REGIONAL COMMITTEE Sixtieth session Thimphu, Bhutan 31 August – 3 September 2007
Provisional Agenda item 17.2 SEA/RC60/23 13 July 2007
NOMINATION OF A MEMBER STATE TO THE POLICY AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE (PCC) OF THE WHO SPECIAL PROGRAMME FOR RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH TRAINING IN HUMAN REPRODUCTION The Policy and Coordination Committee (PCC) of the Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction acts as the governing body of the Special Programme and is responsible for its overall policy and strategy. This document describes the background and composition of the PCC and includes a brief report of the Twentieth meeting of the PCC held in Geneva on 28-29 June 2007. At present, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal from the South-East Asia Region are members of the PCC. The term of office of Nepal ends on 31 December 2007. The Regional Committee is requested to elect a Member State from the Region to serve on the PCC for a three-year term of office from 1 January 2008.
Contents Background .................................................................................................................................1 Composition................................................................................................................................1 Action to be taken by the Regional Committee ............................................................................2 Report on PCC Session..................................................................................................................................2 Membership from the South-East Asia Region under Category 2.....................................................................2
Annexes 1. 2. Cooperating Parties of the Policy and Coordination Committee...........................................4 Report of the Twentieth Policy and Coordination Committee (PCC) Meeting UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Geneva, 28-29 June 2007 ...............................5
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Background 1. The Policy and Coordination Committee (PCC) of the Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction acts as a governing body of the Special Programme and is responsible for its overall policy and strategy. For the purpose of coordinating the interests and responsibilities of the parties cooperating in the Special Programme, it: • •
Reviews and decides upon the planning and execution of the Special Programme; Reviews and approves the plan of action and budget for the coming financial period prepared by the Executing Agency and reviewed by the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) and the Standing Committee; Reviews the proposals of the Standing Committee and approves arrangements for the financing of the Special Programme; Reviews the proposed longer-term plans of action and their financial implications; Reviews the annual financial statements submitted by the Executing Agency, and the audit report thereon, submitted by the External Auditor of the Executing Agency; Reviews periodic reports that will evaluate the progress of the Special Programme towards the achievement of its objectives; – –
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Reviews and endorses the selection of members of STAG by the Executing Agency in consultation with the Standing Committee, and Considers such other matters relating to the Special Programme as may be referred to it by any Cooperating Party.
Composition 2. The PCC consists of members from among the Cooperating Parties as follows (Annex 1): (a) Largest financial contributors: eleven government representatives from the countries which are the largest financial contributors to the Special Programme, including India and Thailand. Countries elected by WHO Regional Committees: Fourteen Member countries elected by the WHO regional committees for three-year terms according to population distribution and regional needs. Three countries represent the South-East Asia Region under this category: Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal. In their election, due account is taken of a country's financial and/or technical support to the Special Programme, as well as its interest in the fields of family planning, research and
(b)
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development in human reproduction and fertility regulation as demonstrated by national policies and programmes. (c) (d) Other interested Cooperating Parties: Two members elected by PCC for three-year terms from the remaining Cooperating Parties. Permanent members: The co-sponsors of the Special Programme viz., UNDP, UNFPA, WHO, The World Bank and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). Members of PCC in Categories (2) and (3) may be re-elected. Observers: Other Cooperating Parties may be represented as observers upon approval of the Executing Agency, which is the World Health Organization, after consultation with the Standing Committee. Observers may attend sessions of PCC at their own expense.
(e)
Action to be taken by the Regional Committee Report on PCC Session 3. The Regional Committee, at its earlier session, recommended that the PCC members elected by it should report to the Regional Committee giving a summary of the deliberations of the last PCC session attended by them. The proceedings of the PCC meeting held on 28-29 June, 2007 in Geneva, were presented to the joint Meeting of Health Secretaries and CCPDM held from 2-6 July, 2007 in New Delhi, India. The brief report of the 20th meeting of the PCC is presented in Annex 2.
