May 2009 | Issue 2
newsletter
World Family Organization
Organisation Mondiale de la Famille
United Nations
The UN International
Day of Families - May 15th
Mr. Ban Ki-moon
UN - Secretary General
T
his year’s International Day of Families,
of women and girls, harming their families and
being commemorated under the theme,
communities, and damaging the very fabric of
“Mothers and Families: Challenges in a
societies. Ending and preventing violence against
Changing World,” focuses on the important role
women should be a key priority for all countries.
of mothers for families and communities around
the world.
UNITED NATIONS OVERVIEW
The United Nations is an international
organization founded in 1945 after the Second
World War by 51 countries committed to
We must also ensure universal access to
maintaining international peace and security,
education. The benefits of educating women and
developing friendly relations among nations and
Mothers play a critical role in the family, which is
girls accrue not only to individual families but to
promoting social progress, better living standards
a powerful force for social cohesion and integra-
whole countries, unlocking the potential of
and human rights. Due to its unique international
character, and the powers vested in its founding
tion. The mother-child relationship is vital for the
women to contribute to broader development
healthy development of children. And mothers
efforts. Statistics also show that educated mothers
Charter, the Organization can take action on a
are not only caregivers; they are also bread-
are much more likely to keep their children in
wide range of issues, and provide a forum for its
winners for their families. Yet women continue to
school, meaning that the benefits of education
192 Member States to express their views,
face major – and even lifethreatening –
transcend generations.
challenges in motherhood.
As we strive to support mothers in their caregiving
Childbirth, which should be a cause for cele-
work, we should develop and expand family-
through the General Assembly, the Security
Council, the Economic and Social Council and
other bodies and committees.
bration, is a grave health risk for too many
friendly policies and services, such as child care
The work of the United Nations reaches every
women in developing countries. Improving
centres, that would reduce some of the workload
corner of the globe. Although best known for
maternal health is the Millennium Development
placed on women. Women and men alike need
peacekeeping , peacebuilding , conflict
Goal on which the least progress has been made.
stronger public support to share equally in work
prevention and humanitarian assistance, there
A woman in a least developed country is 300
and family responsibilities. Families built on the
are many other ways the United Nations and its
times more likely to die in childbirth or from pre-
recognition of equality between women and
System (specialized agencies, funds and
gnancy-related complications than a woman in a
men will contribute to more stable and
programmes) affect our lives and make the world
developed country. We must make pregnancy
productive societies.
a better place. The Organization works on a
and childbirth safer by enabling health systems to
provide family planning, skilled attendance at
birth and emergency obstetric care.
We face multiple challenges in our changing
world, but one factor remains constant: the
timeless importance of mothers and their
Violence against women, many of whom are
invaluable contribution to raising the next
mothers, remains one of the most pervasive
generation. By rewarding their efforts and
human rights violations of our time. It has far-
enhancing their living conditions, we can secure
reaching consequences – endangering the lives
a better future for all
“Improving maternal health is the Millennium Development
Goal on which the least progress has been made. A woman in a
least developed country is 300 times more likely to die in
childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications than a
woman in a developed country.”
www.worldfamilyorganization.org
broad range of fundamental issues, from
sustainable development, environment and
refugees protection, disaster relief, counter
terrorism, disarmament and non-proliferation, to
p r o m o t i n g d e m o c r a c y, h u m a n r i g h t s ,
governance, economic and social development
and international health, clearing landmines,
expanding food production, and more, in order
to achieve its goals and coordinate efforts for a
safer world for this and future generations..
UN new website available!
www.un.org
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wfo news
www.worldfamilyorganization.org
World Family Summit +5
Following on from her last visit, the President of
Much was achieved in these preparatory meetings.
the World Family Organization, Dr. Deisi Kusztra,
Not only there was a national press conference to
made the second official trip to Turkey in order to
publically announce the World Family Summit
proceed with the arragenements of the World
+5, but also the Memorandum of Understanding
Family Summit +5, which will be held from 4-6
between the World Family Organization and the
December 2009, in Istanbul.
Prime Ministry General Directorate for Family and
During this visit, Dr. Deisi met the new Minister of
Women, Families, Children and Disabled of
Turkey, H.E. Selma Alyie Havaf who is
substituting H.E. Minister Nimet Çubukçu, who
was recently nomitated as Minister of Education.
Social Researches - GDFSR, represented by its
General Director, Dr. Aysen Gurcan, at the UN
International Day of Families, on the 15th of May,
was signed officially launching the World Family
Summit +5 to the world.
