : International Youth Day - 13 August : Tunisian Women s Day Conception et réalisation: OREA - Tél.: / The United Nations Population Fund UNFPA, is an international development agency that plays a unique role with the United Nations system in promoting the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person s potential is fulfilled More Information : UNFPA Tunisie - 54, Av Tahar Ben Achour, Mutuelleville, 1082 Tunis Tel: (216) / PHOTO CREDIT - UNFPA Tunisie - Sophia Baraket - Nicolas Fauqué - Onu Femmes