Membership from the South-East Asia Region under Category 2 4. The following table depicts the membership of PCC from the South-East Asia Region over the past few years. Paragraph of the Memorandum on the administrative structure under which elected 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.1 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2
Country
Period
Elected by
Bangladesh
1987-1989 1990-1992 2000-2002 2006-2008 1988-1989 1990-1991 1993-1995 1996-1998 1999-2001 2002-2004
Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee PCC PCC Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee
India
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Country
Period
Elected by
Paragraph of the Memorandum on the administrative structure under which elected 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.3 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.3 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2
Indonesia
1992-1994 1995-1997 1998-2000 2001-2003 2007-2009 1989-1991 2000-2002 2005-2007 1988-1990 1994-1996 2004-2006 1988-1990 1991-1993 1997-1999 2003-2005
Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee PCC Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee PCC Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee
Myanmar Nepal
Sri Lanka
Thailand
5. At present, the three Member countries from the South-East Asia Region that are members of PCC are Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal. Since the term of office of Nepal ends on 31 December 2007, the Regional Committee may consider electing, in this session, one of the Member States of the Region to serve on the PCC for a three-year term of office from 1 January 2008. In this connection, it should be noted that Sri Lanka has already served on the PCC under Category (2) for the period 2004-2006, Thailand during 2003-2005 and India during 20022004. Therefore, other Member countries in the Region may be considered for election to replace Nepal. 6. In selecting a Member country, the Regional Committee may keep in view that due account should be taken of a country's financial and/or technical support to the Special Programme, as well as its interest in the field of family planning, research and development in human reproduction and fertility regulation as demonstrated by the national policies and programmes.
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Annex 1
Cooperating Parties of the Policy and Coordination Committee Category (1) – Largest Financial Contributors in the previous biennium Canada China Flemish Government, Belgium India Netherlands Norway Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Category (2) – Countries elected by the WHO Regional Committees Armenia Bangladesh Colombia Congo Côte d'Ivoire Democratic Republic of the Congo Ecuador Equatorial Guinea Lao People’s Democratic Republic Malaysia Myanmar Nepal Singapore Sri Lanka Syrian Arab Republic Category (3) – Other interested cooperating parties United Arab Emirates Zambia Category (4) – Permanent members UNDP UNFPA WHO The World Bank IPPF
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Annex 2
Report of the Twentieth Policy and Coordination Committee (PCC) Meeting UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Geneva, 28-29 June 2007 The Twentieth Meeting of the Policy and Coordinating Committee (PCC) of the UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Programme for Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (“the Programme") was held in Geneva on 28-29 June 2007. The meeting was attended by five delegates from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand from the South-East Asia Region. During the meeting, the PCC: •
Endorsed the adjustment in allocation of HRP funds for research capacity strengthening to reflect 50% for the Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean regions, 20% for the Asian and the Pacific regions, 20% for the Latin America and the Caribbean region and 10% for countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Congratulated the Department in developing the Action Plan for Implementation of the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections. Stressed the importance of ensuring that male circumcision was not promoted in isolation for HIV prevention but as part of a comprehensive package of HIV prevention services which stresses the role of consistent and correct condom use as the most effective method for the prevention of HIV. Noted the contribution of sexual and reproductive health to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the ongoing and future role of HRP in supporting the target of "achieving universal access to reproductive health" in countries, as adopted in the Secretary-General's report to the 61st session of the UN General Assembly, under MDG 5. Highlighted the need to ensure that access to sexual and reproductive health services becomes a priority in the work to strengthen health systems, with particular attention given to improving maternal health, access to family planning and preventing unsafe abortion, given the high contribution of unsafe abortion to maternal mortality, and addressing the problem of inadequate human resources characterizing much of the developing world. Emphasized the importance of strengthening human resources for sexual and reproductive health, and agreed on the need for developing core competencies for health professionals who provide sexual and reproductive health services at the primary health care level.
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Proposed that some specific future research on female genital mutilation (FGM) focuses on the psychological consequences of the practice, as well as on how to use laws prohibiting FGM as a way of accelerating progress in eliminating this harmful practice. Noted that the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine provides protection against HPV and that, while it would be premature to declare the HPV vaccine as an immunization against cervical cancer, it prevents severe pre-cancerous lesions, and highlighted, in particular, the recommendation from the Panel concerning the need to work for an affordable public sector price for the HPV vaccine, since this is a major women's rights concern. Expressed its concern regarding the medicalization of FGM in some countries and urged the Secretariat to prepare a normative position in this respect directed at various cadres of health personnel. Emphasized the critical role of the Programme in contributing to monitoring the impact of abortion laws on women's health and lives, as well as in work relating to adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Welcomed the proposed new budget section on strengthening linkages between sexual and reproductive health and HIV and endorsed the increased allocations to preventing unsafe abortion and sexual health. Underscored the importance of focusing on maternal and perinatal health research that addresses those conditions which contribute to maternal mortality, in particular postpartum infection. Underscored the importance of research on health systems, human resources for health, and promoting sexual and reproductive health in PRSPs and SWAps. Stressed the importance of coordinating closely with WHO Departments working in maternal and perinatal health, gender and women's health, health systems and others. Agreed to hold the 31st meeting of PCC on 23-24 June 2008 in Geneva and proposed 18-19 June 2009 as tentative dates for the 22nd meeting of PCC.
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