"Hosting the World Family Summit +5 in Turkey with so important platform of
discussions and bringing together the UN, Governments, NGOs,
Parlamentarians, Academia, Media, Business Community and Families to share
the discussions on the problems related to women, family and political solutions
will result in a proper pride for Turkey ."
H.E. Minister Selma Alyie Havaf
Dr. Deisi Kusztra, President of WFO, with H.E. Selma
Alyie Havaf, New Minister of Women, Families,
Children and Disabled of Turkey.
"Everything is running perfectly well regarding the
organization of the WFS +5. I am very satisfied with the
efficiency of the Turkish team working in harmony with
WFO. I am sure that the results of this hard work will be
shown in the final outcome of the WFS+5 in December."
Dr. Deisi Kusztra
High-Level Segment of ECOSOC
As every year, the World Family Organization will
• Consider recommendations and proposals for
participate at the Annual Ministerial Review
action, including new initiatives
(AMR) in the High-Level Segment of ECOSOC to
be held from 6-9 July 2009 at the Palais des
Nations, UN European Headquarters,in Geneva,
Switzerland, with the theme «Implementing the
internationally agreed goals and commitments in
regard to global public health», the theme worked
at the World Family Summit +4, in Cairo.
The AMR will provide the opportunity to:
as an official UN document, translated into the
six UN official languages, and then distributed to
all participants to serve as guidelines for policies,
programs and projects to be implemented at
International, National and Local Levels.
• Assess the state of implementation of the United
Besides sponsoring an official lunch for the
authorities, WFO will also have panels with the
international goals and commitments in the area
www.worldfamilyorganization.org
an official statement, the Cairo Declaration from
the World Family Summit +4 which will circulate
Nations Development Agenda;
• Explore key challenges in achieving the
Palais des Nations - United Nations European
Headquarters in Geneva
In this very important event, WFO will present, as
of global public health;
participation of global prestigious keynote
speakers who will soon be announced.
For more information:
www.un.org/ecosoc
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Turkish Republic Prime Ministry
General Directorate Of Family And Social Researches
Member Highlight
Research for Families in Turkey
Turkish Republic Prime Ministry General Directorate of Family And Social Researches
BACKGROUND:
The Prime Ministry General Directorate of Family
and Social Researches - GDFSR, which was
established in 1989 as Headship of Family
Research Instution, is restructured in 2004.
GDFSR is an administrative unit under the Prime
Ministry of the Republic of Turkey and affiliated
to the Ministry of State Responsible for Women,
Family and Children. It is a research institution
established to
determine and to propose
suggestions as solutions for the social problems
in our country, to make or to have national and
international scientific researches made oriented
for the protection of the integrity of Turkish family
and to strenghten and raise the social welfare of
it, to advance, support projects and to ensure
these projects to be performed and to assist the
formation of a national policy for family.
ACTIVITIES:
The General Director of GDFSR, Dr. Aysen Gurcan and the President of WFO Dr. Deisi Kusztra
Some examples of the activities held by the
General Directorate in its differents areas are:
• Research Projects
• Educational Activities
• Publication (printed and visual)
• Reports
• Campaigns and Meetings
• International Activities
The Prime Ministry General Directorate of Family
and Social Researches of Turkey is the main
partner of the World Family Organization in the
realization of the World Family Summit +5
For more information:
www.aile.gov.tr
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World Family Summit +5
4 - 6 December 2009 | Istanbul - Turkey
Summit news
Discover Istanbul
The host city of the World Family Summit +5 has many components that make it so unique
What is now called Asian Istanbul was probably
The attribute that made the city so desirable, its
today its population is approximately 14 million
inhabited by people as early as 3000 BC.
incomparable location for trade and transport
and increases at an estimated 700,000
Eventually, in the 7th century, Greek colonists led
between three continents, was also its nemesis.
immigrants per year. Industry has expanded even
by King
Byzas established the colony of
For the next several hundred years Persians,
as tourism has grown. It continues to be a city that
Byzantium, the Greek name for a city on the
Arabs, nomadic peoples, and members of the
creates its own history at the intersection where
Bosphorus. Byzas chose the spot after consulting
Fourth Crusade (who for a time governed the city)
both Continents meet.
an oracle of Delphi who told him to settle across
attacked Constantinople.
from the "land of the blind ones." Indeed, Byzas
concluded, earlier settlers must have been
deprived of their sight to have overlooked this
superb location at the mouth of the Bosphorus
strait. This proved an auspicious decision by
Byzas, as history has shown Istanbul's location
important far beyond what these early Greek
settlers might possibly have conceived. Byzas
gave his name to the city: Byzantium.
There are many interesting museums such as the
Finally, weakened by almost constant battle, the
incomparable Hagia Sofia (Holy Wisdom) and
Ottoman Turks lead by Sultan Mehmet II
mosques like the famous Blue Mosque, along
conquered Constantinople in 1453. Renamed
with castles, palaces, churches, and historic
Istanbul, it became the third and last capital of the
hammams. Some of the interesting districts of the
Ottoman Empire. It was the nerve center for
city are: Haydarpasa, Uskudar, Eyup, Galata,
military campaigns that were to enlarge the
Perapalas, Ortaköy, Bosphorus, Taksim, Eminönü
Ottoman Empire dramatically. By the mid 1500's,
and Sultanahmet. Princess Islands are a popular
Istanbul, with a population of almost half a
summer resort for local people.
In the early 100's BC, it became part of the
Roman Empire and in 306 AD, Emperor
Constantine the Great made Byzantium capital of
the entire Roman Empire. From that point on, the
“Although the capital is Ankara, Istanbul remains as
the cultural and financial center of Turkey”.
city was known as Constantinople.
The mid 400's AD was a time of enormous
million, was a major cultural, political, and
upheaval in the empire. Barbarians conquered
commercial center. Ottoman rule continued
the western Roman Empire while the Eastern,
until it was defeated in WWI and Istanbul was
also called the Byzantine Empire, kept
occupied by the allies.
Constantinople as its capital. In 532 during the
Did you know?
Istanbul is located in two continents - Europe and
reign of Justinian I, many riots destroyed the city.
When the Republic of Turkey was born in 1923
Asia - and is the forth biggest city in the world with a
population of 14 million people.
It was rebuilt, and outstanding structures such as
after the War of Independence, Kemal Ataturk
Hagia Sophia stand as monuments to the heights
moved the capital to the city of Ankara. But
Byzantine culture reached.
Istanbul has continued to expand dramatically;
Source: allaboutturkey.com
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www.worldfamilyorganization.org
Millennium Development Goals
The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme
poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all
by the target date of 2015 – form a blueprint agreed to by all the world’s countries and all
the world’s leading development institutions. They have galvanized unprecedented efforts
to meet the needs of the world’s poorest.
www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
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1. ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTY & HUNGER
Target 1: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1 a day
• Higher food prices may push 100 million people deeper into poverty
• Conflict leaves many displaced and impoverished
Target 2: Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people
• Full employment remains a distant possibility
• Low-paying jobs leave one in five developing country workers mired in poverty
• Half the world’s workforce toil in unstable, insecure jobs
Target 3:Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger
• Rising food prices threaten limited gains in alleviating child malnutrition
2
2. ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION
Target 1: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary
schooling
• Political will, coupled with targeted investments, have yielded widespread progress in primary school enrolment
• Poverty’s grip keeps children out of school
• The quality of education is as important as enrolment
3
3. promote gender equality and empower women*
Target 1: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no
later than 2015
• Girls still wait for equal primary school access in some regions
*Main focus of the World
Family Summit +5.
• Women slowly gain ground in political decision-making, but progress is erratic and marked by regional differences
• Targeted action is needed to help girls from poor, rural areas stay in school
• Job opportunities open up, but women often remain trapped in insecure, low-paid positions
• Women slowly gain ground in political decision-making, but progress is erratic and marked by regional differences
4
4. REDUCE CHILD MORTALITY
Target 1: Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate
• Despite progress, deaths of under five children remain unacceptably high
• Vaccinations have slashed deaths from measles
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www.worldfamilyorganization.org
5
5. IMPROVE MATERNAL HEALTH
Target 1: Reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio
• The high risk of dying in pregnancy or childbirth continues unabated in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia
• Little progress has been made in saving mothers’ lives
• Skilled health workers at delivery are key to improving outcomes
Target 2: Achieve universal access to reproductive health
• Antenatal care is on the rise everywhere
• Adolescent fertility is declining slowly
• An unmet need for family planning undermines achievement of several other goals
6
6. COMBAT HIV/AIDS, MALARIA AND OTHER DISEASES
Target 1:Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS
• Despite small victories, AIDS continues to take a terrible toll, especially in sub-Saharan Africa
• In almost every region, women represent a growing share of people living with HIV
• Prevention programmes are yielding results
• Antiretroviral drugs are adding years to peoples’ lives, but the need for treatment still outpaces the available supply
• Planning for children orphaned by AIDS is increasing, but tangible support is slow in coming
Target 2: Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it
• Antiretroviral drugs are adding years to peoples’ lives, but the need for treatment still outpaces the available supply
• Planning for children orphaned by AIDS is increasing, but tangible support is slow in coming
Target 3: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases
• Despite tremendous progress, use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets falls short of global targets
• New malaria treatment strategies are effective, but underutilized
• Progress towards tuberculosis targets is mixed
• Halving the tuberculosis prevalence rate by 2015 is unlikely
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7. ensure environmental sustainability
Target 1: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes
and reverse the loss of environmental resources
• Immediate action is needed to contain rising greenhouse gas emissions
•Success in limiting ozone-depleting substances is also helping to mitigate climate change
Target 2: Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss
• Marine areas and land conservation need greater attention
• Deforestation slows and more forests are designated for biodiversity conservation
• The number of species threatened with extinction is rising rapidly
• Fish stocks require improved fisheries management to reduce depletion
Target 3: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation
• Almost half of the world’s population face a scarcity of water
• More people are using improved sanitation facilities, but meeting the target will require a redoubling of efforts
• In developing regions, nearly one in four uses no form of sanitation
• Though access to improved drinking water has expanded, nearly one billion people do without
• Women shoulder the largest burden in collecting water
Target 4: By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers
• Simple, low-cost interventions could significantly improve the lives of many slum dwellers
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www.worldfamilyorganization.org
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8. DEVELOP A GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENT
Target 1: Address the special needs of least developed countries, landlocked countries and small island developing states
• Development aid falls for the second year, jeopardizing commitments for 2010
• Development assistance will have to increase substantially to double aid to Africa by 2010
Target 2: Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system
• Market access for most developing countries is little improved
• Domestic agricultural subsidies by rich countries overshadow money spent on development aid
• Trade-related assistance needs to be increased
Target 3: Deal comprehensively with developing countries’ debt
• Developing countries are shouldering less debt
Target 4: In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries
• Poor availability and high prices are barriers to access to essential drugs in developing countries
Target 5: In cooperation with the private sector, make available benefits of new technologies, especially information and
communications
• Mobile phones are expanding communications in developing countries
• Internet use is increasing rapidly, but the poorest regions lag behind
Conference on Sustainable
Urbanization in the Information
Age - NEW YORK
www.un-gaid.org
18-29 May
8th Session of the UN Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues NEW YORK
www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/en/
session_eighth.html
Names (UNGEGN) - NAIROBI
www.unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinf
o/default.htm
15 May
UN International Day of
Families
www.un.org/esa/socdev/family/I
DF.html
21-22 May
Expert Group Meeting on
Government and Public Private
Partnerships - GENEVA
www.itu.int/wsis/implementatio
n/2009/forum/geneva/tw_egovernment-UNDESA-ITU.html
17th Session of the Commission
on Sustainable Development NEW YORK
www.un.org/esa/dsd/csd/csd_csd
17.shtml
18-19 May
2009 Resumed Organizational
Session of ECOSOC - NEW
YORK
www.un.org/ecosoc/
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of Experts on Geographical
4-15 May
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13 May
25th Session of the UN Group
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www.wcf2009.org
5-12 May
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World Civic Forum 2009 - SEOUL
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5-8 May
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Calendar
12-14 May
Expert Group Meeting on
National Accounts - CAIRO
www.unstats.un.org/unsd/nation
alaccount/workshops.asp
18-27 May
2009 Regular Session of the
Committee on Non-Governmental
Organizations - NEW YORK
www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo/
1-3 June
Conference on the World Financial
and Economic Crisis Impact on
Development - NEW YORK
www.un.org/esa/desa/financialcrisis/
development.html#conference
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Coming soon...
WFO Institutional Brochure
World Family Organization
HEADQUARTERS
28, Place Saint Georges. F75009
Paris - France
Phone: +33 1 4878 0759 42.82.95.24
Fax: +33 1 4282 9524
PRESIDENCY OFFICE
Rua Ricardo Lemos, 206 - 80540-03
Curitiba-Parana-Brazil
Phone/Fax: +55 41 3254 5678
E-mail: [email protected]
www.worldfamilyorganization.org
Responsible Journalist: Mr. Paulo Machado
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